windhund116

Great photo, Laney! Love the bokeh.

Lainey

Thanks, took that one from across the yard with the 100-400.

Lainey

Well after six or seven years of feeding the birds I have a rodent issue. Totally grossed out. A couple winters ago we saw a mole, set a trap and ended up catching a couple of moles and a couple of mice. Didn't phase me too much. We've always had a cat and never had a mouse in the house. Today I noticed a little activity under the feeder next to the house/deck. I thought it was an odd color chipmunk, but nope, it's a big mouse, most likely a rat!
We have never bothered to clean up the spilled seed shells, as my bird feeding area is also the garden so I consider the empty seed shells a little extra mulch and ground feeders, chipmunks and squirrels are welcome to any spilled seed.

I moved the feeder that was close to the deck across the yard. Rick set a couple of traps and I'm going to let the feeders empty out and not re-fill until I'm sure this little is gone, though I fear if there is one, there is more. The woman at the hardware store told me they are selling a lot of rat/mouse traps this season.

Have you dealt with this What have you done about it?

dlq04

They got'a eat too. As long as they are not in the house or either garage, I don't worry about them. Just paid $150 to have a guy 'dust' bees we had behind our aluminum siding since after using up 3 cans of spray I turned to the pros.

Lainey

I've seen a couple of cute mice, never a cute rat. Don't they multiply like rabbits? Not sure the neighbors would be happy having guests like these in the "hood". I won't rule out calling an exterminator.

BTW we had some bees somewhere in the siding, Rick tried a few do it yourself methods late last year. So far so good....

Lovetodrive2000

We have had an on and off issue with a mouse or two in our garage getting into our bird feed.....

Seems like one of the little varmits has crawled up inside a wall and died recently!

Yeppers.... the pantry has a bad smell to it (and yes, we have removed everything from the pantry to check for spoiled food!)...

Think I found the spot where he/she got into the wall.... and filled it with a Renuizit air freshener and expanding foam! Hopefully the smell will go away in a few weeks!

Scooterboy

Oil of peppermint works to hide the smell and will chase off future visitors. Been there, done that!

Lainey

Will oil of peppermint keep them out from under our deck? Bird food is in basement, but in a "rubbermaid" type container closed. If a rodent enters our homestead, I'm counting on Thelma the cat to earn her keep.

Scooterboy

I've used it in a spot that they (mice) would get into and they didn't come back. It would be worth a try but I'm not sure how long it would last.
Decon use to work great but you can't get the good stuff any more.

Lainey

Maybe I'll just toss a bunch of peppermint breath savers under the deck and hope these guys take a hike!