mice and children

[AniseedTwist]

We've just discovered we have mice again. Last year Rentokil came and got rid of them for a little while, but they seem to be back.

We will get some traps, but how worried should we be about our one-year old exploring, crawling round and eating things off the floor?

[coco pops]

Seen as you have had mice before i think you have to look carefully to see where they are getting into your house and if possible block the hole up .Most mice droppings will be near the edge of rooms /behind furniture/ or in food cupboards.I would hoover round first thing in morning and bedtime in the room where the problem is and wash baby's hands before meals. If mice in kitchen remember to shut bin lid and wash over worktops. Use chocolate in trap and if it is a humane trap don't just let the mouse out in the garden take it miles away or it will be straight back in the house.Baby will be fine.

[Jules001]

Mice have weak bladder muscles which basically means that wherever they walk or run they leave a trail of wee behind which is obviously not good for a little one on the floor, I know I wouldn't be happy about having a little one on the floor, but you need to let them explore etc and I know how difficult it is to stop toddlers putting things in their mouths, but try and make sure you wash their hands frequently and make sure there is nothing on the floor which they can put in their mouth (the toddler that is, not the mice!)

[AniseedTwist]

Thanks for your answers. We've bought some plug-in repellers and some traps today, and will do lots of hoovering.

Have to say it's difficult to stop her putting things from the floor in her mouth, as she likes to put everything in her mouth! Also, as soon as I've washed her hands she's crawling around on the floor again and she constantly puts her fingers in her mouth. So it is quite worrying. Like you say I can't stop her her crawling on the floor, and likewise I can't stop her from sucking her fingers, so it's a difficult one :?(

[Solarjunkie]

The most effective, most humane and least dangerous (to humans) traps are Trip-Traps. You can buy them from pet shops etc, they are little plastic boxes that you bait with some muesli or similar and when the mouse goes inside a door shuts. You take the box & mouse a long way from home and release it.
Those awful wire traps can catch just a paw or tail of a mouse. The trip traps we found during a bout of "mousiness" caught one almost every night but the old fashioned ones only maybe once a week.

[dot.hawkes]

There will be a reason the mice are returning, do you keep rabbits maybe? or do you live next to a bakery or something? They are perhaps moving into yours because where they were has been disturbed in some way, is a house being renovated nearby or a business, or has someone moved out and so the food supply has gone, mice are very cheeky and freeload where they can. lol