Navre and Friends in Boston

[Pajarita]

Yes, I also think she is hearing a noise that is not supposed to be there and, most likely, it's the mouse. They are very good at that. They get used to the normal noises that happen in the household and would not react to them but, one little noise that is unusual and they notice it.

[Navre]

It's a mouse, for sure. It's getting into her cage. It wakes her up, and me up, about 6 times a night.

I can only set traps after the bird is in her cage, and I worry that I'll let her out at 5 am, after not sleeping all night, and forget to pick up all the traps.

I'm going to go with glue traps. I hate them, but a snap trap would kill the bird of she got into one. At least with the glue traps, she would have a chance.

[Wolf]

If you are leaving food in the cage overnight then that is what the mouse is after. What about using a live trap? They are more expensive but they are safer and you could put a little of the left over bird food that the mouse is after in it to draw the mouse into it. Perhaps mix a touch of peanut butter with the left over bird food and stick it to the traps trigger plate.

[Pajarita]

Ay, no, John, don't use glue traps! Such an awful way to die for the poor little things... The humane traps work like a charm if you remove all food (and remove the dirty paper at the bottom of the cage, too because mice would eat it, too), spray mint oil all around the cage, and kind of bait the trap. They actually don't require any bait but, if you put one little seed here and one little seed there kind of on a line pointing to the opening of the trap, you will catch it in no time at all. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Repeating ... +mousetrap.

[Navre]

I have peppermint oil. I didn't know if it was bird safe. Do you think peppermint oil will keep the mouse away from the cage? It's a small bottle and only gives drops

I've had to use glue traps in the past. I hate them, but I always try to get to it soon and kill the rat by drowning or shooting.

[Pajarita]

I don't see a reason why peppermint oil would be dangerous as long as you make like a circle around the cage. They are now selling sprays with it as mouse repellent (https://www.rodentsheriff.com/) I haven't tried them yet because I haven't seen any mice poop anywhere but I was planning on ordering some to keep 'just in case'. The two old mice that lived in the canary room are no longer there. The one with half a tail disappeared on its own (he must have died) and the one with the crooked one was caught by one of my cats (I took him out of his mouth and put him outside) when he sneaked into the room one evening (my cats were all born from feral mothers and are outstanding mousers).

[Navre]

I'll try to get some of the repellant. I haven't slept in about a week.

[Navre]

I got some plastic live-catch traps. I hope they work quickly! At least I know the bird can't get hurt by these.

[Navre]

Still no luck with the traps. I've never had any luck wife humane traps.

I have taken out all the food and changed the paper. I took off the plastic chains that hang down to the floor. She can fly, and she knows it, so she doesn't need them any more. I put a drop of peppermint oil on the top of each wheel. I'm hoping all this keeps the mice away from her cage. She isn't getting enough sleep and is not biting because of it. I'm not getting any sleep either, but I have not bitten anyone yet.

[Wolf]

Well the peppermint oil is a repellent and its job is to keep the mouse away from the cage, so while the trap does need to be nearby in the same room, I would look for where the mouse is coming into the room and place the trap near that place. I would also not touch the trap with any peppermint oil on me at all. Traps and any bait used in them work to entice the mouse inside the trap so you do not want any repellent on or neat the trap or the trap can't attract the mouse.