Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Any tips on how to deal with mice phobia

(66 Posts)
Coronation Tue 24-Sept-24 09:26:10

I've just seen a mouse, and whilst I am dealing with the situation, I will be very jumpy and on edge in case I see one again. I will really struggle to relax in my own home, especially in the dark nights!

I need some tips please

MissAdventure Wed 25-Sept-24 15:36:50

I can't bear to go anywhere near them.

Dead or alive, they absolutely fill me with fear.

Knittypamela Wed 25-Sept-24 15:44:51

I leave the plug in my kitchen sink as its a short pipe to outside. I am convinced they could come up the pipe. I'm really phobic. Luckily DH sets a trap and deals with it. I was once in a restaurant in Amsterdam. On the way to the toilet I spotted a dead mouse. The waiter kicked it under the bar and went on serving. Yuck.

missdeke Wed 25-Sept-24 16:39:07

Baggs

*misdeke*, this is what puts me off ever owning a cat. Efficient mouse traps are so much more humane.

I know what you mean, as a Ragdoll he was supposed to have a much more relaxed demeanour, but once you have them they become part of your life so quickly. I've tried puttig a collar on him with a bell but he gets them off so quickly, literally within a minute, I've tried all sorts.

sazz1 Wed 25-Sept-24 17:51:15

When we first got married I inherited my grandmother's house which was very run down, dirty, cluttered and overrunning with mice. Even dead mice in the cupboards. We borrowed one of my sister's cats, OH blocked up the holes they had made, cleaned the house up thoroughly etc. The cat killed a mouse the second day we had it. Never saw a mouse for a month so took the cat back to my sister. A week later we saw a live mouse in the living room.
Went to the RSPCA shelter and adopted a cat of our own. It killed 2 mice a week later. Never saw another after and we always had a cat in every house until my daughter became allergic years later.
Best advice is get a cat. Keep any cereal, cakes biscuits in strong containers and potatoes carrots etc in a lidded large saucepan. Keep doors and windows closed especially on winter nights.
Once the cat kills one they leave in my experience, but will return if the cat leaves.

MissAdventure Wed 25-Sept-24 18:07:00

That is what happens if they are released fairly close to where you found them.

They come back.

Ziplok Wed 25-Sept-24 18:16:49

We’ve had mice in the past and found the snap traps to be the most efficient way of getting rid of them. Yes, they look cute, but there’s no way I want any in the house - they spread disease and can cause a lot of damage by chewing through wires and pipes, etc. if they stay outdoors, fine, but once they venture indoors, it’s war, I’m afraid. No room for sentimentality.
Spiders don’t bother me.

MayBee70 Wed 25-Sept-24 19:38:30

Ziplok

We’ve had mice in the past and found the snap traps to be the most efficient way of getting rid of them. Yes, they look cute, but there’s no way I want any in the house - they spread disease and can cause a lot of damage by chewing through wires and pipes, etc. if they stay outdoors, fine, but once they venture indoors, it’s war, I’m afraid. No room for sentimentality.
Spiders don’t bother me.

I agree. I do everything I can to stop them entering the house but, if they do it’s war. By the way ( I’ve been wanting to say this for ages!) I’m currently obsessed with Ziplock bags. I do try to use as little plastic as possible but my Ziplock bags never get thrown out. In my neverending attempt to organise my disorganised life I love putting things in my bags and writing down the contents!

grandtanteJE65 Wed 25-Sept-24 21:09:06

Unless you live in a very old country cottage or farmhouse you should not have mice in the house, so I suggest you get rid4 66777777732o4 the mice rather than focussing on getting rid of the phobia.

All these numerals were caused by my mouser no. 2 - the tom cat joining in the discussion - his sister is the chief mouser.

Seriously, find out how the mice are getting in, and block up all their entrances - polyfilla with a generous addition of mouse poison is one way of dealing with it, or if you dislike the inhumanity of poisoning the little beasties - polyfilla plastered over a network of wire netting, or phone Rentokil or whoever else deals with vermin in your area.

If the phobia is a serious worry, consult a psycologist.

MissAdventure Wed 25-Sept-24 22:14:49

I can't do the whole outside of the building, but I have covered the airbricks with mouse mesh outside, and I have one to do inside (the back of a horrible long kitchen cupboard, which is where I suspect they came in here.

I'm a bit nervous to do it, in case there are mice AND spiders in there, because I'll have to almost climb into it to see the airbrick.

gay18 Thu 26-Sept-24 15:33:19

Plug all holes with wire wool. They can’t get through it. Also if you have gaps under your washing machine etc in the kitchen put black sticky tape round them.

Polly7 Thu 26-Sept-24 16:28:07

I do understand this Totally are used to be a lot better with it, but when on my own in an old cottage and my lovely rescue cat, he brought the mice in and lost them!!!!!! Not funny at all in the end I went to stay at a B&B for two nights while Mick the Mouse man dealt with it for me and even then I slept on the sofa for another two weeks! This is because my lovely rescue cat brought a mouse up stairs at 1 am and it ran over my bed so now I have a phobia good & proper!!!!!! I'm as much as I now miss my lovely furry friend. I will never have another cat you expect them to get rid of mice

Polly7 Thu 26-Sept-24 16:30:16

On a sensitive note the mouse is scared and tiny!!!!! When I moved from the cottage, I found a skeleton of one behind my bedside, It was shortly after my cat brought me the present in bed!!!!

Grandadpete Fri 27-Sept-24 16:34:15

Over the years, I found you need to constantly be putting down poison, ,a infestation will take weeks until you don't see any, but keep checking and filling the poison trays, I have done this for the past 5 years, not seen a mouse but occasionally the poison goes .
Almost all shops hotels and business have a constant pest control system, they never let up , whether they have rodents or not

Athrawes Fri 27-Sept-24 17:41:24

I like mice but not 'free rein' ones! We used to have pet mice but none from the outside world thankfully.
We do have spiders though, especially this time of year but we had someone come round on my birthday with some animals to talk about and handle and I actually took a deep breath and had a furry large spider put on my hand. To my surprise I survived! And since then I'm not so fearful now - though I'm still not calling them a favourite pet!!!!

Grannynannywanny Fri 27-Sept-24 19:20:40

I’ve been to animal handling sessions with my grandchildren over the years. I can happily hold a tarantula or have a large snake draped round my shoulders. But if I’m in a pet shop I can’t bear to look at a couple of little mice in a cage. Likewise if any type of rodent appears on tv, I have to look away.