Wood Mice

[Cogsy1976]

Hi All

I have joined this site today to get some advice! apologies if its been asked before!

We moved into our house 2 1/2 years ago and over the last year or so it has become apparent that we are not alone in the attic and garage! I have used a live trap in the attic and caught 2 (so far) up there a while ago, however I have now found them in the garage (our Rabbit lives in there!) now it seems that they are obivously having a field day as they are nicking his food and when I found an old pair of wellies the other day noticed it was full of his food! (obviosuly they are stockpiling it!)

I put some traps in the garage for a week or so with cheese in caught nothing so left the traps open to see if anything would take it, come in the next day and all was gone (which was quite funny!) anyway since then I have caught 3 in the garage (in two days) the one today seemed quite small and therfore young.

My main question is do they actually cause any harm in my garage (which is attached to my house) and in my attic? ie. should I leave them or try and catch them all? and where is the best place to let them go? the two yesterday I let go in a hedgerow a few miles form the house I hope they are ok! and the little one today I let go in a huge bramble bush in a field.

I love animals and just want to do the best for them as they have a right to live where they want!

[thunder]

Welcome Cogsy1976.

It depends what you have in your garage and attic. Mice will chew lots of things (some might say almost anything!), including electric wiring - this could definitely be a problem. A friend had the leather covering of some chairs in her attic more or less destroyed by mice. Cost quite a lot for restoration! They will also chew wiring in cars, and possibly other important parts. They can also keep you awake at night with the scurrying and gnawing sounds. It might be best to carry on moving them out.

henrya

[Cogsy1976]

Thanks for the reply, we dont keep alot in the garage or attic but my concern is the wiring, they did actually manage to get in the house a few months ago (prob was warmer) and the cats had killed one and I found a mouse tail on the floor but strangely no mouse so assume that one got away!

I will continue with my policy of live catching them, is there a particular place that would be safest to release them ie. woodland, field?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Cogsy1976

I will continue with my policy of live catching them, is there a particular place that would be safest to release them ie. woodland, field?

Any area of cover is best. This species does live away from woodland but beech woodland is particularly good for them, as long as it has a relative amount of understory such as dead wood, open areas with undergrowth. They will do well in bramble, hedgerows etc and areas of neglect. It is a very wide ranging and adaptable species so as long as there is cover it will survive.

[vole-woman]

Interesting you found the tail, Cogsy. Wood mice shed their tail skin as an emergency defence mechanism, but it's painful for them and what's left behind doesn't regenerate, it just withers away. That's why you should never pick up a wood mouse by its tail - pick it up by the scruff of its neck.

You do need to watch mice and wiring. If you remove the food source, that should go a way to discouraging them. We have them in the greenhouse where we keep the bird food!

[Cogsy1976]

I have caught 5 in th garage in the last few days, there are a few more as I saw one run out of my rabbits hutch when I walked in the other day (looked really small so must be a baby) and I saw another this morning that looked a bit to big to be the same one!

Traps in the attic tonight to see how many I can catch up there, I did hear something run across the attic the other night but Im sure that a woodmouse wouldnt make that much noise!

I love wildlife but not necessarily in my house!

[WildGirl]

Hi, Im not sure if this would be any help as im only 14 and abit dumb About a year ago, my cat bought in a wood mouse, he was really small and very disoriented, so i put him in a little hamster plastic cage, and he started to make a little nest and he started to take the guinea pig food into the nest, so as the cage was a bit too small, we put him in a massive fish tank with wood shavings, artificial bedding, hamster food, a log toy with holes in and even a hamster wheel! (the fish tank was secure as wood mice can jump) So he started to become quite domesticated, but I thought that he wouldn't be able to survive in the wild any more as he had got used to living like a king So I decided not to release him, as it would be an even bigger shock to him and my two cats bring in so many mice and voles that he would eventually be eaten. So I think the best thing to do, is try to catch as many as you can, (as they are obviously a family) and release them together somewhere away from your house, and other people houses (in case they have cats) and put them somewhere where there is a shelter, somewhere like an old deserted barn (if that is possible to find) Hope I helped.. A bit Ellie xxx

[Cogsy1976]

Hi Ellie yes you have helped so thanks!
Interestingly I placed a trap in my attic and am absolutely amazed at what I found in it the next day! is there anyway to post photos on here?

[Cogsy1976]

Ok have managed to find out how to do it! this is what was in my trap the next day! but no mouse/rat????

[Cowgirl]

Sooo...you have feral cord living in your garage?