Mice in the tackroom!

[Meowy Catkin]

They've been having a lovely time chewing rugs and causing chaos, so I've had a good tidy up and sent a certain feline, mouse hunter extraordinaire (not the spotty one, he couldn't catch a mouse if it did the Can Can in front of him) in to rout them out of their hidey holes.

 

[MyDogIsAnIdiot]

I came here to suggest cats, or a decent terrier . Ours loves ratting/mousing.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I might let the cat in there regularly from now on, to try to keep the mice away. I'm sure the cat will be willing, even if the mice aren't happy.

 

[Arizahn]

I hope the mouser sorts them out quickly

 

[Meowy Catkin]

So do I.

I have a HW rug that now needs several patches. I hope that CM isn't too fussy or fashion conscious, as it's not going to be patched in a matching colour.

 

[flirtygerty]

I have a little mouse living in my trug of spare parts, only thing it's touched so far (touch wood) is the treat thing I got of compressed grass (or something) at the moment I can live with it

 

[TigerTail]

Flirty gerty I thought similar last yr til I found new set of bandages all had chunks taken out, poultices, travel wraps etc

Now have traps out all the time, just above levels the terrier can get to!

 

[Highlands]

Insist kitty sleeps there...

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It's amazing what they will eat. I had put traps out and failed to catch anything, but I knew that they were there as the Kevin Bacon stuff that I never use had been slowly eaten.

 

[keri66]

We send the miniature poodle in. He is a demon. Loves murdering things . Sigh

 

[Echo Bravo]

Rat poisin put clear areas will deal with them for a little while and then they come back, but you have to do it or otherwise you will be overrun with the things

 

[MyDogIsAnIdiot]

It's amazing what they will eat. I had put traps out and failed to catch anything, but I knew that they were there as the Kevin Bacon stuff that I never use had been slowly eaten.

My horse quite likes eating Kevin Bacon hoof stuff . Then again she quite likes eating everything so...

 

[asmp]

Think I'd rather have mice than the rats we have running everywhere. Was not impressed when they once chewed a large hole right in the middle of the one turnout rug that didn't already have tears and rips in.

 

[[100323]]

I have found a small handful of the fast soak, sugar beet put down dry, in a dry place effective in getting rid of rats. Not tried the long soak sugar beet.

 

[Pinkvboots]

We have a few but the JRT is so quick they don't last long round here.

 

[asmp]

I have found a small handful of the fast soak, sugar beet put down dry, in a dry place effective in getting rid of rats. Not tried the long soak sugar beet.

At my last yard a dead bloated rat was found in a dustbin of dried sugar beet - quite gross! It had managed to get in but couldn't get out.

 

[Toffee44]

"My" cats are very good mousers. But don't eat their kills. So forever picking up beheaded mice in my laundry / utility room and tack room, better than live ones in my rugs I guess. ( they belong to my landlady but I feed them and they walk into my flat like they own the place).

 

[Honey08]

One of my cats is the best mouser ever, but seems to prefer field mice, bringing three in daily. The tack room is much too boring for her.

We have an asbo hen in the feed room at the minute, a viscous thing, so am hoping that will keep patrol!

 

[BeingKate]

The Spaniel is a fantastic mouser and we have a few feral cats living on the farm too which appeared last winter, they do us a massive favour!!

 

[sywell]

I tried the Rentokil plastic box with two exits. The digs and cats cannot get into the bait and I had mice tilled he next day

 

[harlequinwalk]

Double posted

 

[harlequinwalk]

Our cats and dog are absolutely useless at catching them 😔 we have rats come and go, currently seen lots running around and the cats just are not interested! Only way I've managed to get rid of any so far is when they fall in my horse's water bucket overnight and drown, it's absolutely horrible 😔

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Oh don't talk to me about rats at yards! The first yard I had CM at (expensive yard too) had a few chickens in one of the stables, only it was seething with rats as they actually fed several rat families as well as the chickens (bowls of chicken food left out day and night) and never did any pest control. Well fed rats can have a lot of babies.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

OP sorry to be teaching granny to suck eggs, BUT (sorry, being obvious here) - I'm sure you're looking after Puss and pampering her, but IME cats perform best at "pest control" if they're well fed and pampered. If she has a nice warm bed in the tackroom (our puss loves her little "house" thing as it keeps her warm and cosy) then she'll be very grateful, and do her best for you.

We feed ours raw eggs, mixed with a bit of milk. They love it, and it keeps them good and fit with nice shiney coats. Result: plenty of dead rodents laid on the doorstep for inspection.

 

[Arizahn]

OP sorry to be teaching granny to suck eggs, BUT (sorry, being obvious here) - I'm sure you're looking after Puss and pampering her, but IME cats perform best at "pest control" if they're well fed and pampered. If she has a nice warm bed in the tackroom (our puss loves her little "house" thing as it keeps her warm and cosy) then she'll be very grateful, and do her best for you.

We feed ours raw eggs, mixed with a bit of milk. They love it, and it keeps them good and fit with nice shiney coats. Result: plenty of dead rodents laid on the doorstep for inspection.

Mine expect the eggs to be scrambled

Seriously, there's nothing quite like a good cat for vermin management/eradication. Our yard has about half a dozen felines that are resident and several more that visit from surrounding farms and houses too. Distinct lack of rodents Often find little cat shaped indentations in the straw and the hay though, which is rather cute tbh.

 

[leggs]

mice ruined about 6 rugs and 3 stubben saddle cloths a couple of years ago, I HATE them! ;bought special treats for them now

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Don't worry MiJods, the cats are seriously spoilt. Luckily one is a super hunter - squirrels are no issue to him - so naughty mice are easy.

All lined up on the bed.

The good hunter in on the fence and the willing, but not talented hunter is on the ground. It's the white and tabby who had the most fun in the tackroom the other day. I will let them in regularly to keep the mice at bay, but I suspect that they won't give up their spot by the fire for a spot in the tackroom. The brown cat is very ill these days, but was a fab hunter in his youth.