Mice in machinery

[seedcorn]

How about using a .12 ga shotgun on night patrol ?

Now that is just down right silly.....everyone knows a 410 would be good enough. 20 gauge at most...... what size of shell and shot? You probably want slugs when bird shot in a 2.5” would work nicely. Although might saw the barrel off to increase pattern.. surprised how squeamish some of you are about snakes.... didn't recommend rattlers or cotton mouth. Just sayin

 

[bobm]

Now that is just down right silly.....everyone knows a 410 would be good enough. 20 gauge at most...... what size of shell and shot? You probably want slugs when bird shot in a 2.5” would work nicely. Although might saw the barrel off to increase pattern.. surprised how squeamish some of you are about snakes.... didn't recommend rattlers or cotton mouth. Just sayin

My 12 ga. shotgun has 2 interchangeable barrels, one is 3" shorter than the other yielding a better expanded pattern for small game. I am not squeamish of any snakes as evidenced by several pet snakes. Also, there were several very large garder snakes living in/ near our barn hunting for mouse dinners. In our area of Cal. we have an annual march of male black terrantulas (over 3" ) search of a mate. They march in droves over the country over roads and many do not make it since you can see many black greece spots on the roads. Just saying too !

 

[Zeedman]

How about using a .12 ga shotgun on night patrol ?

That would probably be a little hard on the shed. And I can just envision me trying to explain to the sheriff, that all I was trying to kill with the 12 gauge was mice.

 

[seedcorn]

My 12 ga. shotgun has 2 interchangeable barrels, one is 3" shorter than the other yielding a better expanded pattern for small game. I am not squeamish of any snakes as evidenced by several pet snakes. Also, there were several very large garder snakes living in/ near our barn hunting for mouse dinners. In our area of Cal. we have an annual march of male black terrantulas (over 3" ) search of a mate. They march in droves over the country over roads and many do not make it since you can see many black greece spots on the roads. Just saying too !

@bobm trust you know I’m just giving you crap. You can keep the tarantula pop though.....

 

[897tgigvib]

You guys! Varmint wars. Waaalll...I kill cockroaches on sight. Ya gotta pop their heads. They aren't dead until you hear that pop sound.

 

[Zeedman]

You guys! Varmint wars. Waaalll...I kill cockroaches on sight. Ya gotta pop their heads. They aren't dead until you hear that pop sound.

So are you using an air rifle, or a .22?

True story regarding cockroaches, either humorous or horrifying, depending I suppose on your point of view. During my years in the Service, I spent a lot of time in the Philippines, even living in the town outside the base for awhile. The cockroaches where I was living came out at night, they got in everywhere, and tropical cockroaches are BIG. All food had to be stored in sealed containers, and the bed legs were in saucers of kerosene (picture why in your mind, then try to un-think it ). The property owners had cats, so no one wanted to use poison. So after several nights of getting up in the wee hours with a flashlight to play "stomp the cockroaches", I set a trap.

I found a heavy piece of plywood, propped it against a wall, and put a slice of bread in its shadow. Set the alarm at 3:00 AM, when I would wake up, walk into the kitchen, and slam the plywood onto all the roaches feeding on the bread. It didn't quite kill the roaches, but didn't need to - as soon as I lifted the plywood, the cats came running & ate them. Easier to catch than mice I guess, and only slightly smaller.

 

[897tgigvib]

What breed of cat were they??? cockroach eating cats oughta be worth a thousand clams apiece!

IRL, I have paper towels or toilet paper handy. Spot an @#@^&%, and nevermind reflex, dont let my eyes off it, grap the paper, and snag the #^^%&. turnit over to make sure its there pinch its head until it crunches, then flush it...Then i wash my hands with ajax.

 

[Marie2020]

Something has changed in me.

Up until now every time my cat left me a dead mouse I used too scold him then last week I saw 2 mice or rats running into my make shift greenhouse, where I've left all my wood shavings and straw for my fluffy butts. I thought of screaming for @baymule to come over with her six pack of beer to hunt them down for me but instead I sent the cat out to investigate. Nothing yet. BAYMULE HELP

The wild feral cat catcher that now prefers comfort

 

[Artichoke Lover]

When my parents had a house built in the 1960's the old timey builder was quite the perfectionist, so it wasn't finished on time. (Parents bitXXed like crazy at the time, then Bragged about the great features/structures later.)
Anyway, we lived in 2 small rental homes during the Fall until we could move in, in November. Mice like CRAZY!!
You won't like this, BUT, get 2-3 kittens and raise them. Cats are Natural mousers, especially female cats. Spay them at 4months, and you will never see a mouse in your home again.
Mice walk and pee, walk and poo, and carry many diseases. They WILL pee/poo in your kitchen drawers, on your flatware and inside of your pots and pans, and birth their young in your towel drawer.
Kitties raised right will sit on your lap, or on top of your favorite chair, and purr. I feed mine the cheapest dry food, and they hunt for me.
When you travel, you can put out enough food/water/litter box for a weekend at a time, and they will be QUITE happy while you are gone, presumably mousing the whole time.
Btw, you may never see the mice that they kill bc they will probably consume them...unless you have way too many, and then they will present them as presents, dead, bc they love you.

I totally agree with everything but the mouse part. I’m afraid ours are rather bad mousers all 7! And out of 7 all but one were barn kittens or strays running loose when we adopted them. And the other was abandoned by its feral mom and 2 weeks but I can’t blame him for not mousing since he was a bottle baby. They reduce the population a little bit but not much. Our chickens and a past mini Australian Shepard were much better mousers. We have had cats that were good mousers but not many.

 

[Zeedman]

Our chickens and a past mini Australian Shepard were much better mousers.

Chickens??? As mouse catchers???