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Post by Eva Looshan on Apr 23, 2010 17:34:40 GMT
For a little while I've suspected there might be something residing under my garden shed or in it as there's gnawing marks at the bottom of the door and a few cats have taken up guard duty nearby keeping a watchful eye! Thought I'd investigate today and give it a tidy out. Opening up one large cardboard box I found evidence of someone's "nest" and when I took the box outside and tipped it on its side, a small grey mouse ran out into the shrubs. I spent a few hours working in the garden trying to decide what to do with the box. Next time I looked there was this little tiny mouse looking up at me with the large black eyes and huge ears and I came over all mumsie, and have put the box back in the shed! Have I done the wrong thing?
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Post by Peek on Apr 23, 2010 17:42:04 GMT
Eva no I don't thnk so.
For several years we've had a wee mousie or 2 in our garage which isn't very far from the house at all, and I leave bird seed and a fat ball out for it in winter...ok it does tend to make nests, which stink when you clear them out, but I feel sorry for them to be honest,lol.
Our terrier knows they're in there too, but just sniffs about in there and leaves them to it....they're not hurting anyone and not invading the house so I'm happy.
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Post by Glen B Ogle on Apr 23, 2010 18:34:11 GMT
It depends a bit what they're eating!
As I keep camping gear in the shed I'd prefer to keep mice out. Last time they invaded I got some poison but never actually put it out. That time cost me a bottle of two-stoke oil and a bottle of chainsaw oil - they'd chewed through both of them!
Glen
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Post by Eva Looshan on Apr 23, 2010 22:17:48 GMT
Thank you both for your replies. There didn't seem to be anything "vital" that had been chewed, - apart from the shed itself. I'd stored some large cardboard boxes and packaging there which has been used for the nest, and a packet of lawn seed seem to be scattered everywhere! My neighbour puts out loads of bird seed and other food for the wildlife, so I think they have a good supply of food nearby.
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Post by Fi on Apr 28, 2010 22:11:27 GMT
Mice are very cute, but, if they have a "good supply of food" they can reproduce at a phenomenal rate - one female may have maybe 50 young in a year and they will be able to breed at 2 months old, so, if 50% of her progeny are female, 2 months after birth they would have the potential to have 125 young and when they were 2 months old ............... Wild mice do have relatively high mortality rates due to predators like cats, but I wouldn't risk an out of control infestation - because if they do reproduce at a rapid rate, they'll be looking for somewhere other than your shed to live in. It took us 3 years to get them out of our present house and outbuildings - heaven knows how long they'd been around, but they ate insulation, wiring and woodwork, along with more understandable dog and bird food. If I were you, I wouldn't risk it - I'd poison them.
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