Mice in machinery

[seedcorn]

@bobm could it be you got to them before they warmed up? Disease?

Before everyone places cats on a pedestal, they are predators that will kill whatever is easiest. Song birds, young pheasants, quail, etc. Watched PBS where a light house keeper brought a cat with him. It destroyed an entire species of bird before the damage was discovered. IF not fed, cats will move to where feed (neighbors) is available. IF fed (my wife’s outside cats) they become lazy, begging, 4 legged drains on our household economy.

Just poison the little beggars that are in your house. Leave nature untouched.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Probably bubonic plague. Been nice knowing you Bob.

I'm assuming it wasn't 30 degrees in the kitchen. That's not enough to burst your pipes but it's early in the season.

Are you sure it was actually mice? Could it have been some type of exotic pet that was OK in good weather but couldn't handle the cold? I found some sugar gliders living in a shed many years back. What you saw wasn't them, sugar gliders are too big. I know it is a wild idea but you said they were small.

Could you take one of the bodies to animal control or somewhere to get it autopsied? Find out what killed it. In a way that does sound like a poison that makes them really thirsty. Instead of dying in your wall where they can really stink they are more likely to be in the open looking for water where you can find the body.

When I was working in Kazahkstan we had mice in the camp where we were living so I took a mouse snap trap back with me. I set it and found a dead mouse in the room the next morning. The trap had not tripped. I told a buddy that the mouse saw the trap and it scared him to death. He borrowed that trap and said the same thing happened it him the next morning. That trap quickly got a reputation. Turned out that building maintenance was using the poison that made them thirsty.

 

[baymule]

When we lived in central Cal. , we had house mice here, there, and averywhere. Now, we live in SW Wa., and we hardly see a mouse due to numerous feral cats. This past week we had morning temps in the low 30's. And what did we find this morning . ? ... 3 mice - grey with a whiteish underbelly, and smaller than the house mice ... one in the middle of the kitchen , one in the master bedroom and one in the laundry room. All just lethargic, hunched over and just sitting in the open . I nudged them a little and they hardly moved, so I put them down by crushing their sculls. I have NOT used any poison baits, and neither any of our neighbors. Any ideas ?

Any ideas? yep, keep your boots on. Doing the Cotton Eyed Joe seems to be very effective.

 

[flowerbug]

When we lived in central Cal. , we had house mice here, there, and averywhere. Now, we live in SW Wa., and we hardly see a mouse due to numerous feral cats. This past week we had morning temps in the low 30's. And what did we find this morning . ? ... 3 mice - grey with a whiteish underbelly, and smaller than the house mice ... one in the middle of the kitchen , one in the master bedroom and one in the laundry room. All just lethargic, hunched over and just sitting in the open . I nudged them a little and they hardly moved, so I put them down by crushing their sculls. I have NOT used any poison baits, and neither any of our neighbors. Any ideas ?

dispose of carefully and watch for any fleas.

but probably just cold shock.

one time we had a really viscious rainstorm/downpour and the garage door was open. i went out a bit after it went by to get the water out of the garage and there was a poor tiny mouse squeaking as it breathed it was so traumatised. yes, i did put it out of it's misery quickly, but that was just wild to me as it had to cross 20ft or more of the crushed limestone and the driveway to get into the garage, but it knew that uphill was the only way to go...

 

[ducks4you]

Probably bubonic plague. Been nice knowing you Bob.

 

[Marie2020]

@Zeedman I will be trying the fan trick! We have more mice in the house, basement, attic and walls than I can remember for many years. We have trapped about 13 so far. time to check traps in crawls space. They have stopped getting caught in Kitchen and Living Room for now.

Do you have a cat? They wouldn't be sneaking into your kitchen if my lad was there.

 

[Marie2020]

Any ideas? yep, keep your boots on. Doing the Cotton Eyed Joe seems to be very effective.

Remind me never to fall out with her guys, she's deadly

 

[catjac1975]

Barn cats.

 

[bobm]

Who needs to own a cat to feed, shelter and pay a Veterinarian when it becomes ill, when I have seen 14 feral cats on and near our lot. I recently evicted 5 of them from under our house.

 

[Zeedman]

Who needs to own a cat to feed, shelter and pay a Veterinarian when it becomes ill, when I have seen 14 feral cats on and near our lot. I recently evicted 5 of them from under our house.

Wish that were my 'problem'. I've seen two feral cats in my yard off-and-on, but they apparently range over too wide an area to have an impact. I can only hope they have kittens that survive.