Mice live next to the man of the millennium. Many ingenious and dangerous methods have been invented in the fight against “uninvited guests.” But as soon as autumn approaches, you hear the patter of little paws, squeaking, and rustling. They not only create an unpleasant smell in the house, but also chewed things and spoiled food.
Mice live next to the man of the millennium. Many ingenious and dangerous methods have been invented in the fight against “uninvited guests.” But as soon as autumn approaches, you hear the patter of little paws, squeaking, and rustling. They not only create an unpleasant smell in the house, but also chewed things and spoiled food. Of course, you can use poisons and mousetraps, or you should try more humane means, for example, repelling with odors. These are proven, folk methods, thanks to which rodents leave a person’s home and rarely return to it.
What sounds scare mice?
Rodent repeller devices are very popular now. There are more than enough options and all kinds of modifications. But besides the frequency oscillations emitted by the device, mice are afraid of other sounds:
- quiet ones, which are created by their natural enemies, quietly creeping up on their prey;
- loud sounds made by people (screaming, music) or falling objects;
- strangers, if the animal does not know how to react to them;
- emitted by the mice themselves when they warn of danger, are afraid or fight in their death throes.
Note: The sounds that come from rodents are not audible to humans, since their frequency is up to 70 kHz. That's why they are called ultrasound: they are inaccessible to the human ear. They are what are used in devices.
There are ultrasonic frequencies that animals do not care about and that frighten them. Therefore, the task of the devices is to generate sound in the required range. Mice begin to panic when the device is operated in the following ranges:
- 25-28 kHz - the mouse is in pain and screams,
- 32-33 kHz - danger signal emitted by the animal,
- 35-60 kHz - squeak, expressing discomfort.
It is difficult to guess at what frequency a device must operate for a rodent to be afraid of it. Over time, he will get used to the same type of signal. In modern repellers, frequencies periodically change. Moreover, this is done in random mode, so the mouse cannot get used to the sound.
Article on the topic: Ultrasonic mouse repellers
This is the best way to get rid of a family of mice in a small house. I installed the repeller, plugged it in and forgot about it. There is no need to set traps or poison animals. Everything is simple, convenient and accessible. The main advantages of ultrasonic “saviors”:
- ultrasonic waves affect all mouse droppings, so they leave their homes in full force,
- rodents do not die, which avoids unpleasant odors of decay,
- devices operate in the desired rhythm and mode and do not need adjustment,
- the repeller consumes a minimum of electricity,
- The warranty period is 10 years.
Is it possible to use a phone or computer as a mouse repellent? This idea has been used more than once in attempts to record the required sound on an electronic device. But the speakers are designed to reproduce sounds accessible to humans, not rodents. So this idea turned out to be useless.
Note: Some people try to scare away animals using cruel methods. They nail a live mouse to the wall of the barn and it “screams”, scaring its relatives. The same effect is achieved by burning a live rodent. But this method does not last long. A little time passes and the mouse hordes return.
Squeak of decorative mice
Usually, animals express their dissatisfaction with the conditions of detention or report a painful condition with loud exclamations. The mouse can squeak:
- under stress;
- lack of water or food;
- during illness;
- due to itchy skin as a result of infection with ectoparasites;
- with allergic dermatitis, when the skin is flaky, painful and inflamed.
It is believed that a small rodent can squeak for about a week after changing its place of residence - and this is the norm, since it takes some time to adapt to a new home.
It is important to never add new residents to an already established team, otherwise you will end up with a real mouse booth, which will ultimately end not just with indignant exclamations, but also with the murder of the uninvited guest. In the latter case, a desperate whistle will be heard guaranteed.
Illness is another reason for squeaking. At the same time, it will be more like crying - loud, pitiful and prolonged, only intensifying over time. If you suspect health problems, you should carefully examine the mouse to see if it has any damage, or show it to a veterinarian. True, finding a good ratologist (rodent specialist) can be problematic, especially in small provincial towns.
By the way, in some cases, disturbances stop when the type of bedding is changed or the nest where the small gray cub lives is thoroughly cleaned.
Often, owners mistake chest whistling or wheezing due to breathing problems as a result of a cold or pneumonia for a squeak. If pneumonia or bronchitis is suspected, the animal is transplanted into a separate container (quarantine) so that the rodent does not become a source of infection for other pets, and the dynamics of the process are carefully monitored. If the condition worsens, antibiotics and vitamins may be required.
Plants in the fight against rodents
Mice have a well-developed sense of smell, so they react to any odors. Among them there are those that scare them away, causing disgust. Since ancient times, various herbs (dry, fresh, tinctures from them) have been used in the fight against “uninvited guests.” These pleasant-smelling “repellents” are completely safe for the inhabitants of the house.
Among the herbs that are most unpleasant to mice are:
- Chamomile, the flowers of which should be scattered in the places where the food is located (fresh or dry: it works equally well).
- Wild mint, which is laid out in bunches, after drying, in places where rodents gather. You can also use a tincture from it, lubricating the places where “furry guests” appear most often.
- Elderberry, the smell of which is especially unpleasant for animals. It is enough to lay out twigs with berries on the shelves of the kitchen cabinets, and the mice will stop rustling in the kitchen at night.
This is interesting: Rodents are so disgusted with elderberry that they avoid houses next to which this plant is planted. So, if you live in a private house, plant elderberries nearby and do not be afraid of a mouse invasion. Planting mint bushes in the backyard will also come in handy: mice will avoid them.
- Wormwood is a herb whose smell is quite pungent and is not liked not only by pests, but also by some people. Dry bunches of grass are laid out on kitchen shelves and in corners (or around the perimeter) of the house.
- Tansy also has a pungent odor, causing unpleasant emotions in “uninvited residents.” Bunches of dried grass are laid out around the house and not only mice, but also ants and flies leave it. By repelling mice, you will also get rid of other unpleasant inhabitants of the apartment.
- Ledum is a poisonous plant, but due to its high content of essential oils it can repel pests from a long distance. It is enough to lay out just a few bunches of wild rosemary in the apartment.
- Black root is poisonous not only to mice, but also to people, so it should be placed only in places where animals are frequented and used carefully, especially if there are children in the house.
- 8. Hazel grouse bulbs have a garlicky aroma and mice avoid it.
Important: It is advisable not to just lay out the bunches of herbs, but to first dip them in boiling water. So there will be a smell
the strongest and stay in the air longer. Place safe plants throughout the house, poisonous plants near mouse holes. The “poison” should be updated once a week.
You can try placing burdock in the holes. Gray pests do not like thorns; they avoid them. Therefore, they will not climb into the holes where the “spiny balls” are laid out. They will either leave, which is doubtful, or make new moves.
Folk remedies that remove mice from the house include ordinary stove ash. It is scattered on dry floors, in the cellar, and in other places where mouse paths pass. The ash contains alkali, which gets on the paws of mice and corrodes them. Mice lick it off, thereby causing irritation in the mouth and stomach. Small broken glass is used as a means of pest control. Mouse feet are delicate and splinters cause serious and painful injuries. Because of ash or broken glass, they may change their location.
What else are rats afraid of and how can you scare them away?
Of course, rats are afraid of more than just sounds. They, for example, also avoid many odors, and they also try to use this to get rid of annoying rodents.
For example, rats are known to be repelled by:
- Technical liquids with strong odors - gasoline, kerosene, turpentine, karbofos, vinegar, denatured alcohol;
- Aromas of certain herbs (for example, black root);
- Strong odors of perfumes, including essential oils.
However, there is a nuance - pests quickly get used to these products. For example, if today turpentine or camphor oil repels rats in the house, then after about a week the animals will be absolutely indifferent to it.
The main disadvantage of these products is that their smell in the house is clearly felt by humans. To prevent rats from daring to enter living quarters, there should be such a strong smell (in fact, stink) of gasoline or black root that people themselves will not be able to live in such conditions. That is why such means are rarely used: a sane person will not want to sacrifice comfort.
On a note
A cat is a good, but not always effective, home protector from rats. If she really is a rat catcher, then you will know about the presence of rodents only by the corpses that the pet will carry to you for praise. If the rats understand that the cat will not catch them (in fact, there are a lot of such cats), then they will boldly visit the home, no matter how strongly it smells of cat litter.
Help of essential oils in the fight against rodents
Knowing what smells mice don’t like, you can, if not get rid of them forever, then scare them away for a long time. Many herbs also contain essential oils, but their concentration in dry mixtures is not so high, and therefore the smell is rather weak.
The most effective essential oil with a sharp and persistent aroma that rodents do not like is peppermint oil. Before using it, you need to find holes or holes through which mice enter the house. It is these places that are subject to treatment, which is used in 2 options.
Option 1: Moisten several cotton pads or balls of cotton wool with a mixture of oils. We put the product in the hole and seal it with tape so that the smell does not penetrate into the apartment. The mixture contains: 50 ml. vegetable oil + 20 k. peppermint oil. This composition can be prepared in advance and stored in a tightly closed container.
Option 2: Pour the prepared mixture into a spray bottle, mix thoroughly (shake before use) and spray in the kitchen, along the baseboards, in places that rodents visit most often. The composition consists of 1-15 k essential oil + 300-400 ml. water + 10 ml. alcohol
Note: A one-time treatment will not help; it should be repeated several times. Essential oil will not kill mice, but will only repel them. But if it gets on the pest’s fur, it may die. Then you will find more than just essential oil aromas.
Interesting Facts
It is believed that under normal conditions animals communicate with each other in the ultrasonic range, which is why it is not often possible to hear a mouse squeak.
During sexual games, the male attracts the attention of the opposite sex with special singing, which is also inaccessible to the human ear.
Surprisingly, there are several contradictory folk superstitions about mouse squeaking:
- one of them says that hearing a squeak means the death of the owner of the house;
- another says it's for a wedding,
- and the third even predicts a hungry and miserable winter.
On the line of battle - spices and seasonings
Fighting mice with folk remedies is quite effective and safe. In addition, it brings certain results: if it does not destroy, it certainly repels pests. Among such means, spices and herbs occupy not the least place. They have a strong aroma (no worse than chemical protection), which rodents avoid.
The smell of coriander or cilantro causes the strongest dislike of mice. All you need to do is place cilantro seeds or powder in your kitchen cabinets and mice will stop eating your home food supplies. Sprinkle the powder in those places that furry pests visit most often.
Synthetic flavorings also help a lot in the fight against rodents. They can be bought in specialized stores or ordered online. For us they have a pleasant aroma, but for “furry guests” they do not. Their cost is more expensive than coriander, and the effect is quite strong.
What definitely won't repel rats?
Finally, it is almost certain that you will not be able to repel rats with the many cheap Chinese repellers that are actively sold on the Internet. In fact, these tools do nothing; often their task is simply to blink a light so that the user thinks that the device is working. They are bought in the hope of saving money and with the understanding that if the device does not help, then they will not mind the money spent. Actually, this is exactly what happens.
It is useful to pay attention to the operation of the repeller you are purchasing: if a device declared as ultrasonic clearly beeps, it means that it has nothing to do with ultrasound. Therefore, it is unlikely to drive rats out of the house.
The so-called magnetic resonance and electromagnetic devices, which supposedly create a field in the apartment’s electrical network that repels insects and rodents, are also useless. There is no theoretical explanation for this effect, but in practice people find that rats and mice do not pay attention to such devices at all.
On a note
Another sure sign of an ineffective repeller is a statement from the manufacturer or seller that the device is supposedly universal and repels all parasites and pests in the house in general - not only rats, but also bedbugs, cockroaches, woodlice, flies...
Various folk repellents almost always turn out to be useless. For example:
- Elder;
- Broken glass scattered near rat passages;
- Black beans;
- Red pepper, also scattered near rat shelters;
- Ash;
- Singed fur;
- Burnt rubber...
At best, these drugs can cause some alertness in rats, but not for long. The animals quickly get used to it and do not leave the house.
If you have personal experience in repelling rodents from your home (by any means), be sure to share the information by leaving a review at the bottom of this page.
Interesting video: ultrasound on Android
Smells that mice try to avoid
If the premises are not residential (garage, barn, warehouse) or left for a long time, then removing mice from the house is a matter of technique. Like people, they have unpleasant odors:
- burnt rubber,
- burnt wool or fluff,
- kerosene,
- naphthalene,
- cheap Soviet-made perfumes.
In a residential apartment, such “aromas” will harm their inhabitants: harmful combustion decay products will enter the body. But if you enter your home every now and then, you can create a toxic atmosphere.
Important: When setting fire, to avoid poisoning, use gloves and a respirator. Do everything quickly, closing doors and windows. You can enter the room a few days after thorough ventilation.
There are smells that mice love and that can be used to lure them into a trap. For example, they are attracted to the smell of beer. The bottle needs to be placed at an angle and the neck needs to be “paved a path”. At night they will come for a beer, and in the morning you will find them in a bottle. Of course, not all at once, but several individuals will be caught. They will slide down the slippery neck and will not be able to get out. It's not as scary as glue, poison, mousetraps and other terrible devices.
Where do mice come from in an apartment?
Among the 100 species of rodents common in Russia, the most famous are the field, house and forest mice. Accordingly, during the “hungry and cold” season - which is from early September to November - they break into people’s homes, causing considerable discomfort to its residents. In addition to damaging furniture and other interior items, eating everything they meet on their way - from wallpaper to clothing, these rodents instill primitive fear in some. In addition, if mice have lived in a room for quite a long time, a characteristic sourish unpleasant odor appears in it, which is quite difficult to get rid of.
Biological control agents
We have known the fairy tale about what mice are afraid of since childhood. This, of course, is a treacherous cat who only thinks about how to eat the stupid mouse. Indeed, a young and fighting cat is able to cope with a large number of rodents. And if this predator lives in the house, then there is no reason to worry about a mouse invasion. She will catch a few victims, the rest will leave on their own. Interestingly, the cat usually does not eat the mouse, bringing the owner a trophy.
Statistics show that one cat catches up to 60 mice a year, keeping its territory under control. She is a lone hunter who goes through all the hunting rituals, tracking and catching a rodent. But the mustachioed predator can infect the owner with an allergy or infectious disease obtained from mice, for example, toxoplasmosis.
Note: If you take a predator from your neighbors to save you from rodents, of which you already have quite a lot, then it is not a fact that he is able to cope with them. The infestation of mice is “not something he can handle.” In addition, the animal should not be shy. Not all pets exhibit hunting instincts.
Other animals also hunt mice: dogs, ferrets, weasels, and some birds of prey. Your indoor dog, of course, will take part in catching rodents, but you can’t expect much help from other predators, because they hunt in natural conditions.
Can you use a computer or phone to repel rats?
A logical thought may come to the mind of a modern active user of electronic gadgets: should we try to scare away rats with a sound recorded on a phone or computer?
In fact, this idea is not new, but it has already failed several times. First of all, because the speakers of most devices “for people” are not designed to reproduce ultrasound. And not only the speakers, but also the electronic part itself (the amplifier) is not designed for such frequencies.
In addition, the power of the speakers of mobile devices leaves much to be desired. The “ultrasonic” squeak from them will practically not be heard at the end of a medium-sized room.
However, the sounds supposedly repelling rats from the house have already been recorded on mp3. Just for fun, you can download them and try to play them on your phone:
Another version of the scaring sound (20,000 Hz)
Just remember that it is ultrasound that scares rats, which the human ear cannot perceive. This means that if a clearly audible squeak is recorded in an mp3, then there is practically no hope for it.
On a note
For those who like to experiment, today an application for the phone (smartphone) has even been developed, which is called “Rat Repeller”. This program not only generates sounds, but also changes their frequencies.
Prevention of mouse infestations
If you have gotten rid of rodents, there is no need to relax. They may visit your home again. Therefore, try to follow a number of simple rules:
- Store products in refrigerators or closed containers out of reach of mice.
- The apartment must be in immaculately clean condition.
- If the house (apartment) is old, then seal all the holes and openings so that “not a single mouse gets through.”
- Place wormwood, mint, or cotton balls soaked in essential oil in the corners.
- Get a mustachioed hunter cat.
Important: If you notice the smell or traces of mice, do not hesitate. You need to take action right away, since the females are very fertile and getting rid of a large mouse family will subsequently be much more difficult.
Sometimes mice cause us sympathy, because they are so cute and fluffy, they have funny habits. There are hobbyists who keep pet mice. But remember that they carry dangerous diseases such as tularemia, leptospirosis, salmonellosis and others. In addition, they need to constantly grind down their incisors, so mice chew on everything: furniture, wires, walls, floors. Their appearance in the house is associated with a lot of troubles. And the methods you just read about will allow you to get rid of “uninvited guests.”
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Signs of mice in the house
The main ways from which uninvited guests can enter your home are the basement, sewers, ventilation pipes, and garbage chutes. There are direct signs that mice have entered your home:
- Holes in walls and floors are passages that rodents need to move freely around the apartment;
- Mouse droppings are small black oblong feces;
- The smell is sour and musty, easily recognizable;
- Sounds – if during the day mice can make a slight rustling noise when moving, then at night, especially if there are large concentrations of them, quite loud sounds can occur under the floor and behind the walls, accompanied by a characteristic mouse high-pitched squeak;
- Wary behavior of a cat - if the pet constantly sniffs and looks for something, freezes in one place for a long time - perhaps he is hunting for mice, the presence of which you do not even suspect.
Can pet rats hiccup?
Hiccups in an animal occur against the background of:
- overeating;
- nervous excitement;
- hypothermia;
- helminthic infestation.
If the case of hiccups is isolated, then there is no need to worry - perhaps the rat has simply eaten too much. If attacks of hiccups occur periodically, then you need to think about changing food and carrying out preventive deworming.
Important! When hiccups are accompanied by heavy, wheezing breathing, take your pet to the vet immediately. There is a high risk of pneumonia or pneumonia. Without proper treatment, this can lead to the death of your pet.
Traditional methods of protecting floors from mice
If you still have mice under the floor, you can also contact a professional service. They carry out a special treatment that allows you to forget about rodents for a whole year. This is the simplest, although not the best option. There are other traditional methods.
Frightening aromas: from mint to burnt wool
When laying the floor, add ash, slag, tobacco dust, dry wormwood or mint to the insulation - mice really don’t like all of this. Some also add red hot pepper or a lot of broken glass.
Moreover, the smell of dried mint has a suffocating effect on the mouse. While you are away from the house, you can even hang this plant in different corners - this really helps.
Underground mice do not like not only mint, but in general anything that smells strongly and unpleasantly. The aroma of burnt wool is especially disgusting for them - some even use it to fumigate the room, and throw the burnt remains under the floorboards. Mice do not like this smell and usually retreat from such places.
Also, when building a house from blocks, builders often treat them with borax or lime solutions. Everything is the same.
Traps: modern and homemade
Glue traps are the most popular today. So far, the best reviews are for ALT glue, which is not expensive and quite sticky. It needs to be applied to a piece of plywood in the form of a circle, and a drop should be left in the very center. We put bait on it, and even if the mouse touches the glue with just the tip of its tail, it won’t go anywhere.
Note that wire spring traps are least suitable for a private home in the fight against mice - if there are already a lot of holes and passages near the house, you will then have to dig out these pieces of iron on the site for a long time.
But, if the rodents have already multiplied, such a fight against them can be exhausting.
Pesticides: the main thing is not to poison the cat!
But pesticides have a significant disadvantage: firstly, they can accidentally poison a pet, and secondly, no matter how the sellers claim that mouse carcasses quickly mummify and do not emit odors, in fact they decompose for quite a long time in hard-to-reach places, and it is impossible to live in the house during this period.
Therefore, if you use pesticides, then scatter them under the floor only in early autumn - when rodents gather to stay.
Ultrasonic repellers: both mice and cats
This is a new word in the fight against mice under the floor. After all, there are no barriers to ultrasound. So, they are small devices that, when turned on, produce a sound of a frequency inaudible to humans, but for rodents it is quite unpleasant and affects the nervous system.
When choosing such a device, you should carefully choose the manufacturer and not save money, otherwise the cat may run away from the house. And ultrasonic repellers are not always safe for people. We can say that this issue has not been fully studied, and yet some part of the population hears a thin squeak when the device is turned on, which a priori should not be heard. Therefore, this method is more suitable for a bathhouse or a country house where you do not come too often. When we left, we turned on the device, when we arrived, we turned it off for a while.
The range of modern repellers themselves is very diverse - and among such devices there are many that have a noticeable effect, but do not give 100% results.
Thus, the most powerful repeller to date is “Spectrum”, which covers up to 300 square meters. For an underground space, this is the best choice: it works without interruption for several years, and can withstand high humidity in the basement and voltage in the electrical network. If the electricity is turned off, then the device will turn on itself, and therefore it is convenient to install it in a country house or bathhouse, where you are absent for months. But the most important thing to do is to close all the cracks in the house and completely isolate the food. After all, even nylon lids on jars can easily be chewed by mice - more reliable protection is needed here.
Also, ordinary people recognize such repellers as “Typhoon”, Weitech WK-0300, WK-0600 CIX, “Grad A-500” and “GRAD A-1000 PRO” as quite effective. They have a fairly powerful and expensive base, a wide radiation pattern and a constantly changing ultrasound frequency, which ensures that rodents do not get used to it. Pestchaser 360 M+, Pestchaser 360 and “CHISTON-2 360” are already less popular.
And the cheapest repellers have weaker technical components and low power. Rodents get used to them quickly and on the very first day. These brands are Weitech WK-0220, Pestchaser LS-968, Pestchaser AC/DC and Weitech WK-0240.
If you decide to fight mice under the floor in this way, be sure to study the certificates included with your purchase. Otherwise you may end up buying a fake.
Predators - biological weapons
So, the most terrible animals for mice are cats and ferrets. Moreover, the latter are much more experienced and dexterous in this regard! Get such a pet - you will be surprised.
As for cats, not all breeds of this family like to catch mice. And cats are completely lazy. But rodents are more afraid not so much of the rare chance of getting caught as of the smell of the predator itself. That’s why some craftsmen scatter cat hair under the floor – and this is an excellent and effective method.
You will also be interested to know that a cat is not just a predator that likes to eat mice. This is a real biological weapon against the latter. So, in cat excrement there are special substances that act on the consciousness of rodents, and they already behave more fearlessly - and are easier to get caught (which is why cat owners who are not very hygienic often, having lost the same sense of danger, end up in accidents more often than others - there are such research).
A breed of dog such as the American Staff Terrier is also bred in America. These are real rat catchers, and they are bred specifically for farmland instead of cats. They are also great at catching mice, although they don’t eat them. Speaking of breeds: the more decorative a cat is, the less prone it is to natural hunting, and therefore it is better to give preference to an ordinary yard Murka. And finally, it is worth noting an interesting fact: what mice are most afraid of is not cats, but rats. And in the house where there is one rat, there are usually no mice.
Protection against rodents during construction
You can try to protect yourself from mice even at the construction stage. It is much easier to prevent a mouse invasion than to deal with them later.
Method 1 - Expanded clay castle
For this, a so-called “pie” is made, consisting of several layers - expanded clay and OSB boards. Such a cake must be at least 10 cm thick and requires the presence of layers:
- A layer of expanded clay of at least 10 cm is laid directly on the ground and covered with a water barrier
- 1 or two layers of OSB-3
- again expanded clay gasket
- finishing layer of OSB treated with boric acid or synthetic wax
Method 1 - Protection with fine mesh
A less labor-intensive, but very reliable method is to use a welded mesh made of galvanized wire with a cell of 5 * 5 mm. It can be laid between the subfloor and the main floor, and also stretched along the foundation strip to a depth of at least a meter. Mice will not be able to get into the house through such a mesh.
Noise and squeaking at night, eaten away insulation in the floor, unpleasant smell? Apparently you have mice infestation. These, at first glance, harmless favorites of Disney cartoons are a real headache for all homes in all countries, for the sake of which new technologies are invented every year, and even new breeds of animals are bred. What are the general methods of dealing with them? And how to secure a bathhouse or country house left unattended? Now we will find out everything.
