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Thread: What to do about mice that invaded my shelter?

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    Default What to do about mice that invaded my shelter?

    Last October I built a shelter in the woods while homeless. I refused to live under a bridge and because I like being creative and innovative I decided to build a a shelter unlike any other. I put well over 140 hours of work into it. Most of those hours consisted of finding items I could use in dumpsters such as wood, even full computer desks and having to carry it long distances to the woods than also through the woods. My main priority was to create the warmest shelter possible. Anyways I lived or rather just slept there for 4-5 months until I had a real place to stay. I'm having to return now. I checked it for the first time in awhile and mice managed to take home to it and honestly I don't know how. It consists of over 6 layers of walling and 3 layer of flooring. That isn't including all the numerous sealants I used on top of other things. I examined every inch of it days ago when I went there to try and figure out how they got in. I made sure it would be resistant to sustain the worst of weather conditions as well inaccessible to any animals. I can't figure out how the hell they got in. That is aside from the fact. What matters is they did get in. It smells inside. Their are droppings and it wreaks of urine. I also had a sleeping bag and two very nice and rather expensive blankets that were tied in heavy duty thick bags which they tore apart. There were pieces of the blanket not only inside the shelter but scattered outside. So first will washing the blankets remove whatever the mice left behind on them? Secondly how can I best prevent them from getting in after I clean everything up? Is it a health hazard to even sleep in there again knowing what diseases mice can have? And how the hell did they get in? I guess without seeing it in entirety it's hard to answer that but there are no holes or openings anywhere. At first I thought maybe they chewed through the layers of walling but there are no holes or entry points inside or out I could find. I'll have to check again today or tomorrow. I don't even wanna know what I'll find when I look underneath the layers of flooring I put in cause that's gotta be where they are at, most likely all dead.


  2. #2
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Those little bass turds can get into anything.......had then get in a electrical box.....the only holes were for a 8-32 screws??????
    Fried his butt good.

    They can be a BIG problem.....and ruined a lot of stuff over the years at "The Place" our cabin and sheds.
    Even crawled up to the toes of chest waders that were hung up, ....upside down?......and stuffed the toes with soybeans and rat/mouse poison.

    Anyway, you are gonna have to clean everything out....see how bad the sleeping bags, blankets and cloth stuff is.... they stuff pieces into everything.....so maybe you are gonna lose this stuff.

    I keep cloth and paper things in a 55 gal steel drum or ammo boxes now.....even had them chew thru a plastic match box of strike anywhere matches and set a couple off...could have burned down everything.
    Again metal box for those now.

    Every fall I buy a couple of buckets of Hawk Rat/Mouse Poison.....both the bags and blocks....and scatter them out under the cabin, under wood piles, and in the sheds.....
    You have to be real careful of pets, dogs and cats getting into it....as a trip to the vet for vitamin treatments, so they don't die are not cheap.

    I have to clean out a elevated deer stand every fall.....nests, mice, droppings and urine....with broom, vacuum, and bleach to try to cut down the smell....that stand is 12 feet in the air.

    Once they get in....you have a heck of a time getting them out.

    Good luck and welcome to the wilderness.........
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Pictures would help.

  4. #4

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    I'll take some pictures next time I go there which will probably be tomorrow.

  5. #5

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    We had them get into the cabins in MN and NC. We shot them with BB guns in MN. Max loves chasing them in NC. He scares them out in a week or so.

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    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    The thing with mice is you want to make your area uninviting to them.
    They found shelter and warmth. There was obviously a water and food source nearby.
    Eliminate those things (I know you can't eliminate a lake or stream) and they will look for better surroundings away from you.
    When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!

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    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool Also.....

    ...mice make great emergency rations!...
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
    Albert Einstein

    Proud father of a US Marine....SEMPER FI!

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    a shelter in the woods? Who owns "the woods"?

    With all due respect, maybe you should put more energy into getting and keeping a job

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    Senior Member Old GI's Avatar
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    Aside from the normal preventive measures mentioned; we have barn cats that keep them dead and the pigeons don't come around any more either.
    When Wealth is Lost, Nothing is Lost;
    When Health is Lost, Something is Lost;
    When Character is Lost, ALL IS LOST!!!!!!!

    Colonel Charles Hyatt circa 1880

  10. #10

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    plain mouse traps bait with Peanut butter

  11. #11
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Old GI View Post
    Aside from the normal preventive measures mentioned; we have barn cats that keep them dead and the pigeons don't come around any more either.
    Good advice if you are there all the time......cats still need some kind of shelter and food source.
    They won't stick around if they don't have resources.

    We have had cats for a long time...at the city house......never had problems with mice.....till the last couple of years since they had passed on.

    At "The Place" we are only there about 1/4 of the time.....so we don't have cats....but do have the mice.

    Was working on one of the sheds...trailer next to it I had just cleaned out some nests....set three traps w/peanut butter....
    So It was work for 10 min......snap...snap...snap.
    Dump out bodies...re-bait, reset......10 min........snap...snap. snap.....all afternoon......I don't think I even made a dent in them....
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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    hunter-gatherer Canadian-guerilla's Avatar
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    offer it some tea and crackers ?

    small talk . . .

    " you have family nearby ? "
    .
    Knowledge without experience is just information


    there are two types of wild food enthusiasts,
    one picks for enjoyment of adding something to a meal,
    and the second is the person who lives mostly on ( wild ) edibles

    Lydia

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Canadian-guerilla View Post
    offer it some tea and crackers ?

    small talk . . .

    " you have family nearby ? "
    They have family near by.....for sure.....invite them all over to die........LOL
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    A 5 gallon bucket with a piece of pvc strung across on a wire so when they step on the pvc they go in the bucket.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

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    Senior Member Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    Well this is easy a few things are needed to clear a building of mice... Forget the bucket, start with well placed snaps., behind furniture, behind cabinets, placed above drop ceilings - mark the spots with post its.... if you want to use peanut that's fine - I use Sesame Oil. Part two GB 24" Glue boards in areas where people wont step and get stuck. I use these in quiet corners in off areas of traffic. Then I place Mini Evo's with a cube of professional rodenticide and place these in dark unlit areas where clear jimmy's of poo are visible. One cube can kill 50+ mice... EVO's are safety boxes to prevent dogs and kids from coming in contact with the products. Finally I install large EVO around the outside of the building using fresh bait every two months. When the mice are gone from the inside a hepa vacuum will prove the mice are gone with a solid clean up. NO more Jimmy's - The snaps are then removed - the minis are left for 6 months, then removed. The GB's are replaced with fresh ones. At the end the outside boxes continue to depopulate and feed fresh mice to death. I use this method to clear 7 story infested buildings downtown. I use this method plus something called a tin cat in restaurants. But folks its all about safety. This is the prescription to avoiding mice delivering disease to a facility.
    “There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Somebody didn't read the original post...
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

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    Otaku/ survivalist wannab ravenscar's Avatar
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    More importantly you said you are homeless, or will soon be. What is your situation like?
    Last edited by ravenscar; 04-10-2015 at 05:45 AM.
    It bothers me how someone with new shoes can come up to me asking for money.

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    Ed edr730's Avatar
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    Make friends with cats. Don't feed the mice. Start the war on the mice as mentioned. Clean everything as good as possible or you may be bit by some mice mites that you will confuse with bed bugs.

  19. #19
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure that was a dwarf owl. They're pretty rare so that vid might have been illegal.

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