How Do I Get Rid Of A Mouse Outside

[Boronia]

don't fuss yourselves about jazzy4, peeps, she/he is being a tool and want to sh*t-stir...just ignore them and they will go away

Edited March 30, 2011 by Boronia

[GavinM]

A person must not set at large any vermin.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/tas/con...000186/s17.html

I think you will find it's illegal to release a rat, mouse, rabbit, cat, goldfish (carp) and other vermin into the wild in Australia. If you really care for its welfare, either leave it be, or trap it in a smooth sided cage trap and take it to the vet for humane dispatch. Personally, I live with the fact I have to kill some things to live. Where do you draw the line between bacteria, weeds, flies, ants, snails, mice, rabbits, goats, camels etc.

That is Tasmanian law. And it is such a pointless law because how exactly is it possible to enforce something like that? Why do humane traps exist in the market then? Going to call the cops because someone released a field mouse? They're more likely to charge the other person for wasting their time. As far as I know, no one has ever been fined for such a thing and it makes sense - because what rational court would accept a case like that, or even a Sherrif's department? Ohh right, for revenue raising maybe? Even the term "vermin" is not really defined, one could argue that it was not.

BTW, people let their cats outdoor all the time - is that illegal too considering even domesticated cats could be considered "vermin" ?

It is a stupid, trivial law that's nigh on impossible to enforce and it shouldn't stop people from listening to their conscience. $200 for being compassionate? Just as ridiculous as a $150 for feet on seats on trains - it's revenue raising, nothing more.

[GavinM]

http://www.macroevolution.net/diseases-carried-by-mice.html

<snip>

Cats can also carry a lot of nasties - in fact, would you like me to list every single disease human beings can potentially carry? I'm sure it would overwhelm that list. People like to bring up the plague but forget to mention that humans were also plague carriers - the fleas hitched a ride on anything warm-blooded so that they could feed. It explains why Iceland suffered the Plague when no rats existed there at the time.

So what is your point?

[GavinM]

That is very offensive. I was home schooled. I don't condone anything Jazzy4 said and I am well educated and gainfully employed and have been ever since I turned 16 (I finished grade 12 + some when I was 15) I got an OP 2. Please think before you post comments such as this because it is rude.

Well, that's awesome for you - but don't kid yourself into thinking that home-schooling is as good as primary/high school. Your parents might have been clever and educated enough, but sadly in most cases, this is not the case.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

As with any unwanted critter, there is a lot to be said for making the place inhospitable. I am bossy about never leaving dog bowls, kongs or bustercubes outside. Bins have tight fitting lids and no bones/dog biscuits stay outside. We don't have chooks even tho' I'd love them because I don't want vermin and the snakes that come with them.

In the past we have set traps for the odd mouse. If I did have a chronic problem because of poor neighbours etc I would probably look into terrier with decent prey drive and combine that with ensuring that food and water was as difficult to find as possible.

Edit: Afghans are no good. I caught one of ours playing paw tennis with a mouse once - just like a cat.

Edited March 30, 2011 by SkySoaringMagpie

[Maddy]

I hate seeing them suffer in the cage 'humane' traps ...

Can't see how given a cage trap does not physically hurt them.

The stress it causes them is enough to constitute cruelty, never mind the damage they often do to themselves trying to escape.

We've had to catch possums in our yard before using humane traps and even though we put blankets over the cage as soon as we heard the trap, the possum inside was already bloodied and likely in a state of shock from its frenzied efforts to escape. Wild animals don't cope well in cage traps and we used them only as a last resort. I'd not even consider using one for a species of animal that can legally be disposed of on a residential property- especially when they can be disposed of quickly and humanely.

That aside, there's still the issue of what to do with captured mousie. If you release it elsewhere, chances are, the displaced rodent will die, either as a result of the trapping process itself or from predation or starvation. This leaves one other option.. you kill said mousie yourself, as quickly and humanely as possible- which just happens to be what generally happens with the snap traps (especially the new plastic ones that only allow for direct approach to the bait). So, seems to me like you could eliminate the stressful, inhumane middle step and just use the traps.

Also, Jazzy4.. Your mother really needs to monitor your internet use a bit more closely.

That is Tasmanian law. And it is such a pointless law because how exactly is it possible to enforce something like that?

Well, that law applies to where I happen to live and like it or not, the law is the law.

I'm sure some people think the pot laws are stupid and pointless but disagreeing with a law does not give you the right to willfully break it. The law is in place for a reason- feral populations of animals need to be removed, not added to by "humane*" people.

*Which is, by the way, a disgustingly insulting thing to say. I love animals, I gave over my house and yard to the dogs no one else wants to deal with. I have kept both rats and mice as pets and loved them just as much as I love my dogs now. To suggest that anyone who chooses to humanely kill mice is somehow inhumane because there "should" be ways to stop mice from entering a property in the first place is (if you'll excuse the profanity, this topic rather annoys me) bullsh*t.

We have no piles of food laying about, we keep all the places that could attract mice clean. Our dogs are raw fed to ensure there's never any food around for mice to scavenge from. We put a lot of efforting into keeping rodents away from our house. Our neighbours, however, have a rubbish pile out the back. Short of hopping the fence and cleaning it up while they're out, how else should I be controlling the mice we get?

In the perfect world, the mice should be living in a happy mousie place, well away from people and everyone could coexist in peace and everything would be great and awesome and puppies would cuddle with baby bunnies. The reality is, sometimes, despite all efforts, you get mice. Disposing of them quickly and cleanly is the kindest thing you can do.

[westiemum]

Evolved people are never cruel, nor do they torture - ever.

[GavinM]

The stress it causes them is enough to constitute cruelty, never mind the damage they often do to themselves trying to escape.

That's why they are supposed to be checked often. The mice I've caught with this method were never bloodied, showed no signs of distress and looked calm as ever while munching on pieces of monte carlo. I'm guessing they are probably used to humans, but then again, I was careful as possible not to startle so kept movement and noise to an absolute minimum. So, again, I cannot see how this is more cruel than any of the other traditional methods apart from a quick, clean kill.

Well, that law applies to where I happen to live and like it or not, the law is the law.

I'm sure some people think the pot laws are stupid and pointless but disagreeing with a law does not give you the right to willfully break it. The law is in place for a reason- feral populations of animals need to be removed, not added to by "humane*" people.

That particular law is outdated and the reasoning is flawed. Fining someone $200 for being humane and compassionate is ridiculous, especially considering that releasing the animal is not going to make one iota of difference. Maybe one day someone will 'break' it and successfully challenge it on its own logical merit. So far, this has not happened because no law enforcement agency is going to waste precious resources and money on a person who was just trying to be nice.

To suggest that anyone who chooses to humanely kill mice is somehow inhumane because there "should" be ways to stop mice from entering a property in the first place is (if you'll excuse the profanity, this topic rather annoys me) bullsh*t.

Yet no one has suggested this.

I'm only saying it is morally questionable to kill when it's not necessary.

Edited March 30, 2011 by GavinM

[Sheridan]

That is very offensive. I was home schooled. I don't condone anything Jazzy4 said and I am well educated and gainfully employed and have been ever since I turned 16 (I finished grade 12 + some when I was 15) I got an OP 2. Please think before you post comments such as this because it is rude.

Well, that's awesome for you - but don't kid yourself into thinking that home-schooling is as good as primary/high school. Your parents might have been clever and educated enough, but sadly in most cases, this is not the case.

That sounds very definite. How do you know? Were you a home school failure?

[gillybob]

As rat owner/rescuer and lover, I can understand peoples attitude to them.

But I cannot understand cruelty at all.

They are intelligent animals, feel pain/love/friendship.

I just ask people who are killing rats to use traps, they are better than poisen.

Poisen takes about 5 days to kill, I dont want to think about the pain they must feel when dieing.

There are many rat lovers on this forum, who would be discusted reading this thread.

[Keira&Phoenix]

That is very offensive. I was home schooled. I don't condone anything Jazzy4 said and I am well educated and gainfully employed and have been ever since I turned 16 (I finished grade 12 + some when I was 15) I got an OP 2. Please think before you post comments such as this because it is rude.

Well, that's awesome for you - but don't kid yourself into thinking that home-schooling is as good as primary/high school. Your parents might have been clever and educated enough, but sadly in most cases, this is not the case.

I don't want to take this too off topic but do you seriously think that public or even private schools are better? Come on. My brother went to a (very well known) private school prior to us being changed to home schooling and he was getting no where, the teachers didn't give a s*** about the kids or the schooling and let the kids muck up all the time and he learnt nothing whilst there.

I realise that not all home schooled children will do as well as us but neither do kids in the public or private school system. It has to do with the intelligence level of the children, their drive to actually do their school work and how parents deal with schooling issues (that pop up in both home schooled and non home schooled children). Having a classroom and teachers makes no difference. I had access to teachers just not in a class room.

So how about YOU stop kidding yourself.

Oh and BTW neither of my parents finished school both left after Grade 10 (from normal schools) so it has nothing to do with my parents being clever or well educated. More kids leave public/private schools after Grade 10 then home schooled kids.

That is very offensive. I was home schooled. I don't condone anything Jazzy4 said and I am well educated and gainfully employed and have been ever since I turned 16 (I finished grade 12 + some when I was 15) I got an OP 2. Please think before you post comments such as this because it is rude.

Well, that's awesome for you - but don't kid yourself into thinking that home-schooling is as good as primary/high school. Your parents might have been clever and educated enough, but sadly in most cases, this is not the case.

That sounds very definite. How do you know? Were you a home school failure?

Nah Sheridan I think he/she probably attended a private school and feels superior to people like me who didn't get the education he/she did because I was home schooled.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Keira&Phoenix

[Monah]

As rat owner/rescuer and lover, I can understand peoples attitude to them.

But I cannot understand cruelty at all.

They are intelligent animals, feel pain/love/friendship.

I just ask people who are killing rats to use traps, they are better than poisen.

Poisen takes about 5 days to kill, I dont want to think about the pain they must feel when dieing.

There are many rat lovers on this forum, who would be discusted reading this thread.

I haven't read most of this forum, quickly scanned.recent posts. Only looked because of the other topic!

I'm a rodent lover too. I rescued a beautiful rat from our pool and it sat down and washed in front of me,

I have always had cats and have never ever had a mouse etc. in the house. I've never had aviaries or chooks etc. either as these attract mice and hence snakes and our doors are never open as the cats are indoor only. I've lived in some very 'mousey' areas in the bush and still have not had any. I do see critters outside, rats here love the fruits on the palms...

Prevention by making sure there is nothing available for rodents and checking they cannot enter a home (plagues excepted)is really simple.

I also worry that when some people kill these things (one way or another) that if they are outside, they can easily be native mice,, rats, marsupial ones, etc. It's indiscriminant, same with poison. Poison can also be a hazard to many other animals.

Cruelty to anything is inexcusable,

I do understand pests need to be 'given their wings' and I have had to do this myself and have always researched and taken the humane option (toads).

[Shakti]

LOL at the anti-home-school brigade!

When state schools have an *failure* rate of 50% throughout Australia (as shown on teh MySchool website) I really feel that any parent who cares about their child's education enough to take them out of school and educate them themselves deserves our support rather than our condemnation.

There are so many websites that provide GENUINE statistics compiled from scientific studies of home-schoolers throughout the world that show they have BETTER social skills and on average a 10% higher grade average throughout their *schoiling careers* that there really is no need to debate this topic at all!

Particularly with people such as Gavin who have no factual basis for their prejudices whatsoever

[Keira&Phoenix]

LOL at the anti-home-school brigade!

When state schools have an *failure* rate of 50% throughout Australia (as shown on teh MySchool website) I really feel that any parent who cares about their child's education enough to take them out of school and educate them themselves deserves our support rather than our condemnation.

There are so many websites that provide GENUINE statistics compiled from scientific studies of home-schoolers throughout the world that show they have BETTER social skills and on average a 10% higher grade average throughout their *schoiling careers* that there really is no need to debate this topic at all!

Particularly with people such as Gavin who have no factual basis for their prejudices whatsoever

[Linda K]

another who only looked at this topic because of the other post - would note that they said we are in the grip of a mouse plague at the moment, I know when I make up the horses feeds each night I will have mice either in the chaff bags or in the empty feed containers, but we also have a farm cat who is like the paws of lightning, who also despatches rabbits too, so they do not last long. If he is around when I find them, he will take care of them, otherwise I will despatch them quickly with a blow to the head against the wall. We do not bait, as it is not an effective way to get rid of them - too many and takes too long

[jackie_a1]

Whoa ....

Ok firstly I love mice and rats and all rodents part of a breeding module for tafe was to breed our laboratory mice. I think they're awesome little creatures IF they are domestic. As in if their pets etc. However as a VERMIN. As a wild or feral mouse and colony they need to be destroyed. As opposed to a pet in the wild their numbers do not get moderated or checked. They breed prolifically and efficiently and for that reason WILD or FERAL mice need to be disposed of HUMANELY.

I never have acted cruelly towards any animal and never condone cruelty. But I am more than happy to justify the need to kill them. As an earlier poster posted they carry a numerous amount of diseases bacteria etc and it is not the same as every other animal in the wild. A wild diseased bat would not be likely to found in my kitchen or hiding in my house. Do not use animals as a general rule Gavin to justify your post because we are addressing mice and not every other animal found to carry diseases in the wild. Mice and rats are becoming a huge problem in certain areas and you want to re-release them and let them continue to exist thinking in some fantasy land they will co exist with our animals and us without causing any disturbances? E.g tape worm or fleas?

Gavin your comments about the home schooling too are small minded and arrogant obviously a testament to your mentality. You should not make assumptions based on your (obviously limited) experience. Opening your mouth with such an inappropriate comment diminished your reputation already and you are a new member. In future you should exercise some tact and not jeopardize your status you are a new member and already you have no credibility with me.

That particular law is outdated and the reasoning is flawed. Fining someone $200 for being humane and compassionate is ridiculous, especially considering that releasing the animal is not going to make one iota of difference. Maybe one day someone will 'break' it and successfully challenge it on its own logical merit. So far, this has not happened because no law enforcement agency is going to waste precious resources and money on a person who was just trying to be nice.

I highly doubt you will find a great support of legions for your theory. People have and will continue to destroy pest species for the benefit of hygiene. I advise you look back to when the plague ravaged the earth then tell me how practical your ideas are. Pest species spread disease etc. If you are talking about primary school education you should revisit yours.

[ruffpup]

That is very offensive. I was home schooled. I don't condone anything Jazzy4 said and I am well educated and gainfully employed and have been ever since I turned 16 (I finished grade 12 + some when I was 15) I got an OP 2. Please think before you post comments such as this because it is rude.

Well, that's awesome for you - but don't kid yourself into thinking that home-schooling is as good as primary/high school. Your parents might have been clever and educated enough, but sadly in most cases, this is not the case.

That sounds very definite. How do you know? Were you a home school failure?

The 2IC in the ACT was supposedly home-schooled, that's enough for me. After seeing her untold times on tv, I find the woman a badly spoken ignoramus. Then about half of one of my sibling's children were home schooled for a while, when they went into school they could barely pass any exams. Someone in the ACT Dept Education told me a while back there was a lot of unauthorised home schooling around Canberra - being taught by people who weren't qualified. I think that's the argument against it, if the teacher is no good the children can't learn much, just the same as in school.

[Crisovar]

If I caught some bleeding heart releasing vermin outside my place I would be tempted to set the dogs on them.

We are experiencing a huge influx of cane toads after such a bumper wet season for them, maybe we should just relocate them to friendlier neighbourhoods too.

[Curlybert]

The 2IC in the ACT was supposedly home-schooled, that's enough for me. After seeing her untold times on tv, I find the woman a badly spoken ignoramus. Then about half of one of my sibling's children were home schooled for a while, when they went into school they could barely pass any exams. Someone in the ACT Dept Education told me a while back there was a lot of unauthorised home schooling around Canberra - being taught by people who weren't qualified. I think that's the argument against it, if the teacher is no good the children can't learn much, just the same as in school.

Are you talking about Katy Gallagher? If so, I think your opinion is a bit harsh - I consider her very articulate and certainly more so than many of the boofheads that masquerade as politicians in the upper house of most state parliaments! Some of those blokes (and they are always blokes) can barely string two words together. The Senate has seen a few of them too.

[GavinM]

As an earlier poster posted they carry a numerous amount of diseases bacteria etc and it is not the same as every other animal in the wild. A wild diseased bat would not be likely to found in my kitchen or hiding in my house. Do not use animals as a general rule Gavin to justify your post because we are addressing mice and not every other animal found to carry diseases in the wild. Mice and rats are becoming a huge problem in certain areas and you want to re-release them and let them continue to exist thinking in some fantasy land they will co exist with our animals and us without causing any disturbances? E.g tape worm or fleas?

Other animals carry numerous disease too (and as for bacteria, most pointless comment - everything carries bacteria). Do you have any proof that mice are more intrinsically prone to disease than other animals, such as bats and birds? Maybe not as likely to be found in your house, but how do you know a mouse on its own has more disease? I'm using other animals as a general rule to highlight the point that animals carry disease regardless of what they are, and thus the amount of hysteria relating to mice is a little overrated. What I am saying and why I'm using that general rule is that just because something has disease doesn't mean it deserves to die. You don't even know for sure that the mouse you catch, for example, even has any disease.

It's simply a matter of convenience. Please spare me your ikyness arguments. I even know people who are more dirty than a mouse ever will be.

Pigeons for example have the potential to carry lots of nasty stuff - and they poop everywhere, especially in places where people gather like town squares, verandas and train stations. They are also introduced pests. But you don't see everyone get the nearest heavy object and bash them over the heads.

Yes, I support catch and release. Do you know why? Because I find it morally questionable to kill when it's not necessary. Mice aren't the only animals that carry tapeworm and fleas, either. Regardless if you kill them or let them go, there are a lot of other animals that can actually expose you to the same thing. Releasing a single mouse isn't going to make an iota of difference. The only reason I am moving the mouse is because I can't co-exist with it in my home due to obvious reasons that have already been touched on - but killing it for simply existing? No, I don't agree with that at all. You call me small minded for saying this, well, back at you with this Neanderthal "kill kill" attitude. Apologies if I find it a little wrong to kill something that's never hurt me, and that doesn't really need to be killed to solve my immediate problem.

I advise you look back to when the plague ravaged the earth then tell me how practical your ideas are. Pest species spread disease etc. If you are talking about primary school education you should revisit yours.

I don't care if they spread disease, every single animal spreads disease. That isn't the point. I don't need to revisit anything here, because it appears from first glance you don't really know much about the plague. People releasing mice back into the wild isn't going to cause Plague any time soon, especially in a country where it doesn't even exist or is so rare that there have been no recent records of it. A few factors you are not seeming to consider here:

1) Lack of hygiene/sanitation were massive factors in the spread of plague, something that is no problem here.

2) People killed off their natural predators, cats and snakes especially because they were considered "the devil". This made the rodent population explode.

3) The flea responsible for carrying the disease hitched a ride on humans too - in fact this explains the reason why the Plague travelled faster than rats could ever manage.

So enlighten me, in a country that is relatively hygienic, with good sanitation systems and are world leaders in modern medicine - how is plague on the back of people releasing a few mice even relevant at all?

Gavin your comments about the home schooling too are small minded and arrogant obviously a testament to your mentality. You should not make assumptions based on your (obviously limited) experience

Ho ho! You're calling me arrogant when you supposedly know of my experiences?

That sounds very definite. How do you know? Were you a home school failure?

Because most parents aren't qualified teachers, for one. And you miss out on the important social aspect that schools actually provide. Could write a thesis on this, but that will be going OT so I'm going to stop right there.