Has anyone successfully eradicated mice from attic?

hierophant wrote: ↑ So my saga still continues with mice in the attic. I brought in a professional over a year ago and what they recommended was sealing up all the exposed spots (even though they can get in a opening a size of a dime) and install in one way doors at certain entry points until I didn't hear any noises and then remove. They did not use any baits (and refused to). It ended up being a waste of money but fortunately I was able to get half my money back and I do have house sealed up from other animals however, I still have mice in the attic. I'm assuming the left in the spring and returned in the winter so they are getting in but I have no idea from where.

I called another pest control company (Abell) and they told me the exact opposite of what the company I used - they said the technique they used was for squirrel removal, mice wouldn't use one-way doors and once they're in there's no reason for them to leave. However, I'm not convinced by this second company because they're charging $400 to put bait stations, they will come 3x during a course of a year (after that too bad so sad if you have more mice). I also think they have a lot of fake online reviews. I read some negative reviews too - especially about mice still inhabiting the space.

So I think it's better I just figure something else out that doesn't involve hiring these so-called professionals but I'm really squeamish (more of phobia) about this sort and don't want to go into the attic and setup bait or traps nor do I want dispose of dead bodies. Is there anything I can do to lure them out without having to enter the attic? Given that spring is around the corner, I'm assuming they'll eventually vacate. What can I do to prevent them from return.

I'm getting desperate here and looking for some constructive advice (not criticisms or insults or tell me to "man up", don't also assume I'm a man lol).

deals4realz wrote: ↑Get a bunch of traps and a jar of peanut butter and one of these to collect your trophies.

https://www.amazon.ca/Pooper-Scoopers/b ... 6292352011

Bait is hit or miss and often these days, not potent enough to work on big infestations due to laws banning harmful poisons. Traps are the only way to go. Glue traps work too but I find them more traumatizing for all involved especially if you already are having issues in that regard. If a tool like the one I linked doesn't help with your phobia, try finding something similar that does help. Not everybody can handle dealing with dead animals. Don't listen to the haters. After you scoop up 1 or 2, you'll get more and more comfortable with it.

Squirrel99 wrote: ↑ 400 dollars to have bait laid out 3x doesn't seem bad? Other companies may charge that to put out bait once but come back within 6 months if you still have evidence of mice.

First company does sound like they did squirrel exclusion and not mice.

hierophant wrote: ↑ Honestly, thanks for the moral support and understanding - some people can be so unnecessarily judgmental and harsh.


$400 would be reasonable if it was a permanent fix, but it's not. They only have a one year guarantee - so yes they will get rid of what's there but they do nothing to stop them from returning. And yes the first company applied a technique for squirrel removal even though I didn't have squirrels - they confirmed it was mice from the onset. This why I cannot trust these companies to be honest or competent.

BTW love the your user handle...not! LOL

hierophant wrote: ↑ So my saga still continues with mice in the attic. I brought in a professional over a year ago and what they recommended was sealing up all the exposed spots (even though they can get in a opening a size of a dime) and install in one way doors at certain entry points until I didn't hear any noises and then remove. They did not use any baits (and refused to). It ended up being a waste of money but fortunately I was able to get half my money back and I do have house sealed up from other animals however, I still have mice in the attic. I'm assuming the left in the spring and returned in the winter so they are getting in but I have no idea from where.

I called another pest control company (Abell) and they told me the exact opposite of what the company I used - they said the technique they used was for squirrel removal, mice wouldn't use one-way doors and once they're in there's no reason for them to leave. However, I'm not convinced by this second company because they're charging $400 to put bait stations, they will come 3x during a course of a year (after that too bad so sad if you have more mice). I also think they have a lot of fake online reviews. I read some negative reviews too - especially about mice still inhabiting the space.

So I think it's better I just figure something else out that doesn't involve hiring these so-called professionals but I'm really squeamish (more of phobia) about this sort and don't want to go into the attic and setup bait or traps nor do I want dispose of dead bodies. Is there anything I can do to lure them out without having to enter the attic? Given that spring is around the corner, I'm assuming they'll eventually vacate. What can I do to prevent them from return.

I'm getting desperate here and looking for some constructive advice (not criticisms or insults or tell me to "man up", don't also assume I'm a man lol).

ranjeet2000 wrote: ↑ Get a Victor electric trap. Just don't be tempted to look when you empty it out. I did and nearly shat my pants.

hierophant wrote: ↑ You shouldn't have said that...just reading the churns my stomach. Did the victor electric trap actually work? Are you rodent free?

Is it this one: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/victor ... 1000404128

hierophant wrote: ↑ You shouldn't have said that...just reading the churns my stomach. Did the victor electric trap actually work? Are you rodent free?

Is it this one: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/victor ... 1000404128

ranjeet2000 wrote: ↑ Get a Victor electric trap. Just don't be tempted to look when you empty it out. I did and nearly shat my pants.

SubjectivelyObjective wrote: ↑ When I did some work up in my attic there were tons of droppings and dead mice.

After changing/topping up my insulation with cellulose insulation I haven't had a rodent in there to my knowledge, and its been a good 7 years.

It collapses in on itself and self fills, which rodents don't like.

Stv23658 wrote: ↑ I caught 4 mice with an electronic trap like this. My neighbor is currently using it and has caught 2 so far.

hierophant wrote: ↑ Thanks all, I really appreciate all the help and tips.

Looks like this will be an ongoing issue (not a one time thing) so I am determined to get over this fear one way or another as I refuse to pay someone else to do it each year (yep I'm cheap like that).

I will get someone to help me the first couple of times until I get comfortable. I've been able to conquer different fears, this should be no different.



Can you provide more details - do I just search for cellulose insulation? Is it applied on top existing insulation (after cleaning out what's already there)? Any negative impacts? Did you apply throughout?

Did you just use the one? Does it matter where in the attic it's placed? I would prefer to place it close to the opening so I don't actually have to go inside - I can reach up from a ladder. What about the smell from them being fried? Do you just take the trap directly outside and dump the mouse into the garbage bin and put back?

I'm thinking a combination of the an electric trap and cellulose insulation in the attic and rat poisoning around the house in the fall.

Katedontbreak wrote: ↑ We have had mice in the attic every winter. When we purchased the house, we even had them in the basement. I quickly found they were coming in around the sewer pipe and patched that. No mice in the basement but they were still getting in my walls and attic until I finally figured out what I had done wrong. I found the entry was still around the sewer pipe where it exits my foundation. I have a cinder block foundation. I sealed up the hole at the inner most wall in my basement but because cinder blocks are hollow and staggered, I realized they're still crawling through the voids in the cinder block around the waste pipe and going up the air space behind my sheathing and brick into the attic.

I opened the hole back up, purchased 3/4 rock (the kind used under the base of a patio) and packed the void inside the broken cinder blocks around the pipe solid with 3/4 stone, greatstuff acting as a glue and layers of 1/4 hardware cloth. Got to pack it in tight so that even if the greatstuff got chewed away, the mice still cant breach the stone and hardware cloth. We've been mice free for 2 years for the first time ever since living in this house. It's a relief not sitting up at night wondering what those critters are chewing through and damaging.

SubjectivelyObjective wrote: ↑ When I did some work up in my attic there were tons of droppings and dead mice.

After changing/topping up my insulation with cellulose insulation I haven't had a rodent in there to my knowledge, and its been a good 7 years.

It collapses in on itself and self fills, which rodents don't like.