Destructive mice

[pipbar]

I have a family of mice in my tack room that are chewing up everything.

Until recently we had a cat but sadly since he died the mice have moved in. Despite being advised to do so i dont want to kill the mice. I have known we had a mouse for a while but it hadnt destroyed too much. Recently though it has destroyed some of the horses rugs and our clothing by chewing holes out of them , I found yesterday it has eaten half my electricity bill and all bar a tiny scrap of some of my machinery warranties.

About aweek ago I lifted an empty box to find a nest of mice underneath, the mother ran away and a couple of the babies dragged themselves after her. They didn't get very far and just lay there. I poked the nest back under the box as best i could with a stick and hoped the mum would come back and collect them. I think she has moved them and the nest around the back as when I looked later the babies had gone and there is a trail of bedding leading around the back behind my boots.

When I saw them the mice had fur and could drag themselves around how long will it be before they are independent. How can I then get them out of the tack room without killing them. I can not afford this continued destruction.

Do the sonic things work? Thanks for any suggestions.

[shirl]

Hi there

The young mice can be weaned by about 3 weeks so they will be ready to leave the nest around that time, however mum may well be getting ready for the next litter! They can have 4-7 babies each time, however if I remember right the survival rate is actual quite low depending on factors such as predation, suitable habitat, food supply, competition from other small mammals etc etc.

We have a sonic device but it hasn't worked here with mice, rats or shrews, however some people have had success with them. You could try a small live mammal trap and capture the female before any more young are born, then relocate her to a safe place well away from you.

Shirl