Keeping rodents out of houses

[jorgenbg]

Hello

Have a question. Ive got three old houses with stone foundation between 0,5-1,5m tall around and timber on top. There is a lot of mice in all of them this time of year. In my house alone I probably trapped around 100. Problem with the other houses is that they are rented and I cant really relay on them checking traps all the time.

To mice proof these old houses would be almost impossible I think. They always find some small crack to enter. Also, when living on a farm with fields and forest next door, you have an endless supply.

The other day I had an idea. Would it be possible to put either a thin copper pipe or just steel wire around, on the stone foundation with some isolators and hook it up to one of those Delaval electric fence machines? Would the feckers be shocked if they touch it? Anybody tried this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[milkloss]

I would guess three strands (the middle one an earth to make sure they get a kick) of high tensile (so you can get good tension)would be best. Any electric fencer would do.

 

[robs1]

You can get a gadget that you plug into any socket that is meant to emit a signal that disrupts them so they leave, I have used one before in a mobile home used as an office and never had any mice in it

 

[Pistonbroke]

You can get a gadget that you plug into any socket that is meant to emit a signal that disrupts them so they leave, I have used one before in a mobile home used as an office and never had any mice in it

I bought one and it made no difference but maybe you get what you pay for

 

[Av Gorritt]

I have read quite a few that say they do , and a few that say the opposite , so, is it site conditions , model of emitter , or just bloody minded rats/ mice ? Or what . We have constant corvid trouble about the buildings . I bought a cd with corvid distress calls on it , supposed to frighten them off . With no success at all , and yet , they seem to work for others . Perhaps some people don't like to admit that they have been Conned ?

 

[jorgenbg]

I have no faith in those emitters, but I thought the electric wire was a brilliant idea. Thought maybe someone else would have tried... ?

 

[two-cylinder]

Can't beat a good cat.

 

[mx110]

Can't beat a good cat.

Our cat fetches the bloody things in, doesn't half get the Mrs squealing when it drops a live one on her lap

 

[Cowabunga]

Can't beat a good cat.

Or 'Rodent Control Officers' as mine are officially called for Farm Assurance purposes.
Sadly my two have died after 19 and 20 years of faithfully keeping the house rodent free. Well, of live ones and ones actually caught in the house anyway.
My daughter has just adopted an exceptionally promising kitten which is being spoilt rotten with all kinds of stimulating toys. It's just unfortunate that she and the cat don't live here any longer, having flown the nest.

I haven't quite got over losing my old cats yet and feel it's too soon to be having a replacement, so no doubt the rodents are having a free run of the old outbuildings. I'll have to borrow the new puss for a while if they get to plague levels.

 

[som farmer]

rats/mice, in older stone houses, cannot really be stopped, and they say you are never more than 3 meters away from rats. Both need water, and usually have to 'exit' house to find it. We have found 4 places, around our house where they do, and keep all 4 baited, we know when the baits gone, a scurrying over our bed room, more bait, sorts that out in 2 days. You can also get electric zappers, rats will eat other dead rats, so no cleaning up, saw it on u tube, looked efficient, but ....... Farm wise, we have rentokil contract, of 60 +yrs, we hardly ever see a rat, if we do, check the log book, and usually 'missed' a visit, costs us about £350 a yr, hating rats, i don't begrudge it, and i expect it wouldn't be much different than buying the bait ourselves, and totally RT friendly !!!!