In just six months one pair of mice can eat more than fourpounds of food and deposit about 18,000 droppings. Foodcontaminated by mice is about 10 times greater than what iseaten. Also, food wasted by mouse nibbling is much morethan what is eaten.
Here are some ways to prevent pets and children from beingpoisoned by using natural mice control.
Mice like to eat seeds, grains, and foods high in fat orsugar. These types of food can be used for bait. Suchitems include bacon and bacon fat, candies such as tootsierolls and anise teddy bears, butter, peanut butter,avocados, pizza crusts and nutmeats. Chocolate coveredpeanut candy will kill mice. Chocolate is poisonous tomice. Switch bait occasionally--it makes the mice morelikely to investigate the new food offering.
Place traps along walls between mice habitat and foodsources. Place under cupboards or other furniture in thedark to help prevent household pets from being injured bythe traps.
Don't leave pet food out at night--at least until you aresure all mice are caught.
Take a deep wastebasket or other container that is at least12 inches deep. Put a plastic garbage bag in it along withcereal such as cornflakes, or other mouse food. Place itnear a kitchen counter where mice are known to crawl. Themice will jump down into the container but will not be ableto crawl or jump back out. Dispose of the mice in any wayyou choose.
Store bulk foods in sealed glass, metal or hard plasticcontainers. Stack bagged or boxed food in neat rows onshelves or cupboards in a way that allows for thoroughinspection for evidence of mice. In storage areas, keepstored materials away from walls. Sweep floors frequentlyto detect fresh mouse droppings.
Always clean up after eating. Do not invite mice by leavingfood items or crumbs out overnight.
Seal all holes and openings larger than 1/4 inch across. Amouse can crawl through a hole the size of a dime. Usesteel wool or cement to seal, screen or cover all holes intothe house. Place 3 inches of gravel around the base ofhomes or trailers. Enclose foundations of permanent houseswith metal roof flashing buried 6 inches deep and rising 12inches above the ground. Mice can jump 12 inches onto asolid surface. Fill gaps around pipes. Fix loose fittingdoors. Close openings around chimneys, damaged housesiding, broken windows and screens.
Inside, get rid of clutter in basements, storage rooms,sheds, carports, and garages. Remove padded cushions fromsofas and chairs, and store them on edge or separate themfrom one another, off the floor. Remove drawers in emptycupboards or chests and place them on sides.
Outside remove piles of trash, junk and lumber. Keepwoodpiles more than 12 inches above the ground. Keep coverson trash cans and dumpsters. Eliminate weeds and othervegetative cover as well as debris and litter in and aroundhomes, buildings, crops, lawns and other cultivated areas.Lawns should be mowed regularly.
For more on pest control, including mice, deer, mosquitoes,snakes and many more visit:
http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/micecontrol.htm
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