Tell me about mice and other home invaders

[Zhaylin]

We have mice. A lot of them. But you rarely ever see them. Personally, I like them. If I keep the food in the cabinets or up high, they're no problem. I enjoy watching them. I call the ones in my "room" Mickey Mice. They're simple field mice or jumping mice. They're very small with long tails and big ears. They live under the fireplace (errr... it's a mostly closed off part of the fireplace under the rack for holding wood. I think it catches the ashes or something). When I'm laying on my couch late at night I sometimes see them race out then back in. They climb the rock wall that makes the outside of the fireplace. Only one comes out at a time. And every now and then, the kittens (they're less than 6 months old) will catch one and as disappointed as I am to see the mouse die, I enjoy watching the kittens with their new "toy". In the kitchen, we have a house mouse. We see him maybe once a month. He's fat and bigger than a field mouse. As cute as all this is, part of me knows it's not "normal" or "rational". We've been keeping the house very clean. I usually only see other "evidence" (droppings) of the field mice when I move furniture or laundry. As for other home invaders... we found a snake skin that was almost 5 feet long in the basement. We've since seen the snake. He's just a very large black snake ("Garter" or "Garden" snake- completely harmless to people). I figure he eats the mice we don't see. Should I be more... concerned? grossed out? ... than I am? I figure, they're just in here because it's warm. The cats and snake keep the population down. No harm, no foul, right?

[SkA_DaRk_Che]

It's really unhygienic to have mice. I used to live in a really shitty apartment in a shitty part of town that was filled with mice. I once woke up with my sheets torn almost into shreds by mice; It was a warm night so i just slept with sheets. Then another time, i was sleeping on the sofa and i saw reflected in the metal, a mouse jump on the stove and eat the left overs in the pan. Anyway, in that apartment and in an apartment i lived in as a kid, there was a huge mice infestation and i got parasites and scabies and all that nasty shit. If you have kids, you don't want them being in that environment. How can you sleep at night with the thought of Mouse shit and dead mice rotting in the walls of your home?

[Zhaylin]

Ignorance or apathy I guess. I keep everything clean. There are no leftovers for them to nibble. I only see droppings under furniture and such. And they never get close to us (that I know of). I didn't know they transmited scabies though. And I've never thought about them dying in the walls. I guess it's time to get some humane traps. What about the snake? Anyone know of anything I should be concerned about? We only go to the basement to do laundry (it's otherwise uninhabited).

[dreamnoob]

hmm, interesting depending on what type they are this could be a reaaally bad thing, mice such as deer mice are carriers for many serious dieseases and viruses. :C

[Zhaylin]

Yeah... I did not realize they carried more unapparent problems with them. Because we wipe down everything so often, I figured we get rid of any trails (I've *heard* mice have no ability to control their bladder). The biggest problem I could imagine is having them eat the laundry and furniture they hide under at times. Bah! Time for me to get off my lazy rear and do some googling. Are the diseases transmitted only through bites and their droppings and trails? They're adorable but I'm never getting scabies again!!!!!!!!! I had it once (or so said I doctor but I've had some doubts). I got whatever it was from an old couch we inherited with a rental.

[oniman7]

I believe the mice issue has been addressed. I'm not sure having snakes in your house is necessarily a bad thing, however: They can leave droppings, peelings, etc. which will rot and cause a horrible hygiene problem. However, my dad used to keep corn snakes and such as pets. When properly maintained, I don't see a problem, and they can even help with pest problems. I would get a vet's advice, though.

[dreamnoob]

wow i've actually never heard of a snake infestation problem, and yes sorry i see now the mice issue is solved

[Zhaylin]

I'm still waiting to see the snake. All of my kids have seen him. The neighbors kids have seen him, but I'm always too late lol. His skin was most impressive and we threw it away right away (well, after the kids stopped terrorizing each other by chasing them with it *rolls eyes*) He's causing a little damage though. The ceiling in the basement is unfinished. There are some panels here and there and some areas with piping, tubing, insulation and such. He's managed to climb into the insulation and has made some of it fall. Once it warms up, if he's still with us, I'll probably just move him outside. The guy who does odd jobs for us is TERRIFIED of snakes. He definitely doesn't want to meet this one lol

[dreamnoob]

hmm... fill im all basement cracks / foundation cracks you can find? that could be usefull + could look for any obvious outside holes in your house/housing

[Zhaylin]

Aye... but the most obvious problem is something I can't do anything about. The door to the outside from the basement has 3 panes of glass set into it, vertically, and for most of the length of the door. One of those panes is broken. It's completely gone. I block the door with a large box that the water heater came in to keep the cats and other animals out (one out of 7 kitties knows how to out smart the blockage though lol). I'm certain lots of smaller visitors come in through it though. Hubby's stubborn. We wants to replace the glass, but never does. He doesn't want me hammering into the door because it would damage it *roll eyes* So until he decides to do something about it, I'm stuck.

[dreamnoob]

Aye... but the most obvious problem is something I can't do anything about. The door to the outside from the basement has 3 panes of glass set into it, vertically, and for most of the length of the door. One of those panes is broken. It's completely gone. I block the door with a large box that the water heater came in to keep the cats and other animals out (one out of 7 kitties knows how to out smart the blockage though lol). I'm certain lots of smaller visitors come in through it though. Hubby's stubborn. We wants to replace the glass, but never does. He doesn't want me hammering into the door because it would damage it *roll eyes* So until he decides to do something about it, I'm stuck. well, in that case get a thick piece of cardboard an just duct tape it on reaaal good!

[Vranna]

For every mouse you see there are 20 you don't see. A mouse is fertile every 4 days and 3 weeks later they can have up to 20 babies. As soon as the mother has given birth she can get pregnant again. After 4-5 weeks the babies themselves can reproduce. So i think you have a lot of mice in your house. You just don't see them. So, you better get some mice traps fast!