gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Feb 8, 2000
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Okay, I've been experiencing some interesting things since moving to my little mountain top paradise, but this one has to take the cake.
Let me start by saying except for the flattened mouse we discovered under the refridgerator when we first moved in, I have yet to see one single mouse, however; I can only attribute the strange occurances to a secret underground mouse brigade!

A few weeks ago, I opened a drawer in the kitchen that is rarely used (baking utensil drawer-I'm no Betty Crocker :confused: ) only to find it was full, I mean FULL of dog food!! Had to be about 2 bowls full. I pulled the drawer out, walked into the living room and presented it to TTRGuy asking if this was some kind of joke. He looked at me stupified. We have no idea how, within the period of about a week (since I last opened the drawer), it could have become full of the doggie kibble.
About a week later, TTRGuy is preparing for a trip to Kennedy Meadows and decides to pull the seat off the TTR to clean the airfilter. What does he find? Dog food stashed under the seat!
2 nights ago, I put my robe on and stick my hand in one of the pockets to find guess what....... more dog food!
At this point, TTRGuy is ready to go commando and set up a stake out for the little kibble snatching critters! ;) Unfortunately for him, I've poo pooed any harm to come to any furry little creatures, this includes the gopher brigade. :) Now I'm not much of a country gal, is it possible this could be the work of mice? :think
 
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Wolf

doooode
Jul 31, 2000
2,487
1
Yup. I remember when it happened to me. Dog food in the pipe, airbox etc.
They chose to build their home in one of my Boots!!! I didn't know it and went to a race only to take hours of abuse from "friends" because of the little travel companions. The really bad part was that they were already dead. Can you say stench :scream: I ended up racing in those boots that day, and then I threw them out.
Gsr, time to buy some mouse traps....unless you need new boots;)
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
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Sounds like you gotcherself a packrat!

They'll pack off and store purt near anything.

Keep the kibble that ain't in Fido's bowl in a big plastic container with a sealing lid. That should keep the little furballs out of it.
 

bbbom

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Aug 13, 1999
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Sounds like mice to me. I found my entire bathroom vanity in the camp trailer stuffed full of shredded toilet paper & dog food when I got it ready for camping this spring. It is amazing where mice will go. We had one that ate chunks out of the roller thing in a copy machine in a job trailer. Everytime you made a copy, part of the words would be missing from a page then show up on the next page. The repair guy was amazed (as were we!).

After living in a double wide that was a mouse haven you can try the following:

Seal ALL holes on the exterior of the house - foam sealant and caulk are best. If the hole can't be permanently sealed steel wool works well too.

Buy some mousetraps - you can't just relocate them critters, they will return.

Use peanut butter on the traps and set them under the sink or wherever they seem to like to hide.

Check the traps daily because a dead mouse gets stinky fast.

Keep track of the number of traps, I have had more than one disappear only to be found by following my nose.

The first couple times of emptying the trap are gross, after that it ain't no big deal. My kids used to fight over who got to toss the mouse when we caught them.

Myself, I built a new house and sent the mice with the old double wide to keep the guy I gave it to company.:p

Now all we have to deal with are racoons, porcupines, badgers, mountain lions, bear, deer and elk.

Welcome to good ol country living GSR!!!
 

MikeT

~SPONSOR~
Jan 17, 2001
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Ya that's mice. My buddy’s air supply vents in his house were filled with dog food. You've got to seal all the Dog food up in something tough for them to get into.

Also the peanut butter on the trap is the best bait. Here's a little secret, put the peanut butter baited trap behind the refrigerator that has always worked for me. ;)
 

MBFTY

Uhhh...
May 4, 2001
192
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Originally posted by bbbom

Buy some mousetraps - you can't just relocate them critters, they will return.

Use peanut butter on the traps and set them under the sink or wherever they seem to like to hide.

Check the traps daily because a dead mouse gets stinky fast.



To quote my uncle...
Them's mountain rats! Ya caint bait the traps with peanut butter. Ya gotta bait the traps with soup beans and commodity cheese!
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Feb 8, 2000
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NO MOUSE TRAPS! Unless they are live traps. Yes.... I know, people think I'm crazy, but I just can't do it. Although I suspect TTRGuy has some hidden without my knowlege. :p
I grew up having rodents most of my childhood, Guinea Pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, there is no way I'm gonna kill the lil critters. They have just as much right to be there as we do. A little dog food stashed here and there is nothing to kill them over. I just thought is was funny and strange.
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,510
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Originally posted by gospeedracer
. . . I just thought is was funny and strange.
It won't seem so funny when you find their little turds all over your eating utensils!:eek:

Grrrr . . . me and the mousketeers don't get along. They used to keep my little buttercup awake. Consequently, she'd keep me awake!:(

Thankfully our new digs seem rodent free.:)
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
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Uh GSR, ever heard of Hanta Virus? :eek:

Ain't gonna be no mice allowed to live in my house no way, no how. The mice themselves never bothered me but I can't live with any animal that craps on my counters or in my cupboards - even the hound dog that I love isn't allowed in the house because he pee'd on a couch a very long time ago!

Seriously, the best way is to keep them out in the first place. But, the only way you can get rid of those that are already in the house is to trap em. You could try the live traps but I never had much success, plus they will eat each other if left in the trap! :scream:

Since my old double wide had swiss cheese for floor underlayment, we kilt em by the dozens.
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Yes, I am aware of the potential that they may carry the Hanta Virus. But that's just it, I don't see any droppings either, that is what has got me so baffled. :confused: Can they (virus carriers) be harmful to our dogs?
 

MBFTY

Uhhh...
May 4, 2001
192
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The Plague

Bubonic Plague is also carried by rodents...

Thats the stuff that wiped out most of Europe several hundred years ago :eek:
 

zio

Mr. Atlas
Jul 28, 2000
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Originally posted by gospeedracer
Unfortunately for him, I've poo pooed and...
:scream: Can't you take care of that on your own? What's going on in this hippie commune?
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Feb 8, 2000
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Dammit Zio! I almost choked on my nectarine!
Ya, I guess you could call me a granola, you should see my legs right now... :scream:
Now, I'm off to weave some wild flowers through my dread locks........
 
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Okiewan

Admin
Dec 31, 1969
29,555
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Texas
NO MOUSE TRAPS! Unless they are live traps. Yes.... I know, people think I'm crazy,
Get those "traps" that are cardboard boxes with sticky stuff in the bottom, open on each end, placed next to a wall.

See, you don't really kill 'em and you dang sure you know when you catch one (little critters can squeel purdy loud) then, you just toss the little rat motel in the garbage. YOU didn't kill him. They just get exported far, far away.

They say that eventually, they get un-stuck, but I can't verify it. Last one I caught was stuck by feet, tail and nose. He was just a little upset. :p
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Feb 8, 2000
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Ahhhhh! No way! :( Are you trying to make me ill?! They placed those sticky traps around at my old job and a little lizard got stuck in one by my desk. The poor thing was plastered to it. There was no way I could rescue him without ripping his skin off! He was doomed to die a slow and painful death. I was horrified :(

NOW, I'm off to sign up with PETA!! Guess who's house we'll be picketing? :p
 

NVR FNSH

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Oct 31, 2000
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gsr,
we were having problems with mice & ants getting into the dog & cat food. Anja bought some big screw top air tight containers at a feed store - no more problems. I know you've got plenty of feed stores in SB - might have to drive over the hill to Los Olivos or Buellton....

Brian
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Feb 8, 2000
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To those of you who mentioned a container for the dog food, we do keep the food in a sealed plastic container TTRGuy got from Purina. The only exposed food is the food the dogs haven't eaten sitting in their bowls both inside and outside. :think
 

NVR FNSH

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Oct 31, 2000
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bbbom - note I said mice & ants. Show me a garbage can lid that seals tight enough to stop ants....

gsr - solution to your problem? Feed the dogs twice a day so there isn't any food left over:p

Brian
 
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