Mice under decking

[Cadder]

Hi all,

We have had our decking down for a couple of years. We haven't seen many mice until this year and it seems there are quite a few. We saw three different mice going into different areas of the deck and that's quite alarming all of a sudden.

Ideally I'd like to persuade them that my property isn't a great place to live and for them to move on, rather than go straight into lethal solutions... However if it is necessary I'd consider the use of poison if it avoids an infestation.
I am thinking poison may kill them under the deck and mean they'll rot away there..

Has anyone else had to deal with mice and managed to get rid of them?

 

[Cadder]

It's just with seeing so many all of a sudden. Last night one was even on our patio waking alongside the bi-folds. I'm assuming it was looking for food but I don't fancy them getting in the house or garage.

I would ideally like them to get out so I can stick some mesh down or lift the boards and fill with gravel to remove the accommodation.

Thought I'd see what imaginative solutions others have come up with.

 

[Cadder]

Haha yeah fair enough! That's a concern too - if they end up attracting rats. It's weird that we haven't seen many over the years and now we have quite a few..

The bins are stored on flags about 2m from decking. I'll take a photo of the decking and upload at some point.

 

[Cadder]

@Cadder Gotta be honest, Poison is a horrible way to do it, it also means they might die somewhere you can't get at , and will stink....

The simple old-fashioned mouse traps work best in my experience of getting them out of a garden shed , Just make sure other creatures can't get at the trap so they don't get injured.

Good shout, I did think that could happen so would only use it as a last resort.

I could try and trap them out, then fix mesh all round the edges, as an option.

I wonder if I still have my bee smoker, maybe smoke them out...?

 

[Cadder]

I got one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000YPTFRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ordered one. Not comfortable with poison and don't really want the mice dead, I just don't want them getting in the house or garage. I also don't want them swarming around the garden. If numbers stay low then it should be fine. I'll try this trap and then after a few days of it not catching anything I'll mesh the decking edges, or lift up the boards and fill with pea/marine gravel.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[Cadder]

That trap worked, after being sat out for about a week. Only caught one but we relocated it a few miles away. Hopefully it enjoys its new home.

Tbf after all the activity that one night we haven't seen much going on recently.