What repels mice?

September 19, 2006

I'm having rodent trouble. Deer mice are coming into my house. I've had the pest

control company block any area they could find where mice might be coming in

(except we haven't checked the roof yet) and they put down bait stations

(poison) and traps outside. Inside, I have glue traps and snap traps everywhere

and I've blocked areas under the sink where the pipes come up through the floor.

So far, the mice have eluded all the traps. They have managed to remove peanut

butter and cheese from the sensitive snap traps without setting them off. They

have skirted the glue traps all over the countertops while still managing to run

amok scattering droppings there. These mice are mocking me.

I am going out of my mind. Every morning I get up, remove the traps, and

disinfect my kitchen. I think rodent droppings and urine in the house are

disgusting all by themselves, but I'm also wary of hantavirus. A high enough

percentage of wild rodents (mainly deer mice) in this area test positive for

hantavirus that I'd rather not take any chances. It is, after all, incurable and

has a very high mortality rate, and I'm already asthmatic. My respiratory system

would be a Disneyland for those microbes, much as my kitchen has become an

amusement park for mice.

So...what else can I be doing? What repels mice? Any EOs I can spritz around?

Herbs I can scatter?

TIA,

jaime

p.s. I know they're deer mice because I've seen them on two occasions--they have

dark bodies with light bellies and legs and relatively short tails. The other

local species, the harvest mice and field mice, are either tan or gray, no

markings, long tails. The last one I saw in the house ran from under the washing

machine, across the dog bed WITH DOGS IN IT and through the kitchen,

disappearing into the darkness of the living room. We couldn't find it after

that. The dogs are clueless and so are the three cats. Believe it or not, one of

my dogs is a rat terrier....

September 19, 2006

I'm not an expert on mice, I have several feline family members that

do keep them down, but once in a while we get them under the

cabinets.

Cotton balls saturated with Peppermint EO works great. And, it's

not harmful to pets, plus it drives the little boogers out.

You can try the Peppermint Essential Oil, just make sure it's

Essential oil, not fragrance oil.

Good luck,

Kahfess

, " Brian Jacobs "

<jacobs.fam wrote:

>

> I'm having rodent trouble. Deer mice are coming into my house.

I've had the pest control company block any area they could find

where mice might be coming in (except we haven't checked the roof

yet) and they put down bait stations (poison) and traps outside.

Inside, I have glue traps and snap traps everywhere and I've blocked

areas under the sink where the pipes come up through the floor.

>

> So far, the mice have eluded all the traps. They have managed to

remove peanut butter and cheese from the sensitive snap traps

without setting them off. They have skirted the glue traps all over

the countertops while still managing to run amok scattering

droppings there. These mice are mocking me.

>

> I am going out of my mind. Every morning I get up, remove the

traps, and disinfect my kitchen. I think rodent droppings and urine

in the house are disgusting all by themselves, but I'm also wary of

hantavirus. A high enough percentage of wild rodents (mainly deer

mice) in this area test positive for hantavirus that I'd rather not

take any chances. It is, after all, incurable and has a very high

mortality rate, and I'm already asthmatic. My respiratory system

would be a Disneyland for those microbes, much as my kitchen has

become an amusement park for mice.

>

> So...what else can I be doing? What repels mice? Any EOs I can

spritz around? Herbs I can scatter?

>

> TIA,

> jaime

>

> p.s. I know they're deer mice because I've seen them on two

occasions--they have dark bodies with light bellies and legs and

relatively short tails. The other local species, the harvest mice

and field mice, are either tan or gray, no markings, long tails.

The last one I saw in the house ran from under the washing machine,

across the dog bed WITH DOGS IN IT and through the kitchen,

disappearing into the darkness of the living room. We couldn't find

it after that. The dogs are clueless and so are the three cats.

Believe it or not, one of my dogs is a rat terrier....

>

September 19, 2006

I totally understand your problem, as I have the same issue. My daughter

actually gave me an idea that has worked the past year for me. You said that

you have the sticky traps? I do too, but it was not until I put a piece of

candy (and M & M or a small mini kiss) in the middle that the varmints took the

bait. I still have all of the other traps out, but the only ones with the candy

in the center work. I have caught mice in them every time! Try this and see if

it works for you too. Cindy

September 19, 2006

From what I remember, mice hate peppermint. I don't know if it's just the strong

smell or what. We sprinkled peppermint leaf in our pantry because mice were

getting into everything and it didn't take long for them to be gone. A friend of

mine used peppermint oil on cotton balls all around her house and that helped

her.

Blessings,

Starr

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Every survival kit should include a sense of humor. ~Author Unknown

I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

Education is a wonderful thing, provided you always remember that nothing worth

knowing can ever be taught. ~ Oscar Wilde

Get on board. You're invited to try the new Mail.

September 19, 2006

Peppermint! We were infested with mice last year. I mean they were

everywhere. I actually saw one run accross my drop celling light,

then another, then two more. It was like there were having a social

gathering in my celling. Peppermint did the job and did it well.

They have not been back.

Also in the beginning of the summer we had an ant problem. Well we

put a few drops along the doorway where they were entering the house

and then I went to the source and added a few drops to their home in

the back yard. I do not recall seeing another ant in our home all

summer.

John

http://www.ancienthealingoils.com

, Starr Moonchyld

<starrmoonchyld wrote:

>

> From what I remember, mice hate peppermint. I don't know if it's

just the strong smell or what. We sprinkled peppermint leaf in our

pantry because mice were getting into everything and it didn't take

long for them to be gone. A friend of mine used peppermint oil on

cotton balls all around her house and that helped her.

>

> Blessings,

>

> Starr

>

> I believe in God, only I spell it Nature. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

>

> Every survival kit should include a sense of humor. ~Author

Unknown

>

> I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

>

> Education is a wonderful thing, provided you always remember that

nothing worth knowing can ever be taught. ~ Oscar Wilde

>

> Get on board. You're invited to try the new Mail.

>

September 19, 2006

mice are allergic to peppermint... and if you put a drop of peppermint oil

in an ant hill they will pick up and move... I have done this several times

with success in my organic garden.

Oh by the way I would like to introduce myself... my name is Tressa and I am