help! mice eating my tack

[asterix]

Spent time this weekend giving my bridles a real once over. There are little nibble marks along the edges in many places. Sigh.

We used to have an excellent barn cat but he decamped for the cushier life of house cat at the neighbors. The mice have gotten completely out of control -- not just as evidenced by my tack locker, but just by walking through the barn -- you see them scurrying everywhere.

BO does NOT want another barn cat. Or any other kind of critter. What can I do inside my OWN locker that will keep the nibbling at bay? I am not necessarily looking to cause mouse death, just mouse stay-away...

[CallMeGrace]

I just Googled "mouse repellent" and got a lot of responses.

[pharmgirl]

And I thought it was Moose doing that to his flash! :lol::lol: (really not far from the realm of possibilities)

Unfortunately, without a critter to instill some sort of fear I have noticed they have gotten quite bold these days. What seemed to keep them out for a bit was when I set up a trap or two. I got some nice covered ones at target so I don't have to witness the true carnage ;). They did seem to stay out of my locker for a bit after that. Of course, I got lazy and stopped setting the traps and now I have to fight them to get off my tack when I open the door!


ETA I googled as well. How about this (http://www.critter-repellent.com/mice/how-to-get-rid-of-mice.php)? I would be happy to go in with you :).

[asterix]

nah, I got up close and personal with the bridle and those are nibble marks from very, very little teeth (and on one bridle way more than the other -- now of course I can't remember which locker was which so will have to do both).
Plus having mouse droppings on my pads and in my helmet, yeeah, could do without that too.

Pharmgirl, does this mean that our stuff will smell like, um, fox urine? Will the local foxes camp outside our lockers??
Otherwise, sure, it's not very expensive. If I buy it I can chip away at my feed deficit...

[pharmgirl]

Not sure about the odor- I wondered about that as well, but figure that most likely that is how the deterrents work. I hoped the scent would be mild enough that us humans couldn't detect it, but who knows about the other critters coming around.
Hopefully we can get some testimonials before trying them out ourselves :).

[jetsmom]

Supposedly, Bounce fabric softener sheets deter mice...

(and if it doesn't work, at least you'll have happy little soft, static free mice...)

[Alpha Mare]

I put the plastic Victor traps, loaded with peanut butter, inside a baggie. The mice find their way inside and pow. THen I have a covering on them/trap for disposal, just open the trap (inside baggie) over the manure pile and put back down in open position.

We have cats at the barn but they don't seem to be getting in some corners and then the mice enjoy the towels in my brush box - eeeuw. They even try to eat the sponges - eeeuw again.

good luck

[asterix]

Well, I'm inclined to go for mouse repellent over mouse death. There is no way I'd kill enough to make a dent in the barn population, so if I can just get them to go away...

[equusvilla]

in the way of repelent and trapping and finally just had to use the sticky traps. Yes - this is a kill method and I HATE to resort to that ...but no way was I going to allow rodents to destroy my home and belongings. ..and YES - mice do emit a horrible smell!

[equusvilla]

Well, I'm inclined to go for mouse repellent over mouse death. There is no way I'd kill enough to make a dent in the barn population, so if I can just get them to go away...

If you can't kill enough, you will never get enough of them to go away and they will just keep multiplying...and I have 4 very active barn cats. There are just some places that the mice can go that the cats cannot.

[Susan P]

You need some barn cats, females stay close to home, the boys like to roam. Take in neutered feral cats and they will stay with you, not your neighbor. Maybe Forgotten Cats of DE will bring you 3 cats, it's a long way to go but they need homes all the time. DC is about a 2 hour drive so it has to be worth the trip for them.

http://www.forgottencats.org/index.php (http://www.forgottencats.org/index.php)
Check them out and email them at info@forgottencats.org (info@forgottencats.org)
This is the same organization that trapped neutered and returned the cats at Fair Hill Training Center.
The cats are great mousers and I have several, but no mice all winter, not since the cats arrived and believe me, they love to eat mice.

[theoldgreymare]

If the BO does not want another cat, would she consider a rooster? Our roosters used to be the best darn micer's ever. Baby mice are their favorite treat!

For your tack locker, try spreading some moth balls or peppermints around.(believe it or not, mice don't like the smell of peppermint).

[asterix]

Oh, goodness, if you knew my BO, you'd be laughing SO hard right about now -- the idea of getting him to agree to a rooster!
(the barn cat we had did a great job, obviously the best way to go, they need homes, we have a barn full of softie boarders ready to love on 'em, chip in for shots, etc etc...but alas, it is not OUR barn...)

I will try repellent and see what I can do. I just need them to go eat someone else's tack.:D Pharm, I'll try that stuff you found and leave it for you as well...

[Renn/aissance]

Shame it's the wrong time of year to go out back and relocate a nice big snake.

[poltroon]

Since they're in a locker, you should be able to exclude the mice.

Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Cover/patch/fill any holes that size. Use weatherstripping for door seals. If you have irregular holes that are hard to patch, stuff them with steel wool. Mousies don't like the way it feels on their noses, and they won't push on it.

[unclewiggly]

Moth Balls will keep the varmits away

[AM]

The only time I've had mice munch on my tack was when I put it away dirty in my own basement. I think they liked the taste of the sweat. So I'd recommend wiping off tack before storing it.

Our barn now has a cat but we also have mice from time to time. Others who keep people food and horse treats in their lockers seem to have more mouse problems than I do. I keep horse biscuits in a plastic container with a lid and they don't seem to bother. I did find something shredded tissues from my tissue box but I did not find a nest when I found and removed the shredded tissues.

[Trevelyan96]

My cats are such good mousers that I actually have gotten a soft spot for the occasional one I see, as they really are not a problem in my barn. I even rescued a baby that I found on my deck one morning. Evidence of the mothers demise was all over the deck and I really don't know how the little guy survived.

Its a shame your BO won't have a cat. Most BO's love them! Maybe if you left a little food for them in the BO's tack locker so they start nibbling on HIS tack, he'll change is mind. (Yes... I am very bad.)

[pharmgirl]

We actually have lots of snakes around here. The last time I saw one snacking (months ago) was actually on a bat! While I am not a fan of the bats, I would definitely rather them go after all the mice we have!!

Shame it's the wrong time of year to go out back and relocate a nice big snake.