Mice

On the sonic device there may well be a switch on the side which will change the frequency of the noise and different noises affect different animals.
As we live in the country we di get the odd mouse from time to time and then I put down the stuff in packets which they generally take away and when they die they do not smell.
I keep my eyes open at all times and put the poison where I see them running around - often tucking it behind furniture. Spring and Autumn are usually the worst times

We live in the country and soon after moving realised there were mice. Got a cat and have had cats ever since, and rarely any mice in the house. When cats catch them, they actually eat them completely, so no decomposing corpses.

However, one of our recent cats wasn’t much good- she could catch mice but not kill them and brought one into the house and let it go. We left her in all night and thought she’d dealt with it, but some weeks later I saw the telltale signs of mouse footprints in some fat left on frying pan.

In that case, we had to resort to traps, but caught them all (mouse must have had babies) and haven’t had a problem since.

Cats seem to act as a deterrent to mice most of the time, but of course if you don’t like cats......

Oh blimey hurdyg, you sound far too calm, I’d be moving out until the mice had gone. I believe the sonic deterrent plug ins take time to work, yes do try changing the frequency, it can do no harm. The mix you have should deal with your unwelcome visitors but why not consider the cat? You know Thursday isn’t that far away and even if inconvenient perhaps stay at your daughters until the mice have gone. Try not to worry too much, they can and will be eradicated. I know it’s horrid and understand your abhorrence.

We get mice twice a year and they've recently arrived. I try not to get alarmed. I don't like the thought of them at the food. So long as you keep things in the fridge, in cupboards or in tins or strong containers you should be fine.
The traps do work. Peanut butter is the most popular bait. Set them where you see the droppings or where they get in.
You can also get humane traps which catch them alive.
I think there are worse things than mice. Moths for example!

Hello Hurdy, I posted a few weeks ago about having seen a mouse in the house. I was mortified and posted here for advice. I had many helpful replies, but despite setting 9 traps charged with peanut butter, chocolate, soft cheese, bacon and poison, we haven't caught any. We have now had 2 visits from a pest control man who found evidence of mice and rats.....they have put down poison. I am beyond horrified by the situation, but he assured us that he visits mansions, new homes and old homes.....we are all at risk of having these visitors. He is coming back to reassess the situation and I hope it will be resolved. (My husband also said filling holes was a waste of time...in fact I could have written your post myself.) Good luck with it all.

You could try a Rentokil Live Capture Mouse Trap from Wilko, or similar ones on Amazon. They're about £4'ish. I baited mine with peanut butter and placed it where I knew the mouse was and caught it very quickly. Easy peasy to then release said mouse outside! Good luck!

DS had mice in his house so got a cat. She was supposed to be a mouser. She’s settled in beautifully and the mice have moved out. There’s been no sign that she’s caught one although she’s obviously on the hunt sometimes stalking around the veranda outside the kitchen door, but the mice seem to have moved back to the woods where they belong. I think just having a cat around deters them, but I’d think twice about getting a mouser.

We used to have cats. Brother and sister. One only hunted birds and the other furry things. The birder died young, but Fred went on to a ripe old age. Blackbirds would happily peck around him sunbathing knowing they were safe. However, he did bring his furry catches home. Sometimes alive (several mice, a mole, a squirrel), often dead and half eaten (mice, rats, squirrel, rabbits). Borrow your DD’s friends cat to get rid of your current guests by all means but I’d think twice about getting a permanent cat that’s a mouser!

how awful i would not be so calm i would be ranting and raving def not moving back until other half did some thing about it including blocking up those holes. as you said why make it easier for the little devils as for getting rid of them there are so many things out there claiming to work including cats! all i can suggest is trying some thing new or waiting for the council sorry cant be more help but i can feel your pain

We once adopted a rough tough old smelly tomcat. We had him neutered and as he was huge we called him Samson. He repaid us handsomely. We never had mice in the house, though he did disgrace himself once by dragging a live/dead rabbit through a small open loo window (downstairs!) and left it for us to find

After blocking every crevice they can gain access and the other things you have already done. A plug in electronic deterrent did the trick for me. It just uses and stays in a wall socket, it emits a high pitched noise that humans do not hear. There is a central button that you press that assures you with a shriek that it is still working.

I bought the humane traps and we caught the two who thought they had moved in with us within 24 hours.My GC wanted to keep them as pets...lol.My fault as I'd told them they were like Tom and Jerry when we were in bed at night.If you do catch them live make sure you take them at least a couple of miles away before you let them go otherwise they come back

First find out where they are getting in and seal it off I used humane traps when I had them in my home I caught 5 and set them free on the field I would have used poison as a last resort bait your traps with peanut butter or chocolate good luck

Its recommended to fill holes around pipes, or any that they might be able to get through, with wire wool, as they can't gnaw through it.

Our only solution years ago was to get a cat. We were overrun with mice when we moved into our first old house so borrowed my sister's cat. No more mice but when we gave it back the mice returned so we got 2 rescue cats from the local dogs and cats home. Problems solved and no poison or traps for our toddler to find.

Are you actually mouse-phobic? If so, I do sympathise and think you'll have to pay and get it sorted. But if you just don't like them (I'm like that- majorly- with big spiders), can't you just work out a way to cope with the problem? I mean, spiders are a constant...my hackles rise, I poke them on their way with a stick, then try to be 'out of sight, out of mind' and not think about them. Mice are petrified of you, so they're not going to climb over you. They're honestly not going to do much damage unless you have droves of them. We've usually got one around as cat bring them in alive and they get behind big unmoveable furniture- no, don't get a cat! Go and look at pet ones in store and remind yourself how cute they actually are. Keep on with humane traps, discourage them...but learn to cope. xx

Sorry op, get a grip. Why can't you block the holes if your husband doesn't want to? The mice will be got rid of soon with all your traps and the man from the council coming soon. Of course you can prepare food in the kitchen, you were doing it before you new they were there. Make sure you clean up all their droppings and crumbs etc. You tell us everything is well stored.

Well fed cats are not good at catching mice, they tend to play with them or bring them in as a present.

I understand it is not nice having mice but after watching that programme on the flu pandemic in 1918 it put things in perspective. Soon be flu jab time.

When we lived in an old house we filled the holes in skirting boards with scrunched up tin foil and then used wood filler over the top. The tin foil must set their teeth on edge as they never returned.

We live in the country so mice and rats go with the territory, and to be honest I don't worry about them much. Occasionally they come in the house (and the greenhouse frequently) and I often hear them scratching around behind the boiler, but I think the scent of our cat puts them off and they leave. We saw a lot more mice and rats when we lived in London.

Get a couple of cats, I have two the best deterrent ever

Apparently a mouse can squeeze through a hole not much bigger than the width of a pencil. If your husband could investigate any possible places, I have heard that filling any holes up with wire wool ( the Brillo pad sort) as they can't chew through it, and that deters them, especially if you make a mix of a polyfiller type sealant over the top of the wire as well. As you have only recently had this problem could they be field mice or dormouse coming in when the fields are harvested rather than the other sort.
Sorry can,t be more helpful. Probably having a cat is a good idea.

We had an issue with the little critters every year when we lived in the country and I think your husband is correct, the little blighters find an entry whatever you do. Two things worked for us. Firstly, spread Nutella onto the trap, they have to scratch to get at it and that triggers the trap. Secondly, we put corn seed mixed with poison into the toe end of a stocking and put it where we knew they were, in our case the roof space. They would then ingest the poison with the grain and between these two methods we would wave goodbye until the following autumn. Good luck.

They will gradually dwindle now that you are covering all your food. I expect they're still living off the odd crumbs and are getting desperate if they're trying to find crumbs on your worktops. Fortunately dead mice don't smell as bad or for as long as dead rats. I know because I've had one of each in my experience.

We live in the country. Tried traps, caught a couple but it’s horrible. They are so beautiful when you see them up close. Tracking where they were coming in and filling the holes worked for us. Most of our house is 400 years old but it was the newish part they were coming in. I hope this helps you talk to your husband about filling the holes and gaps.