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Mice living around my pond

Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
in Problem solving
I have quite a big ivy-covered slate waterfall going into my fish pond.
The slate is not fixed and mice have made a home there.
My neighbour has numerous bird feeders just a few feet away on the other side of the fence, so there's an inexhaustible supply of food for them all year.

I want to put down bait, but I'm concerned about hedgehogs, foxes and other wildlife getting access to it.
I'm not going to use traps.

How best can I lay bait without endangering other species?
Thanks


Billericay - Essex

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Is the wallfall near the house? Is there a danger of them coming inside?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Most definitely - the pond is about 8ft from my patio doors and I see mice scurry across the patio throughout the day.
    My bird-feeding neighbour has small glasses filled with vinegar all over the place inside her house (apparently it's supposed to be a deterrent). They also live in her garage - where the seed is stored which doesn't concern her.

    I have had them inside on several occasions, but short of keeping doors closed all day there's not much I can do, and my patio doors are open for most of the day - I have no other windows in the lounge.

    Ps - My moonlight flowers came to an early end.
    The extreme heat a week or so ago turned all the flowers dark pink overnight and they died back a few days later. They'd usually last longer, but I know there will be plenty more on the way soon :)


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I sympathize have the same thing courtesy of my ,(blasted) neighbours,and posted on here recently
     I can't use my top green house for most of my veg seeds/seedlings because of this.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096


    I don't feed the birds now for this reason. The park right next door is full of rats and letting seed fall all over the garden every day is just tempting fate. I haven't had a problem thus far and long may it last. My garden is jammed ful of aphids, sawfly anda hundred other insects so that has to do at the moment.

    What is it with vinegar? People seem to think it the deified answer to all things because it's "natural" ...

    (my Moonlight finished fast too).

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Vinegar is wonderful stuff for chips - marinades - dressings etc - but not in the garden

    I think I've got an answer for where to put the bait.
    I've got an old empty concrete planter which I'll turn upside down. Put a tray of bait under it and leave a gap of about 2"
    Do you think that'll be safe from other wildlife?

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    The problem with bait isn't so much other animals getting the bait, it's other animals eating the poisoned mice, and there's not much you can do about that.

    However leave just a 1inch gap, mice can easily get through that but most other things can't.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    Get a cat? 

    And cut back plant growth that they can hide in. They are getting bold though.

    I have a problem with squirrels getting bold, not scared coming up close to the house to eat all my strawberries.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    edited June 2021
    There are mice and voles running all over outside in my garden.  I've never had one in the house. Unless you have holes that they can get through, they will stay outside.  Mice provide food for foxes and owls.   I would leave them alone. Putting poison down risks killing something else.  We thought we had a vole hole at the back of the pond but it turned out to be mice.



     Old mice holes then get used by ground nesting bumble bees.

  • ErgatesErgates Posts: 2,953
    Wow, lovely pictures! We used to get some field mice in the house, but found that blocking off entrances inside the home worked fine. (Replacing missing skirting boards, and other gaps) We don’t leave outside doors open at night when they are mainly active, and no problems.
    Wouldnt use poison. We did have cats, which is how we discovered the mice indoors. The cats were shut in at night, and I would find tails on the kitchen floor in the morning!
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    The area where they are living is in the slate around the filter and pump.
    At some stage they'll chew through the pipes and/or mains wires and then I'll have a big problem. 
    On close inspection I can see they've also chewed through the pond liner!! I wondered why the level was lower than usual, so I'll have to ty and patch that up.
    I'm not bothered by the odd mouse and they've always been there. So long as I only see one now and then - That's fine.
    But recently there are lots and lots which means there will soon be even more!

    The pond is only a few feet from the house. I did have one in the house last year, and the previous year. I had to put bait down indoors. I just don't want mice either dead or alive inside my house.

    My other neighbour has just sent me a txt with a pic this morning.
    She hid some banknotes in her shed (I've no idea why) - mice have chewed though them.

    I'll put some bait under the planter and leave a 1" gap as suggested by Skandi.

    I don't like killing anything, but I'm afraid there comes a time..

    Lovely video clip fb - just hope if I can get rid of the mice deer don't move in :)


    Thanks for all your advice - much appreciated



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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