Question:
The neighbors below me had a mouse problem and a few of the mice managed to make their way upstairs to my apartment....my cats caught 3 of them. Two were dead when I found them and the other one Bean had in his mouth and I had to chase him through the house to get it from him. I managed to get the mouse from him and it appeared to be unharmed but stunned so I got in my car, drove to the park (with the mouse on my lap on a napkin) and released it into the field.
I agree that a trap that allows for a quick death is probably a more humane death than a cat catching it...its the poison and glue type traps that I really think are cruel. Some time ago my aunt was telling me about these mouse traps they used to use when she was younger that would trap (but not kill) the mice in this container and then the trap would be placed in a bucket of water to drown the mice. Now that IMO is just plain cruel. I've had pet mice and a rat so I would feel extra guilty about killing any mouse. If I ever have another problem I would probably look into the trap and release type and hope that my many cats don't get them first.


Answer:
My mom (bless her little heart) lives in the country in a 300 year old home and of course there are many mice to contend with. She use to have live traps.....and then set them free in the fields.....then they would come back...once they set up home in the walls and have babies and nests they can become very hard to get rid off and they can do a lot of damage.....she learnt the hard way and now she traps them with killer traps.....she learnt the hard way by having to fork out alot of money for exterminators and renovators LOL


Answer:
Well, I guess that didn't help you at all, Sophie. I thought the device is only for mice.
Here's some information on the Hanta virus that can be transmitted in mouse droppings. The primary carrier is the deer mouse. Sophie, be careful when you are cleaning up mouse droppings.
Infection with the hanta virus can cause a potentially life threatening illness that affects the lungs. The carrier of the hanta virus in North America is primarily a type of mouse known as a 'deer mouse'. Not all deer mice carry the hanta virus. Deer mice have a white underbelly and are slightly larger than regular field mice. They have been found in cities, but deer mice are more common in rural areas. The hanta virus can be transmitted from deer mice to people if tiny particles of their droppings or urine are breathed in. According to Canada's Communicable Disease Report (April 2000):
as of December 31, 1999, 32 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported in Canada -- 20 from Alberta (most originating in clusters southeast and northwest of Edmonton), 6 from British Columbia, 5 from Saskatchewan and 1 from Manitoba.
all case have occurred in rural settings.
of the laboratory-confirmed cases, the fatality rate is 38%.
the age of those infected in Canada has ranged from 15 - 62 years of age (average age is 39 years).
60% of the confirmed cases have been male.
the transmission of hanta virus from one person to another has not been documented in North America. *
SYMPTOMS OF HANTA VIRUS:
fever
chills
occasional headaches
body aches
sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms
shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing or other breathing difficulties.
Symptoms from hanta virus generally appear between 9-35 days after exposure to deer mouse droppings or urine. About 5 days after infection, fluid begins to build up in the lungs and breathing can become very difficult.
If you have these symptoms after being exposed to dead mice, mouse droppings or mouse urine -- seek medical attention immediately.
HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF?
There is currently no vaccine available in Canada to protect against the hanta virus. You can, however, help to protect yourself by:
keeping your home, work place and recreation areas mouse free. This can be done by:
limiting the food sources for mice in these areas. This is not as easy to do in a rural area, but, in your home, you can make sure all food is stored in sealed containers.
blocking points of access for mice.
encouraging the presence of natural predators such as cats. NOTE: Cats and dogs are not affected by, and cannot spread, the hanta virus.
using rodent poisons (in their approved manner)
trapping and safely disposing of trapped mice.
carefully cleaning up any evidence of mice, such as mouse droppings or urine.
Field mice droppings tend to be smooth and pellet shaped, about the size of rice grains. Deer mice tend to have larger droppings that are brown and rough and look like unground peppercorns. It is not always possible to tell what kind of mouse has left behind droppings or urine.
To be on the safe side, always assume that mice, their droppings and urine are infectious and take the precautions outlined below.


HOW CAN I CLEAN UP MOUSE DROPPINGS OR URINE SAFELY?
Because small particles of dead mice, mouse dropping or urine can become airborne when you are moving around in an area where mice have been, there are several things you can do to prevent breathing in these airborne particles:
avoid activities (especially if they raise dust) in any areas that you suspect may have mice.
if you discover an area that is heavily infested with mice, their droppings or urine, you may wish to have a professional exterminator clean the area up - they are trained in proper techniques for cleaning up such sites.
if you decide to clean the area up yourself:
wear a dust mask, such as the kind you find in hardware stores. Make sure the mask fits closely around your nose and mouth and make sure that you don't touch the mask with your hands once you have started cleaning. If the mask becomes soiled, take it off and put on a new one.
thoroughly wet the droppings and urine with a disinfectant or bleach solution (3 tablespoons of commercial bleach per one gallon (four litres) of water). Mix a fresh solution for each use.
once the contaminated area is wetted down, wipe the droppings up with paper towels or old rags, being careful not to let your hands touch the droppings. It is recommended that you wear rubber gloves while doing this. Clean the gloves well with bleach solution, after use, or discard them.
once all of the obvious droppings and urine have been cleaned up, repeat the cleaning of the area with the bleach solution.
put the droppings and cleaning cloths in a plastic bag, and dispose of the bag immediately in an outside garbage container.
even if you have worn gloves, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after the clean-up.
If you find a dead mouse:
wear rubber gloves, or put your hand inside a plastic bag to pick up the mouse.
if you're using a plastic bag, turn the bag inside out so that you have gotten the mouse inside the bag without touching it. Then close the bag with a "twist tie" (or by knotting the bag).
dispose of the mouse and bag immediately in an outside garbage container.
wash your hands thoroughly after handling a mouse (even if you have used gloves or a bag). If you have taken the mouse out of a trap, wear rubber gloves when rebaiting the trap. It's not recommended to disinfect the trap with the bleach solution because the smell may keep mice away from the trap.


Carpets and upholstery can be cleaned by commercial steam-cleaning, or you can shampoo the carpet yourself. Do not use the bleach solution on your carpet. Clean the carpet with a commercial rug shampoo to which you have added a household disinfectant such as Lysol. Never vacuum mice droppings -- vacuuming may release the hanta virus into the air through the vacuum cleaner's exhaust vent.
Take bedding or clothing outside and either gently roll the droppings off or pick them off with rubber gloves -- do not shake them off! Then wash the bedding or clothing as regular laundry and dry them in a dryer or hang them outside in bright sunlight. Clothes worn while cleaning mouse infestation can be handled in the same manner.
WILL WINTER COLD KILL THE VIRUS?
Cases of hanta virus infection have occurred in Canada in every month except March, so the cold weather does not seem to offer any protection. Whether a mouse or droppings are frozen or not, treat them as being potentially infectious.


Answer:
I forgot to include the source of the quote, it's from: http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/hl...tems/hanta.htm


Answer:
The perfect mousetrap: a cat. "nuff said!!!


Answer:
Originally Posted by neuroleptical
The perfect mousetrap: a cat. "nuff said!!!
Funny you should say that, my cat is the one that brings these creatures in and drops them at my feet (alive) as a gift. She has brought in a pigeon, a sparrow, a couple of mice and now a rat. She wouldn't dare harm them, she just wants to drive us insane


Answer:
My cats would be useless with a mouse. Syd might chase it, but Max (the "tough" one) would be scared.


Answer:
Firefox, that's hilarious!! My bf had a mouse but Hank scared the crap out of it & it hasn't been seen in months. And although I live in a very old, not so well-maintained building, I have no mice thanks to Hank's vigilance!! I think her outdoor walks make her feel like more of a mouser: squirrels & chipmunks get her VERY excited!!!
I would try live ("Havahart") traps if the cat idea is ineffective. Snap-style mouse traps are horrible & poisons are inhumane methods of slow torture that can also kill your chins, gp's, rats & other pets. Warfarin, a popular rodenticide, causes the animals to haemhorrage interally, thus slowly, painfully bleeding to death.


Answer:
lol how bout this for a mousetrap??? Andy pulled into the garage tonight.. (he has a brand new car by the way... which makes this wierd!!) and he said he thought he smelled something funny... like burning.. so he popped the hood.. and there were some sunflower seed shells.. and some cat food... hehe... the poor mouse must have decided it was a nice place to live with it being so cold out and the engine being warm..