I’m really worried

[Zoepr143]

i just found out there is a mouse in the house (no pun intended) and I immediately typed ‘mice’ in the search feature. TOTAL PANIC!!! | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum came up. And now i am really worried.

Birds are terrified by mice and rats because they are one of the top predators of birds in the wild. They climb trees without a problem and attack the birds while they are asleep and raid the nests for eggs and chicks. Most people do not understand mice and rats eat meat whenever they can get it.

I already put the cages on the dinner table, it is a slippery surface so it will be less likely to be able to climb. The last time we had mice was a really long time ago when we used to have chickens. The mice were attracted to the chicken’s seeds and I’m really worried that the mouse will attack my flock.
Please if anyone has experience with wild mice, how can i get them out ASAP!?
Edit: i have only seen one, so i am assuming it is just one mouse.

 

[sunnysmom]

I think the only reason the mice would go near your birds is to get their food. Do you know if the mice are eating the seed or are they into something else- like in your cupboards etc. I think you'll have to get mouse traps. I buy the humane traps- if they have them where you are. They work pretty well, but you have to release the mice about a mile from your house or they can find their way back.

 

[Zoepr143]

I think the only reason the mice would go near your birds is to get their food. Do you know if the mice are eating the seed or are they into something else- like in your cupboards etc. I think you'll have to get mouse traps. I buy the humane traps- if they have them where you are. They work pretty well, but you have to release the mice about a mile from your house or they can find their way back.

Well all the food is either in the fridge (which is not accessible for mice) or in the cupboards but those are high up. All the lower cupboards are just the frying pans, plates etc.
We always have the mousetraps in our house just in case (not anywhere where the birds can get to them obviously) but my mom is TERRIFIED of mice, so we have the ones that slam-shut. I have mixed feelings about them. I would prefer the humane ones. But there is no way my mom could casually drive them to a forest and set them free.
Edit: I think mice are cute and can be very adorable......just not the wild ones

 

[Zoepr143]

 

[Wasabisaurus]

This may not be the prettiest thing in the world to look at, but if you get a new little tarp - the kind to cover stuff in your basement or shed, etc., - no mouse can climb that if you put that under your bird cages on the table. Mice could not get up, and if they made it a step or two, they'd slide right down. It would have to be nice and flat at the bottom, with no wrinkles at all.

Also, peppermint on cotton balls is said to work. Same thing with clothes, and supposedly dryer sheets.

The only thing that work for us last winter was the cat!

 

[Jottlebot]

I wouldn't be too worried about mice frightening your birds too much. I have snakes and after not even saying the word around my birds - in a moment of forgetfulness I bought one of my snakes into the same room as my birds while it was eating (in a sealed, clear container). The could not have cared less.

Mice droppings in food would be more concerning. Sadly mice don't respect high cupboards very much. Keeping food in sealed plastic containers is the only real solution I think and even then they'll sometimes have a go!

What birds do you have? I'd never thought about mice attacking pet birds. It doesn't seem very likely, but that's not really a good way to judge with birds around. I have no doubt a confident rat could do some damage though. Elevating the cages sounds good or putting them on stands with thin, slippery legs would be good. Mice won't like having to leave cover so are less likely to cross a room to get to your birds.

We have recently had mice, they seem to have gone now. We used poison I'm afraid and cleaned everything they could have had contact with. Our cat appears to be a pacifist, which is unfortunate...

 

[Zoepr143]

I wouldn't be too worried about mice frightening your birds too much. I have snakes and after not even saying the word around my birds - in a moment of forgetfulness I bought one of my snakes into the same room as my birds while it was eating (in a sealed, clear container). The could not have cared less.

Mice droppings in food would be more concerning. Sadly mice don't respect high cupboards very much. Keeping food in sealed plastic containers is the only real solution I think and even then they'll sometimes have a go!

What birds do you have? I'd never thought about mice attacking pet birds. It doesn't seem very likely, but that's not really a good way to judge with birds around. I have no doubt a confident rat could do some damage though. Elevating the cages sounds good or putting them on stands with thin, slippery legs would be good. Mice won't like having to leave cover so are less likely to cross a room to get to your birds.

We have recently had mice, they seem to have gone now. We used poison I'm afraid and cleaned everything they could have had contact with. Our cat appears to be a pacifist, which is unfortunate...

I have four budgies. I haven’t seen the mice close to the birds. I haven’t even them myself yet *knocks on wood*. I just heard my mom scream, she told me the mouse was climbing on her sock .
Their cages were first on the wood (to the right of the picture)


I figured it is quite easy to climb on that so i now have the cages on the diner table. It is fake wood (plastic). The chairs however are made of leather.

 

[Zoepr143]

This may not be the prettiest thing in the world to look at, but if you get a new little tarp - the kind to cover stuff in your basement or shed, etc., - no mouse can climb that if you put that under your bird cages on the table. Mice could not get up, and if they made it a step or two, they'd slide right down. It would have to be nice and flat at the bottom, with no wrinkles at all.

Also, peppermint on cotton balls is said to work. Same thing with clothes, and supposedly dryer sheets.

The only thing that work for us last winter was the cat!

I’ll see if i can get some at my local crafts store, thanks

 

[zoo mom]

Make sure all food is stored in sealed heavy plastic containers (bird and human) . Change the birds food and water twice a day. Change the cage papers daily. Minimize seeds in the bottom of, and around the bird cages. Good luck.

 

[Zoepr143]

Make sure all food is stored in sealed heavy plastic containers (bird and human) . Change the birds food and water twice a day. Change the cage papers daily. Minimize seeds in the bottom of, and around the bird cages. Good luck.

Thank you, we haven’t seen the mice since but I’m certain they are somewhere in the shadows. I just finished putting all the snacks of the ‘snack drawer’ in containers. I have checked the food in the pantry and none of the boxes and bags have been chewed on so i guess that’s good. I will be checking the pantry and the traps regularly.