Mouse in the Apartment!!

[kiwismom]

I used to live in the country and when it gets cold the mice come in the house. The traps work fairly well but I would put poison under the house where the animals can't get to it as well. Since you are in an apartment call the manager and let them handle it. Be sure and tell them that you have a bird so that they can use the appropriate poison.
Good Luck!

[Jenny]

ok, so I read this post yesterday, & now I'm (sorta') laughing at myself, because I've gone totally paranoid in a matter of hours! I got home from work yesterday & found kitchen cabinets open. This is nothing new, the cats like to open the doors, but all of a sudden I wondered if they were chasing mice in the cabinets. & then I opened a cabinet under the sink later in the evening & was just certain I heard something shift inside & that it was a mouse. Maybe the paranoia will make me more likely to clean up extra well after Aaron, but it'll probably just drive me over the edge!!

(not making light of this issue, just poking fun at myself!)

[born2fly]

Before this post first went up I wasn't overly concerned about mice but went to Home Depot and got bunch of traps anyway. Well I bagged one yesterday now not sure if it just got there or was there all along. Now it's all out war(house is like mouse minefield now) and will do some further house mouse proofing. Will keep posted.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Strikes me that this is one good reason for coexistence with a cat!

I don't think our cats would be very effective mousers, but as far as I can tell any local mice that might otherwise invade are quite uninterested in our house!

[Jenny]

Strikes me that this is one good reason for coexistence with a cat!

yeah, I had the same thought. Then realized that I've got one with teeth but no claws, and another w/claws but no teeth!!

[zazanomore]

Strikes me that this is one good reason for coexistence with a cat!

yeah, I had the same thought. Then realized that I've got one with teeth but no claws, and another w/claws but no teeth!!

My cat is declawed. I thought she'd be a horrible mouser. But, after my brother was born, my mom gave my cat to my grandparents house out in the country. Apparently, she's the best mouse chaser around! Don't ever underestimate the will power of a cat.

Though I've never heard of a toothless cat...

[Jenny]

ooo, that's good to know! Just so long as neither of them are playing w/the dying critter when I get home. I do not want to have to finish the mouse off!

I could explain the toothless cat, but as it would be very non-parrot related, I'll control myself.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

ooo, that's good to know! Just so long as neither of them are playing w/the dying critter when I get home. I do not want to have to finish the mouse off!

There's a fair chance that their mere presence would be sufficient to keep the population at bay.

BTW, I've done some research on rodenticides and I can't find anything that substantiates the idea that a poison can cause the body to disintegrate rather than rotting. Fast-acting seems to usually mean 1-3 days after a single feeding, and most require multiple doses. They kill either by causing the mouse to bleed out internally, causing the heart to stop, or releasing a poisonous gas when digested that kills and then disperses. The latter class (metal phosphides) is said to often result in the mice dying outside the building, near their nests, because it is rapidly acting, which may have been what the exterminator meant... also that the gas does go away and the mouse bodies themselves are not toxic to cats and dogs. But they still decompose normally.

[sidech]

BTW, I've done some research on rodenticides and I can't find anything that substantiates the idea that a poison can cause the body to disintegrate rather than rotting. Fast-acting seems to usually mean 1-3 days after a single feeding, and most require multiple doses. They kill either by causing the mouse to bleed out internally, causing the heart to stop, or releasing a poisonous gas when digested that kills and then disperses. The latter class (metal phosphides) is said to often result in the mice dying outside the building, near their nests, because it is rapidly acting, which may have been what the exterminator meant... also that the gas does go away and the mouse bodies themselves are not toxic to cats and dogs. But they still decompose normally.

Are you so curious that it would be worth it for me to call my exterminator ? Maybe we'll just find out it wasn't true, or that my memory is not so accurate.... I can give him a call and ask what the product is, if you want ?

[born2fly]

2 for 2 I think I found the entry point in a basement window. Hope that's it, if not I may have to consider a cat.

Trap seems to work, those faint of heart look away
Trap "Made in USA" so I guess that's my stimulus package to US