Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1399356746
Reply with quote #1
Over time, I've turned my patch of desert yard into a little lush forest. With that, creatures have arrived. I have amazing bird life, lizards, spectacular butterflies, and now mice. I had suspected a mouse was about but it was confirmed in the worse way when one jumped out onto me from some potting material. I'm sure I was heard miles away with blood curdling screams at 6 am. I may need therapy. I've finally hit rock bottom. No more trees. I've set my mind to rid my yard of it or them or this may be the final end to the fig forest.
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javajunkie
1362970391
Posted 1399371441
Reply with quote #2
That's AWESOME!!!!! I really enjoyed the story with my coffee, thank you.
KK
1352993559
Posted 1399371575
Reply with quote #3
I like the old fashion "snap"http://www.amazon.com/Kness-Pro-Ketch-104-0-002-Multiple-Catch/dp/B000FJTWH8
Ampersand
1389979527
Posted 1399378764
Reply with quote #4
There's what I call the redneck mousetrap. Get a bucket with a board going up to the top. Have a dowel/wire with a can in the center over the bucket (make sure the dowel can spin). Cover the can in peanut butter. Mouse goes to the PB, can spins and they fall in the bucket. Some people fill with water so they drown, some people just relocate the critter.
javajunkie
1362970391
Posted 1399378929
Reply with quote #5
Do you have a picture of that Kelby?
Ampersand
1389979527
Posted 1399379627
Reply with quote #6
I've never made one personally, the stray cat duo keeps everything smaller than squirrels away here.http://www.instructables.com/id/Redneck-Mouse-Trap/
Rewton
1291943117
Posted 1399380560
Reply with quote #7
I don't worry about outdoor field mice - they're part of the ecosystem...unless they chew bark on fig trees or cause problems in the veggie garden. Actually, I think the small rodents that cause problems around here are voles. I use mothballs around my in-ground figs and haven't had a problem so far. Up until a couple months ago I had an outdoor cat who liked to hunt. Now that he's gone I may start to have more of an issue but so far so good.
javajunkie
1362970391
Posted 1399381787
Reply with quote #8
Thanks Kelby, that may work over the large garbage can filled with water for the squirrels. Mice and rats are taken care of by the owls and hawks but those damn squirrels are another matter.
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1399383980
Reply with quote #9
I think the big ray zapper is supposed to get rid of squirrels. We don't have squirrels. Funny I'm not scared of them but trained to freak out with mice. No way could I stand using the ol fashioned snap or glue traps. We have hawks and an occasional stray cat but all the pots and trees make it impossible for them to catch the critters. We do have scorpions. I hope they are natural enemies.
javajunkie
1362970391
Posted 1399384526
Reply with quote #10
OMG, scorpions are guaranteed to send me into orbit!
bullet08
1284496248
Posted 1399384785
Reply with quote #11
either mice have not found my fig trees, or they don't know what they are. no issue so far. but i'm attracting toads and frogs, i'm sure snake will follow soon.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1399389916
Reply with quote #12
I've kept pack rats (wood rats) under control for the past few years with a Havahart trap, but it requires dealing with the live occupant. The electrocuting traps sound like a low hassle, humane solution.
jdsfrance
1376988473
Posted 1399412462
Reply with quote #13
Hi,
schaplin
1392175246
Posted 1399425829
Reply with quote #14
I had smart rats. Wouldn't touch peanut butter. The pros use almonds with a little of the brown stuff filed off so it looks like someone else was gnawing on it. Rats couldn't resist and I caught them in snap traps.
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1399426778
Reply with quote #15
Ken, what do you do with the live one? Wouldn't it come right back. Some of these guys are carrying Hanta virus.
Chivas
1283819505
Posted 1399470951
Reply with quote #16
Cats seem to work the best. We have a few strays around here and also some people's pet's roaming around. I put up with the cat pooh in the flower beds for the mice not being near.
FrozenJoe
1244509224
Posted 1399471084
Reply with quote #17
Cats really do keep the mice away. We never saw a mouse over here until after our cat went missing.
bullet08
1284496248
Posted 1399471292
Reply with quote #18
every winter, we have one or two mouse running around the house. not sure where they are coming in from. live trap doesn't work any more. i tried sticky trap but that is just cruel and unusual.. i would rather shot them than have them stuck on those things. i guess i can have them stuck, then shoot them.. anyway.. i'll have to try almonds next winter.
cis4elk
1347840383
Posted 1399478476
Reply with quote #19
The problem comes when you get mice and rats. The dang mice eat the bait off the rat traps, and the rats get educated to traps on the mouse traps. Then you have to get clever and design pathways and prey specific scenarios for your traps. When I used to have chickens, every now and then a rat would come along, and rats are something I will not tolerate...eesh. Mice on the other hand are always around and you just manage them(when you are feeding something like birds as jdsfrance said). They are like the tide, their numbers go up and you increase trap numbers then their numbers go down and you can take most your traps away. You will never get rid of all of them if you are feeding. I like snap traps, the little trap door type traps work well too, especially if you put something inside to contain the bait so the first mouse doesn't walk in and eat it.
KK4DFU
1331243863
Posted 1399485492
Reply with quote #20
This red neck mouse trap looks it could work with a trash can for squirrels...
milehighgirl
1382109709
Posted 1399487500
Reply with quote #21
I ran across this video. It's a little quirky, but it might be helpful. Voles are everywhere...
greysmith
1394039826
Posted 1399490218
Reply with quote #22
I tried the redneck mouse trap and couldn't get it to work. Tried most other kinds too. The mice could breed faster than I could catch them. They'll come in in the fall for the warmth too. Finally got a cat, now the only mice we see inside are the ones she catches outside and brings in to play with. Of course, if you don't like cats snakes will work too... and they don't play with them.
milehighgirl
1382109709
Posted 1399492732
Reply with quote #23
My experience with electrocution traps is that more often than not it just teaches the mouse to avoid it. The batteries have to be FULL strength otherwise they will get zapped and learn to avoid it, and then the smart ones live to breed again.
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1399734491
Reply with quote #24
This morning the trap was found four feet from where I put it, but no one in my house moved it. Inside were 2 zapped mice. There must be a whole clan living right there.
rafaelissimmo
1335639347
Posted 1399738777
Reply with quote #25
Kania 2000 is the best.
susieqz
1372082549
Posted 1399747507
Reply with quote #26
thanks for telling me there's an electric one. i have the snap ones, but some mice are too smart forthem. so,i also have to use poison.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1399838481
Reply with quote #27
I used to take each live packrat for a drive and then let it out of the trap about two miles away, but after a dozen such relocations realized it cost too much in time and gas. So, I devised a humane way to dispatch them, but it's not for everybody. I sleeve a Costco-size mesh onion sack over a big plastic bread bag to form a double, reinforced bag (the plastic bag alone isn't strong enough), and then slip the neck of the double bag over the end of the trap, keeping it tight so the rat can't squeeze out and escape. Then I open the door leading into the bag, and usually simply blowing at the rat once or twice makes it run into the bag. I gather the neck closed and remove the bag from the end of the trap; then, holding the bag securely by the neck I swing it (with rat inside), hard, in an arc against the concrete walkway. The rat dies instantly and is already in a plastic bag for disposal.
susieqz
1372082549
Posted 1399841393
Reply with quote #28
i'm glad to hear that you've stopped dumping vermine where they can bother others.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1404240587
Reply with quote #29
I noticed my trusty Havahart trap was closed this morning. Expecting to see a pack rat, I was surprised to find I had caught a paloverde root borer beetle, too big to squeeze between the wires.
RichinNJ
1374784282
Posted 1404241155
Reply with quote #30
Note to self - another reason not to move to AZ
Dave
1312388324
Posted 1404241678
Reply with quote #31
Ken i an going to have nightmares
Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada
rcantor
1309799312
Posted 1404243280
Reply with quote #32
While you're at it look up Asian Hornets.
Dave
1312388324
Posted 1404243859
Reply with quote #33
Are You Kidding Me Jurassic Park Is All That Comes To Mind
Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada
FiggieFive_0
1392277468
Posted 1404246633
Reply with quote #34
Looks like his thumb & fore finger already got stung!
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1404249970
Reply with quote #35
Yikes! I'll stick with our big, clumsy beetles, thank you very much. At least they aren't venomous, are only around for a few weeks in summer (the rest of the time they're underground as big white grubs), and the only way they're apt to bite is if you're foolish enough to stick a finger within reach of their mandibles.
RichinNJ
1374784282
Posted 1404260640
Reply with quote #36
Conibear 110... problem solved....'cept for the big scary bugs in AZ and NM
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1404711055
Reply with quote #37
Ken, that is one innovative and amusing way to "humanely" get rid of the rat problem. I'm not sure I would want to be in the vicinity when that happens. That is one creepy beetle. I've never seen that. My palo verde has scars all over it's trunk. I wonder if those beetles did it.
