[akklover]

So, I just moved into a new house for the school year and unfortunately I found out too late that we have a rodent infestation. I'm a big lover of all animals, rats and mice included so I've been trying to catch them with a humane mouse trap I ordered off of Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Mouse-T...A7HW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318559871&sr=8-1).

I've been baiting the trap with a small bread corner with a little peanut butter and so far it's been six days and no luck. I am starting to think that maybe we have rats and not mice and maybe they aren't getting the into the trap because they can't fit.

There are droppings under to sink (where I set my trap) and when I clean them up, they reappear within a couple days - so I know they have been actively in the area.

Anyway, I took a photo of some of the droppings and I was wondering if someone could tell me if these look like mice or rat droppings, because maybe I just need to buy a larger trap if we have rats :\

I hope you can help! Thanks!

 

[Storyseeker]

Looks like mice droppings to me. Even dried rat roppings are the size of your thumbnail, and fewer per deposit location.

Mice are naturally curious and inquisitive, unlike the xenophobic rats. Give it time. I would also work to close off all access points in the house. Here's a like with a few suggestions on mouse proofing, and bahavior:

http://www.evergreenpestcontrol.com/mice.htm

 

[breyer08]

Yep, definitely mice. Good luck!

 

[Vladina]

Yah, mice! Good luck and I am so happy to hear you are an animal lover and trying to work with the mouse problem in a humane way.

 

[Dragonrain]

If you haven't already, I definitely recommend you work on mouse proofing the house. Look for any access points where they could be getting inside and try to seal them off. Pay extra attention to areas where wires or pipes come into the house.

The one time we had a mouse issue we where able to completely solve the problem by closing off the holes around our pipes and wires where the mice where getting in. We tried putting out humane traps too, and didn't catch a single mouse. But as soon as we sealed up the walls we never saw mice or evidence of mice again.

Good luck!!

 

[akklover]

I know that the small droppings probably look like mouse droppings, but we also have some larger ones (like the ones on the lower right) scattered around as well. Could a mouse have droppings that large?

 

[akklover]

And I'm definitely going to start mouse-proofing the house. I found some of my dogs' kibble in one of the bottom cabinets, so one of the mice/rats had to have stolen it from their food bowl D: