I have had mice find their way into the cupboard under the sink constantly in the two years that we have lived here. This cupboard is not connected to anything else so there is no where else for them to go. We keep the kitchen garbage there and that is probably what draws them. They come in through the holes cut for the pipes on the side wall and the bottom.

-Sheryl

I have used dollar store mouse traps with success until recently. We have been getting one smart mouse lately! He/she was stealing the bait (I use bacon) and leaving the trap unsprung so I started wrapping a thin strip of bacon around the little piece of metal and closing the little tooth on it. Still stolen bait with trap unsprung.

Then I tied the bacon in place with thread wrapped around boh ways and tied tightly. The bacon was nibbled off around the thread with the trap unsprung, so I modified the trap.

I took the bend out of the end of the metal stick that holds the springing part in place so the springing square of metal is just barely sitting on the edge of the stick, ready to spring with a slight breeze. Now I am finding the bait gone, the trap sprung and still no mouse.

I bought a different kind of mouse trap with the side curve on the stick that holds the springing metal in place. Works no better.

I have given up on the traps. I used duct tape and closed off the entire floor area where the pipes were coming up so nothing could get in. He ate a hole in the duct tape.

On Friday I removed all the old tape and stuffed steel wool into the holes. Then I covered the entire floor pipe area and the biggest hole in the side wall with an aluminum pie plate cut to fit tightly around the pipes and lay smoothly. I got out the duct tape and taped this entire area, again, holding the aluminim down smoothly with no edges showing. I even covered the tiny areas between the pipes. Everything covered with aluminum pie plate and duct tape.

Yesterday morning, upon arising, I opened the cupboard door and there sat a mouse beside the garbage can, looking at me! What a surprise! I quickly shut the door before he could get out into the house. I went away for about an hour and thought about what to do, hoping he would go back where he came from. I opened the door again and there he was, looking at me.

I shut the cupboard door and went about my business, thinking about how to catch him and hoping he would just go away. Hubby came into the house and I told him about the mouse. He said I should just get a better mousetrap and quit buying the cheap ones from the dollar store. What could possibly be any different between an expensive mouse trap and a cheap one. Its not electronic. Is a better metal going to make it work better? I said, "Uh, okay...".

Hubby went to look for the mouse and told me that he must have left because he was no longer there. I had a good look and moved everything around - no mouse. All my previous work was still in place. It occurred to me that he probably came in through a small pipe hole in the wall that I didin't tape. (Its really tiny!) and can't get back out again. Otherwise he would have taken off after the first encounter.

This morning I covered the other small wall holes with aluminum pie plate and duct tape. There is absolutely no way anything can get in there now. If that mouse comes back he will be a houdini mouse!

Will he be able to eat his way though the heavy aluminium, push it up off the floor or cut himself another hole though the wall? We'll see.

I should catch him live and let him loose in the chicken house. That's always good for a couple of hour's entertainment. Those gals sure do love mice! They pounce in them and then spend some time chasing each other around with it until its all slowly eaten, every last scrap.

I am as stubborn as this mouse and a lot smarter, I think...

Here is a link that might be useful: Providence Acres Farm Blog