Controlling mice is not an easy task without any instruction. I have been in the pest control world for over 15 years and have effectively controlled several mouse infestations both in rural and urban areas and now I will share the tips of successful control with you.
The big difficulty usually is the fact that a full survey of the area is not carried out. This is important for a number of reasons. Firstly it will uncover the point of access where the mice are getting in. A fully grown adult rodent can squash through a gap of just 6mm! So think small when looking.
In a domestic property the point of entry is commonly under a door or from around gaps in service pipes incoming under kitchen sinks. The signs to look out for are droppings which seem like black grains of rice and a black smear mark which is made from the natural grease off the rodents fur as it travels backwards and forwards using the same path. A mouse will generate around 80 droppings a day so be aware that you may unearth lots of droppings but it doesn't mean you have countless mice.
When you have found the entry point then block it. For gaps at the base of doors use a draught excluder brush strip which works by creating an illusion to the mousse sense of touch that it is a solid object so it will not push through it. Fit the strip onto the outside of the door rather than the inside. If the hole is around brick work or pipe work then use a mixture of course grade wire wool, 5mm galvanised mesh and cement. Do not use expanding foam as mice will chew through this easily.
Once you have blocked the entry points then you need to start to get rid of the mice that are inside. This is best done with a combination of traps and poison. Firstly use a ordinary break back snap trap which should be placed at right angles to the wall floor junction. That is to say the shortest edge of the trap should be touching the wall edge. If you have small pets or children ensure that the traps are placed safely for example under the kitchen units or in plastic bait boxes which can be bought to house traps safely. Add an attractive snack onto the trap to tempt the mice to eat such as biscuit
Next choose your poison. Mice prefer a poison bait consisting of cut or chopped wheat. These poisons are readily available online and the wheat should be emptied in either trays or bait boxes where safety is needed.
Mice need to eat from a lot of small feeding stations during their feeding time sometimes as numerous as up to 30 so ensure you cater for this and place a lot of small bait points around the area. A mouse will usually eat around 3g of food per day. Keep these bait points frequently topped up until you get no further bait take. This can take up to 14 days depending on the poison used.
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