Mice and after effects

[Wowitsme]

I got a cat

 

[Be creative]

So I bought my first house last year, and moved in, all proud and feeling miss independent (at the tender age of 30 no less). Anyway, after a couple of weeks, I heard “scurry scurry” in the attic. This freaked me out no end, as it was mostly in the dead of the night and as I live alone, it just really scared me! Got a local pest control guy out, who looked in the attic and said “nah, love, nothing there”. So I thought oh, maybe I’m just adjusting to the new sounds of the house or something. Turns out he was just rubbish unfortunately as a few more weeks go by and still hear “scurry scurry” every now and again. Mention it to my friends and family, getting a bit annoyed as not sure if I’m just hearing things and making the noises up in my head. Then Covid hits and I’m at home working all day and yep.. above my head in my office is, you guessed it, definite “scurry scurry!!”.

Contacted a different pest control guy and he came out, checked the attic thoroughly and said “yeah, mice droppings love. Only a small amount, so likely only one mouse.” Sound. Laid some traps, came back, Micky is sadly dead and jobs a good ‘un! Phew. So I thought anyway.

Frustratingly, not so. Couple months later, “scurry scurry”. Pest control #2 comes out again - “honestly hen, nothing there this time”. Sigh. Ok. Maybe I am just paranoid this time or it’s a one off.

Queue about a week ago, I’m lying in bed and here we are again. Scurry blooming scurry. 2 am and in a panic, I contact pest control #3. Rave reviews online etc. Good chaps, out by 10 am the next day. Thorough check of the attic and bait left and dropped in the wall cavities too. Here we are a week later and all seems quiet. So hopefully job done. The guy also established 3 potential entry points and advised how I should seal these appropriately. I’ve done this, so hopefully that’s the problem now dealt with.
The issue I have now is that, not to be dramatic, but it’s almost like I’m traumatised by it all and unable to relax. I’ve slept on the couch most nights since the bait was left because the living room is a “safe space” where I’ve never really heard them. That and staying at mums for Christmas Eve. I lay in bed until 5 am yesterday just to make sure I couldn’t hear anything. Randomly during the day will pause the tv and sit silently until I’m sure I’m not hearing anything. When I go to the loo upstairs I’ll “test” the silence to check there’s still nothing there. I feel like I’m going insane and hate that I now have this dread and fear of going to bed. As I type this I’m sitting on the couch thinking maybe I can just sleep here again. I don’t know how to fix this and also feel ridiculous for being so dramatic.
Has anyone ever had issues with pests? What did you to fix it and did you experience anything similar?

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

Thanks for checking in on me! I generally sleep upstairs now, with the odd night downstairs on the couch if I convince myself I’m hearing things. Actually haven’t heard much at night and mostly during the day I hear the random scurrying. My friends partner is going to lay some traps in the attic for me over Christmas so I can keep calm overall I just hate upstairs and I’ve kind of come to peace with the fact that as soon as another house comes up in my price range that I like I’ll jump at the chance because I can’t fully ever relax upstairs (it’s terribly sad really isn’t it?)

I used to hear scurrying in my loft all the time, it never really bothered me because I couldn't see them and they couldn't get to me but last year I had some fire stop safety work done where it basically sealed the whole loft. I haven't heard anything since. It might be an idea to check if the mice are getting in from your neighbours and look into getting your loft sealed. Mice can be a problem in any house so moving might not be the answer.

 

[susan1375]

Thank you! It has been such a fun experience up until this point. Oh no, that’s not great about the poison! I hope the dogs are ok!! Fingers crossed between this bait thing the guy has done and closing up the gaps fixes the issue. I don’t think I can stomach the possibility it doesn’t sort it. Good luck with your unwanted guests.. hopefully the poison does the trick and you finally get peace and quiet xx


This is my worry, that I’ll never be able to fully relax again in the house and I need to sell up and buy elsewhere. This is the perfect wee house for me as well, so I’d be gutted to have to leave it, but if I can’t resolve the issue, I won’t be able to comfortably stay here. I’m glad to hear you managed to find somewhere else and have no problems now!

If you know anyone with a cat ask them for their used litter. Keep getting freshly used litter and leave it in the loft / entry points. The cat smell deters them. I seriously thought about setting up a small business selling my cats used litter for this as several people asked me but couldn’t find any cheap postal services as it’s clinical waste.

 

[WickedWendy]

I was paranoid after mice a few years ago, it wore off after a time. You will feel better when it's not to fresh. Do seal up any small space they could enter. I got a couple of the sonic mouse repellents and I keep traps up all the time just in case. I live in the country and so far the sonic repellents seem to be working, maybe invest in one?

 

[Maid22]

So I bought my first house last year, and moved in, all proud and feeling miss independent (at the tender age of 30 no less). Anyway, after a couple of weeks, I heard “scurry scurry” in the attic. This freaked me out no end, as it was mostly in the dead of the night and as I live alone, it just really scared me! Got a local pest control guy out, who looked in the attic and said “nah, love, nothing there”. So I thought oh, maybe I’m just adjusting to the new sounds of the house or something. Turns out he was just rubbish unfortunately as a few more weeks go by and still hear “scurry scurry” every now and again. Mention it to my friends and family, getting a bit annoyed as not sure if I’m just hearing things and making the noises up in my head. Then Covid hits and I’m at home working all day and yep.. above my head in my office is, you guessed it, definite “scurry scurry!!”.

Contacted a different pest control guy and he came out, checked the attic thoroughly and said “yeah, mice droppings love. Only a small amount, so likely only one mouse.” Sound. Laid some traps, came back, Micky is sadly dead and jobs a good ‘un! Phew. So I thought anyway.

Frustratingly, not so. Couple months later, “scurry scurry”. Pest control #2 comes out again - “honestly hen, nothing there this time”. Sigh. Ok. Maybe I am just paranoid this time or it’s a one off.

Queue about a week ago, I’m lying in bed and here we are again. Scurry blooming scurry. 2 am and in a panic, I contact pest control #3. Rave reviews online etc. Good chaps, out by 10 am the next day. Thorough check of the attic and bait left and dropped in the wall cavities too. Here we are a week later and all seems quiet. So hopefully job done. The guy also established 3 potential entry points and advised how I should seal these appropriately. I’ve done this, so hopefully that’s the problem now dealt with.
The issue I have now is that, not to be dramatic, but it’s almost like I’m traumatised by it all and unable to relax. I’ve slept on the couch most nights since the bait was left because the living room is a “safe space” where I’ve never really heard them. That and staying at mums for Christmas Eve. I lay in bed until 5 am yesterday just to make sure I couldn’t hear anything. Randomly during the day will pause the tv and sit silently until I’m sure I’m not hearing anything. When I go to the loo upstairs I’ll “test” the silence to check there’s still nothing there. I feel like I’m going insane and hate that I now have this dread and fear of going to bed. As I type this I’m sitting on the couch thinking maybe I can just sleep here again. I don’t know how to fix this and also feel ridiculous for being so dramatic.
Has anyone ever had issues with pests? What did you to fix it and did you experience anything similar?

First of all, well done on buying your own place!
I live in an old place, never had mice issues unless my cat bought alive one in, that was years ago.
Since then we've put an extension on, not finished, have had mouse problems, first time ever, I'm also paranoid about them, weve put mouse traps down, but now cold weather ( that's when they come in) have had to use bags of poison, which I thought I'd put in safe places away from dogs, but heard a rustle earlier, they've dragged the poison from underneath the cooker, you are not alone being dramatic, it's a pretty shite feeling when you can sense them xx

 

[Turtlehats]

In my house the pipes broke outside and the council kept cancelling on us, soon enough we heard scratching in the walls and we were all going mad turns out we had a rat in the loft and it WAS RUNNING AROUND this happened just before lockdown in March and honestly I still listen out for a rat even though the guy got rid and we had out gutter fixed! We now have poison in the loft left by the exterminator just in case and our pipes are more safe

 

[Sunflower91]

I was always the first to know when we had mice in our family home. I could hear scratching and gnawing and it sounded like I had one in my room. Was so freaked out by it. My mum and dad didn’t believe me until we saw signs of mice in the room below. Must have caught like 5. A few months later I heard the same noises again. They put traps down straight away and caught more. The sound must really travel up the wall. For ages I was super nervous going into the kitchen as I didn’t want to bump into any mice.
Then more recently, in my current flat I’m a few floors up but it’s an old building. Right behind my bed I could hear scurrying in the wall. Definitely not mouselike scurrying either. I couldn’t sleep properly for days- I felt like I was looking out for it. Luckily I’ve only heard it twice.

 

[YoSickLicherally]

Honestly, I feel for you it’s awful and like a previous comment it’ll take time for your nerves to calm. I had a mouse in April time, it completely messes with you and every sound used to drive me nutty. My advice is get lots of bait/traps purely for reassurance and do not google or YouTube ‘mice’.... it doesn’t help it’ll just freak you out!

Ive since learnt its fairly common, like nits in school children, no one openly talks about it and you (as a general rule) have no control over it, so you feel dirty but it’s not your fault. Mice only need the tiniest of gaps to get into your home and can easily chew through most things.

Your home is just very warm and appealing!

 

[Be creative]

First of all, well done on buying your own place!
I live in an old place, never had mice issues unless my cat bought alive one in, that was years ago.
Since then we've put an extension on, not finished, have had mouse problems, first time ever, I'm also paranoid about them, weve put mouse traps down, but now cold weather ( that's when they come in) have had to use bags of poison, which I thought I'd put in safe places away from dogs, but heard a rustle earlier, they've dragged the poison from underneath the cooker, you are not alone being dramatic, it's a pretty shite feeling when you can sense them xx

Thank you! It has been such a fun experience up until this point. Oh no, that’s not great about the poison! I hope the dogs are ok!! Fingers crossed between this bait thing the guy has done and closing up the gaps fixes the issue. I don’t think I can stomach the possibility it doesn’t sort it. Good luck with your unwanted guests.. hopefully the poison does the trick and you finally get peace and quiet xx

I had mice in my old house. Tried everything to get rid of them, nothing worked. Couldn't relax in my own home I was constantly on edge and felt every noise I heard was a mouse. I bought the old fashioned wooden traps and caught a couple but it still didn't put me at ease. I moved eventually and have a cat now and a mouse-free house but I do still have a bit of anxiety about it.

This is my worry, that I’ll never be able to fully relax again in the house and I need to sell up and buy elsewhere. This is the perfect wee house for me as well, so I’d be gutted to have to leave it, but if I can’t resolve the issue, I won’t be able to comfortably stay here. I’m glad to hear you managed to find somewhere else and have no problems now!

 

[Londoncailín]

My flat was infested with mice about 3 years ago. It all happened quite quickly. Pest control sealed up everything they could, put bait boxes down, traps etc. Still had mice getting in. Decided to get two cats. No issues with mice since. Except the odd ‘prize’ my cat proudly brings home on occasion.

 

[Maid22]

@Be creative, please don't be rash about selling, you've worked hard for your home, you will sort it and you will be able to relax xx

 

[Welshgal]

I've actually just seen this message - so sorry you were going through this! Did you manage to get it resolved?

Yes! Caught two and set them free faar away and managed to stuff the holes with wool (forgot what its called lol).
Haven't had a problem since the. thankfully.

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

That’s inreresring, I’ll look into that then because I know I have a gap between my loft and next doors, probably about two bricks worth but more than enough for four legged unwanted guests! Are you in England or Scotland? If you don’t mind me asking

England x

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

I know, I’m kind of at a dead end as I’ve had 4 companies out and sealed all potential entry points established so the last thing I can think of is that they are getting in from the adjoining property via the attic. Hey ho… I shall continue on until another house comes up


Funny you should say that as I really do think at this point it’s access via my neighbours because everything else has been sealed. I had heard sealing up your attic entirely is bad tho?

It was fire safety work for us so I'm sure it is ok. The fire stop wall now goes all around the perimeter of our flat, whereas before you could crawl over to our neighbours loft as it was all open

 

[Be creative]

@Be creative, please don't be rash about selling, you've worked hard for your home, you will sort it and you will be able to relax xx

It’s not something I would do lightly and it would be a very very last resort. Fingers crossed this most recent treatment has resolved the issue anyway. Maybe tonight I will actually go up to bed and see if I can sleep. I didn’t manage that last night unfortunately - was the couch again for a couple of hours xx

 

[Maid22]

Thanks for checking in on me! I generally sleep upstairs now, with the odd night downstairs on the couch if I convince myself I’m hearing things. Actually haven’t heard much at night and mostly during the day I hear the random scurrying. My friends partner is going to lay some traps in the attic for me over Christmas so I can keep calm overall I just hate upstairs and I’ve kind of come to peace with the fact that as soon as another house comes up in my price range that I like I’ll jump at the chance because I can’t fully ever relax upstairs (it’s terribly sad really isn’t it?)

Ah sorry to hear you've still got probs, the traps will help, maybe have a good look to see if you can spot anywhere they're coming in?

 

[Be creative]

I was paranoid after mice a few years ago, it wore off after a time. You will feel better when it's not to fresh. Do seal up any small space they could enter. I got a couple of the sonic mouse repellents and I keep traps up all the time just in case. I live in the country and so far the sonic repellents seem to be working, maybe invest in one?

Yeah, I ordered one of those sonic things when I first heard them and have had it plugged in and on since. It obviously didn’t do much for the mice I’ve had, but it seems to work for spiders and the like, which I certainly won’t complain about! Entry points sealed now so hopefully that sees an end to the matter

 

[Silly Sausage]

A cat really works! My cat has never caught a mouse but we have heard them in the walls of several places we have lived. Every time he has heard one he is on it

 

[A girl has no name]

I had mice in my old house. Tried everything to get rid of them, nothing worked. Couldn't relax in my own home I was constantly on edge and felt every noise I heard was a mouse. I bought the old fashioned wooden traps and caught a couple but it still didn't put me at ease. I moved eventually and have a cat now and a mouse-free house but I do still have a bit of anxiety about it.