[Alagirl]

Ohhkidokie.....LITERALLY DONE!
Did the bucket thing in cellar...got 1. Attempted to foam up any and everything we could see and/or get to...seemed to lessen the volume of the nasty critters for a period...then started to hear scampering in walls and ceiling between ceiling and flooring upstairs. So bought big bag of green balls ...mouse/rat poison, lined most anywhere dog doesn't go w/ glue traps.
My husband hates poison, b/c invariably they die somewhere you can get to and smell horrible....well that's actually not the worse part of that...FYI NOT FOR THE WEAK OR FAINT OF HEART!!!! (I don't know if I can actually post this part....)....ughhhh apparently blowflies have been drawn to the rotting, stinking mouse corpses in the walls, under hardwood flooring, etc.....saw what appeared to be moving pieces of rice coming from in between floor boards....yes! I cannot bear to actually type it.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE URGENCY TO ERADICATE ALL MICE ALIVE AND DEAD HAS INCREASED TO a [COLOR="#FF0000"]RED ZONE[COLOR="#000000"] I am doing whole house cleaning every other day...this is the most disgusting farm living experience I've ever had without a doubt.
Sorry, but this is tooooo much.

I am proud of you!

[Crackerdog]

Oh yuck! Maggots are one of the most disgusting things! I hope you are able to get things cleared up, it sucks you are having such a cruddy country living experience.

[Rebmik]

I used to work for a pest control company for several years. When people had mice infestations, the first item of business is finding all areas they can enter into your home. The ONLY way to get rid of mice, especially in the country, is to prevent them from going in your home. Mice hate steel wool, therefore use this in every hole, crack, and opening you can find. If the hole is too big, put a metal wire with very small openings, I mean tiny. Don't forget to check your attic, pipes, exterior, and crawspace openings. Next, our company would lay glue traps with rat poison on them. This way they would die on the glue trap, before figuring out a way to chew themselves out. I personally prefer the old victor wooden snap traps with peanut butter. Kills them instantly and easy to get rid of. I would make sure to put several traps in the attic, basement, under sinks, near toilets, and garbage cans. I would say give it about 3 months before you see any progress and be sure to check your traps every 12 hours and don't forget to set new ones. Make sure to store any dry foods in plastic containers, so that you can prevent your food from being containamated in the process.

Please make sure when handling dead mice to wear gloves and to sanitize afterwards. Good luck.

I have heard that pepperment oil helps keep mice out, but I have never tried it. A coworker of mine swears by it. You can purchase a bottle of it at a heath food store. Just put a couple drops on cotton balls and place them around you home.

Unfortunately...I PROMISE, ZERO way to plug all holes mice can enter, besides being a tenant,...here's the deal with this place...Caretaker cottage renovated 1st about 2 years ago...we are 1st to live here, less than 50yards is main house they have just started to "restore"... demolish...property has been uninhabited except for obviously mice since early 1960's original house 1780s...oh on the positive side tons of bald eagles! Soooo thinking logically... mice, ect. have been living at plantation for 50+years...also we are in middle of about 1000acres of soybeans harvested about month ago and apparently b/c of rain this farm was 1 of last to be cut, so guessing other neighboring "meeses" moved to the big house,...now to caretaker cottage I am sitting here w/ Vick's vapor rub under my nose and 4 yankee candles burning to no avail.......I wish I could paste a "scratch n sniff"!!!!

[Alagirl]

ah, no, not necessary....

Had dead squirrel in my closet this November...found a dead tat under my kitchen sink - after it had been laying there, very dead, for a bout 4 days.....

[snydere02]

"Scratch and sniff" I had to laugh with the image of scratch and sniffs hanging all around the house.

I wish I had better news, but your mouse issue won't get better until their entrances are covered. I would try the peppermint oil and a truck load of snap traps. At least the peppermint oil smells good.

[Calamber]

Unfortunately...I PROMISE, ZERO way to plug all holes mice can enter, besides being a tenant,...here's the deal with this place...Caretaker cottage renovated 1st about 2 years ago...we are 1st to live here, less than 50yards is main house they have just started to "restore"... demolish...property has been uninhabited except for obviously mice since early 1960's original house 1780s...oh on the positive side tons of bald eagles! Soooo thinking logically... mice, ect. have been living at plantation for 50+years...also we are in middle of about 1000acres of soybeans harvested about month ago and apparently b/c of rain this farm was 1 of last to be cut, so guessing other neighboring "meeses" moved to the big house,...now to caretaker cottage I am sitting here w/ Vick's vapor rub under my nose and 4 yankee candles burning to no avail.......I wish I could paste a "scratch n sniff"!!!!

Bald eagles do not hunt mice. Smaller hawks and owls, foxes and coyotes but not the bald eagle, they go for bigger game or fish, they even will eat carrion. I would not try and do this myself, I would hire a competent exterminator who cleans up the bodies and seals, if you do not try and seal the house, no matter how reluctant you are to try this, you will not succeed, the mice from the torn down buildings will take up residence, as will the constant supply of those from the harvested grain fields.

[JanM]

I might have mentioned this before, but if you live or work in a place with rodent infestations please mention this immediately to your doctor or other medical personnel if you or anyone that lives or works there becomes ill. Diseases like hantavirus can be treated, but the sooner the treatment starts the better.

[judybigredpony]

Wish I a solution of words of advice all seems to have been covered..although sorry crate the dog and get 2 hungry cats....

[suz]

what a horrid situation!
is your landlord working with you to fix this problem? is it even legal to rent a place with such a huge infestation? can you hold rent until the problem is solved?

[suz]

what a horrid situation!
is your landlord working with you to fix this problem? is it even legal to rent a place with such a huge infestation? can you hold rent until the problem is solved?

[Rebmik]

Ughhhh no good replies to post with the magic "cure all" solution to mice or dead mouse smell...dang, i'm scared now, and I don't spook easily! For some reason I feel men, aka landlord, will think woman, aka tenant, is afraid of mice and overreacting...yes, my own issue, however.......
Calling landlord Monday.
thanks for all the sympathetic ears, will post update after chat!

[Finzean]

I know you are at the end of your rope but might I second the suggestion of chickens...actually guineas if you are allowed to keep them. We don't keep guineas b/c of close neighbors and they like to wander, but our hens nail anything - and I mean anything - that slightly resembles food. We've watched them nail mice sneaking in and out of an outbuilding that houses an antique car. It's an old reconstructed 1800s cabin with an enclosed garage. We have outdoor & neighborhood stray kitties who live out there. The mice were all over that building until we got chickens. We did put traps in the trunk of the car and removed some textiles that were stored out there - that helped - but our chickens (various breeds) are crazy territorial (chase cats they don't like; torment and try to murder squirrels) and they are pretty quick and lethal. If you're able to, it might be worth a try.

Hopefully your landlord will get this ironed out once & for all with the help of a great exterminator. We are a poison chemical free farmette but I swear if was living under your circumstances, I'd be the Toxic Avenger.

[whitewolfe001]

Perhaps the laws are different where you are, but in Mass it is definitely the landlord's responsibility to exterminate, due to it being a health hazard. If your first exterminator was not successful, then the landlord needs to call a different one. If he refuses, you might want to contact your local Board of Health for help.

Anyways, the following suggestion may not be effective enough for a large scale infestation, but for anyone else reading this: we've had ongoing problems with mice for several years now and the method I prefer is the live catch, multi-catch traps such as the Victor Tin Cat. (except I bought a similar one with a window top from Amazon, so you can easily see into it.) It's very simple, it's just a metal box with one-way entry doors. Mice get in, can't get out, and it's large enough that it can trap MANY mice at once. This seems really effective because if you set food in it, they not only smell the food but are MORE likely to go into the trap because they can tell their friends are inside and want to join the feast.

I drive them far away from the house and release them because I am a huge softie, but the box has a perforated bottom so you can easily submerge it in water to drown them if desired.

Never tried the bucket method but sounds effective (minus the antifreeze, no thanks)

I am REALLY AGAINST poison, regardless of whether you have pets or children, because a poisoned mouse can kill other wildlife. Plus, you might have a stench in the walls that is unbearable and cannot be remedied without gutting the wall. Just a terrible idea all around.

I had a electric mouse zapper for a while, which worked well at first, but the mice eventually stopped going in no matter what bait I put inside. I think they could smell the death in there. Plus, it can only kill one mouse at a time. The "Tin Cat" can catch a lot in one night.

Despite trying many different approaches, the ONLY thing that worked in the end was FINALLY finding the entry points. You kill some, more will come in, so sealing up the holes is really the only final solution. A GOOD exterminator should help with this, if not, perhaps a handyman or contractor.

Best of luck to you!

[Guin]

You need to tell the landlord that if they don't get their ass in gear, you will file a complaint with your county health service. This is NOT normal and a severe health hazard!

[Rebmik]

Update.
Had face to face meeting with landlord. Basically said part of living on a farm! I over emphasized that I've lived on farms and we just moved from living in 150 year old barn! I am AWARE that country living involves mice!
I followed up with a written recap of what we discussed and asked that I would appreciate as the landlord, he hire a competent, tenacious exterminator. Suggested I continue to use decon as he does. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
FYI he is an attorney that specializes in real estate transactions....
Moving at end of lease.

[spacytracy]

For the faint of heart. Put your cheap snap trap inside a paper lunch bag laid on its side. Then mousie is contained and you don't have to touch anything. Scoop up the bag, close it. And done!

[future vet]

Your mouse problem is truly awful, kudos to you for dealing with it this long. No suggestions but jingles that you get rid of the nasty suckers soon!
ETA: can you look into rental laws in your state and find out if you can break your lease without penalty due to your landlord's negligence?

[Calamber]

Your mouse problem is truly awful, kudos to you for dealing with it this long. No suggestions but jingles that you get rid of the nasty suckers soon!
ETA: can you look into rental laws in your state and find out if you can break your lease without penalty due to your landlord's negligence?

I suggest this also.

[microbovine]

Check the attic for mice. That seems to be a common hideout.

[Sansena]

Cotton balls soaked in oil of peppermint, replaced bi weekly.
Electronic rodent deterr-er.
Remove dead bodies asap b/c the live ones see that and think "Note to self: Avoid those free treats in the plastic snappy things".
Also.. sardines seem to attract everything, so if PB's not working, don't be afraid to get creative.

Good luck.