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mouse problem in summer house - various solutions?

SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
in Problem solving
I have a big mouse community living in the deep insulation of my summer house roof. It hasn't bothered me that much as it isn't near the house, but now they are chewing through the electrics and peeing and pooing everywhere which isn't good. It's not the kind of building that can be 'plugged' so that they could not get back in once cleared. It's kind of 'loosely built' (not by me) - lots of gaps as a design feature.

I wonder what some approaches might be. I am thinking of maybe taking out the insulation  so that they don't have a cosy nest to huddle in. The foot deep insulation isn't really needed. But the shed will away be warmer and cosier than the outside for the winter. I wonder about changing the roof (left field idea). Or maybe sonic devices to put off mice. The one for cats works very well.

I have put down poison, but I don't want to them die in the roof or within the deep walls as they will be hard to find and will mean dismantling the ceiling. I can't get into the walls to search for bodies.

Your thoughts are welcome.
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Posts

  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    According to my niece those sonic devices work very well for mice. I have no first hand experience.
  • SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
    Thanks. I will try
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    You won’t need to search for bodies, they’ll smell for a few days but that soon goes,  they just fade away. You won’t know they've been there.   
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    You could always turn off the cat deterrent for a while...sorry, couldn't resist! 🤣
  • SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
    Not much use inside the hut's ceiling.
  • SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
    Lyn said:
    You won’t need to search for bodies, they’ll smell for a few days but that soon goes,  they just fade away. You won’t know they've been there.   

    I had a dead mouse in my broom cupboard in the spring and it took months to get rid of the stink. It still smells bad, but not so much. I am just praying one doesn't die under the floorboards.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I have found traditional mouse traps effective.  I place a supermarket tray over these to prevent  birds getting trapped (it happened once).  I use several traps and usually catch them in pairs.

    Humane traps get gnawed.  And are not really humane.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    We had mice going after our potatoes in our garage and used one of the sonic devices, which works very well indeed as they haven't been back since we use it.  
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    They smell when they’re in an open space like the broom cupboard but in insulation or under floor boards it soon goes off. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I hate it when people build gappy construction for aesthetics but cheap out and don't fit the proper rodent mesh behind it. If you can reclad the building with the mesh then that's a good long term solution though.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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