S/o mice | Imamother

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 5:44 am

We are in a very old rented house and our landlord is not good about taking care of things. We got rid of the mice before ourselves using poison but they came back.

I understand that to really solve it all of the holes in the house would have to be closed up but the exterminator did a terrible job with the squirrels in the roof and didn't close up those holes so I'm sure they would not be able to solve the mouse issue either.

We've kind of given up by now because it seems pointless but the recent thread about people grossed out is making me second guess it. Is it worth it for us to spend money we don't have getting rid of mice that will just come back again in a few months?

amother

Apricot

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 5:49 am

amother OP wrote:

Would you get a cat or dog?

amother

Caramel ↓

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 6:13 am

What is this a spinoff from?

I don't know if it's really possible to seal up an old house. In my experience living in an old house, eeping all food in plastic containers will make a huge difference. Not having food to eat will keep the mice away. If you're going to spend money, that's probably where you should spend it.

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 6:17 am

amother Caramel wrote:

https://www.imamother.com/foru.....57276

I've thought about trying to starve them but I have toddlers dropping food all over. I can't possibly keep the house clean enough to not have any food around for the mice. (I'm not the greatest housekeeper and don't always notice mess right away).

That's part of why I've just given up.

I also thought about getting a cat but aside from the hashkafa part and my kids not being comfortable around animals I don't think I'm disciplined enough to take care of a pet.

amother

Opal

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 7:06 am

I would put in the effort I don’t think it’s so safe for your toddlers to be playing on the floor while there’s mice in your house. Try a new exterminator. Main thing is to close up the holes outside your house so can’t come back in and then trap and kill the ones inside.

amother

Amaranthus

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 7:11 am

Oh, mice are a nauseous creature. I live on top of a grocery store and every now and then we get inundated. I literally wanna run away when it happens. I just put out the really sticky traps and catch as many as we can.

You can close up holes, but they'll always find somewhere else to come from. And mice take a bite of a plastic bag and live for months. There's no such thing as "starving" them.

amother

↑ Caramel ↓

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 7:28 am

amother Amaranthus wrote:

You can't use plastic bags. You need hard plastic storage containers.

amother

↑ Caramel

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 7:30 am

amother OP wrote:

https://www.imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=557276

I've thought about trying to starve them but I have toddlers dropping food all over. I can't possibly keep the house clean enough to not have any food around for the mice. (I'm not the greatest housekeeper and don't always notice mess right away).

That's part of why I've just given up.

I also thought about getting a cat but aside from the hashkafa part and my kids not being comfortable around animals I don't think I'm disciplined enough to take care of a pet.

Can you work on getting kids to only eat in one room? I know it's impossible to fully eliminate all crumbs in a house with kids, but limiting food to one room, and sweeping or vacuuming at night makes a big difference.

amother

Aubergine

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 8:21 am

Don't feel so bad Op. We had mice living in our walls (didn't see any droppings or mice) and the exterminator basically said almost every house has mice, it's just whether you see them or not.

I would try another exterminator simply because it would make me nauseous and anxious.

fig

Thu, Apr 18 2024, 9:35 am

Where do you live?
There was a write up about exterminator. Frum guy I used him in Tristate. He’s gotten rid of mice when nobody could. Mordy-(917) 922-7722