Canowindra cleaner Sue Hodge (pictured) is probably just as qualified as anyone when it comes to taking steps to reduce mice problems in your the home.
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Residents throughout the central west are currently dealing with a growing mice plague and while Ms Hodge admits she's not a professional on rodent control she has picked up a few tips that she believes local residents should be following.
"I'm not a professional expert on mice," Ms Hodge told the Canowindra News but she has a few tips she hopes may help.
"A small but important fact about mice is they do not have a normal bladder, they tend to dribble urine as they move along.
"Just remember where you have seen mouse poo there is wee, potentially on your pillow, not a nice thought.
"Mice produce between 40 and 100 droppings a day, I suggest even one cute little mouse is one to many So here are some Tips.
"I am but a humble cleaner but the following steps might help reduce your mice infestation," Ms Hodge said.
1. Do not eat in your bedrooms. Mice love small bite size crumbs and are opportunists. Keep your home clean.
2. Put you foodstuffs or interesting materials in sealed containers. (I had mice in my home try and get into shell grit -weird but true).
3. Cover the toaster. Toasters for mice are like a restaurant. Eat in or takeaway.
4. Mice can get through holes the size of a 5-cent piece. Never underestimate a mouse. Where you can, use steal wool to plug up holes.
5. Be sure to empty your garbage frequently keeping your wheelie bins away from the home. Not up against a wall. - Mice can climb. ( I watched a mouse climb up a 15metre wall in church once when I was suppose to be listening to the sermon)
6. Anything that smells of food eg packaging or dirty cloths, keep in a mouse proof basket or tub ( dirty washing baskets)
7. Door bottoms and holes in walls from air conditioners etc need to be sealed well. For doors there is special flaps that can be attached or use a door snake. Making sure its not filled with saw dust but sand.
8. At all cost do not leave wheat bags in your bed ( I use one every night) but the mice love these - it's a packaged dinner.
9. Traps are the best for the killing process but don't work unless they have bait on or in them. You may laugh but I've seen quite a few traps where light-footed mouses have licked them clean. Peanut butter is a good option.
10. Baiting is all right but I personally don't like the chance of other animals being affected. Alternatively some other ideas are mothballs, cloves and ammonium. Anything with a strong odour.
Plaster of Paris in flour will kill a mouse eventually but I prefer to see where the mice die thus being able to get rid of the carcass.
Mice will be getting to the point of cannibalism as the food sources thin, so It's good to get rid of animal carcases altogether.