How to Kill Field Mice

Field Mouse

Field Mice are very small rodents who reproduce rapidly. Due to their small size, field mice are able to sneak into your house through passageways that aren't easily visible. Getting rid of these pesky little creatures can be a challenge, but with some ingenuity and a little patience, you can not only get rid of your unwanted guests, you can keep them away for good.

Things You'll Need

• Glue board Soda Cleaning supplies Mint plants Outdoor Feeding Station

Instructions

1. Keep a clean house. Field mice are scavengers and drawn to your house by food. Put away as much food as you can. Make sure any food left out is covered. Keep your counter tops free of crumbs and sweep your floors often. Check outside your house. Cut down tall weeds and remove any trash that might be used as shelter. Mice don't like mint, so think about planting mint around the outside of your house.

2. Locate the entrance the field mice are using to enter your home. Patch any cracks or holes you find. Field mice can slip through an opening as small as a dime. Blocking all possible entrances into your house will keep the field mice from getting in once you've killed them off.

3. Glue board traps are effective and can catch several mice at a time. You should ensure they are out of the way of children and pets when you use a glueboard. Check them frequently to avoid dead mice stinking up your house.

4. Use a cheap method. A dish of soda will work. Field mice don't burp. They will drink the soda and the build up of carbonation in their system will kill them. The method is effective, but since carbonation in the soda disappears quickly when it's exposed to air, you need to change the soda in the dish often.

5. If you have a lot of land, consider building an inviting environment for barn owls. They're natural predators of field mice. A family of barn owls can kill fifteen field mouse a day.

6. Use outside feeding stations. These are basically poison traps the mice will nibble on. Consider another alternative if you have children or pets.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with various methods. If you try one and don't see the difference within a couple of weeks, give something else a try. You'll eventually find a way to rid yourself of field mice and keep them away for good.

• Read and follow all directions on any commercial poison products. Do not release live field mice close to your home. If you happen to catch a live one, you should kill it and dispose of it. If you want to release it live, take it a at least a mile away. Rodents have a way of finding their way back.

Resources

• How to Get Rid of Mice
• Rat and Mice Facts