Homing Mice ??

[Innocents Abroad]

Can't bear the thought of poison or those dreadful killing traps so we only ever use the humane traps.  A few days ago we observed a very cute little mouse, slightly different in look to the usual 'mousy' ones in that it had a more auburn look to it, a white under carriage and enormouse (sorry) dark eyes.  Anyway, I digress.  It was busily trying to get a large walnut - stolen from our nut bowl and carried in its mouth - through the gap in our understairs cupboard door.  After a day's entertainment we thought we'd better catch it so put an aforementioned humane trap at aforementioned cupboard door gap.  Last night we caught four and so far this evening we've had three - all of the same 'auburn' species.

Finally I get to the point!  I have been depositing them about twenty foot away from the house, in our walnut orchard - which one would think would give them enough to go at and therefore divert their urge to come back!  My question is am I not going far enough away?  On the fourth capture last night I felt that little mousey had that 'good game, good game' look in it's eye!  Am I being paranoid?  Do mice have homing insticts and know where there nest is if it's within a particular range, or is seven mice captured in two evenings normal?  He who must be obeyed (yeh, right) suggested I put a blob of nailpolish on the end of their tails so I can keep tally and see if they really are coming back.  The thought of being followed back to the house from the orchard by 'stealth mouse' does have a sort of James Herbert feel about it!

Lynda M

 

[Wozza]

Lynda

Seems like you mat have Loirs/ Lerots too (see earlier post 'What were they') - these tend to live in the walls of stone houses - in the rubble infill between the outer and inner walls, and they take walnuts, corn cobs etc in their nests with them. Their nests are huge! I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that they would quite easily find their way back to their nest from 20 yards away - I think some of the nests I have uncovered in our walls have been that long!

Try: Not leaving any food out; getting a cat (to scare them rather than kill them, but the cat eventually gets them); taking them on a long drive before releasing; block nest up with something they can't dig through (cement etc - they can go out the other way, hopefully outside).

Warren

[Hoddy]

Innocents Aroad wrote

"I have been depositing them about twenty foot away from the house, in our walnut orchard ."

I've never done any mouse racing, but I reckon it would take them less than 30 seconds to be back in the house.

Hoddy

[Dick Smith]

Yes, they are probably back before you are.

We went through this for ages, in the end you have to kill them. Sorry, it's either that or share your food and put up with their excreta in your pots and pans.

[chris pp]

I'm trying to picture a mouse with a walnut in it's mouth, how big are they?

Anyway, 500 metres might be more the distance to consider.

Chris

[Innocents Abroad]

Many thanks for all your replies

 

Wozza wrote:

Seems like you mat have Loirs/ Lerots too (see earlier post 'What were they')

 

Wozza, I did look at the Loirs/ Lerots thread but they're not like those at all.  They are very much mouse looking in size and shape but they have a prettier look about them.  Next one we catch I’ll take a pic.

 

We do have a cat – and two dogs who are up for a bit of mouse chasing – and whilst she is sixteen years old, she does catch a few but then brings them to us as pressies, drops them on the floor and they scarper off!  Anyway, the point is, they don’t seem to be too worried about her.

 

Chriss pp wrote:

“I'm trying to picture a mouse with a walnut in it's mouth, how big are they?”

 

Yes Chris, we couldn’t believe our eyes either!  I tried for ages to get a picture of it but it suddenly went camera shy.  The mice are smallish mouse sized and the walnut in question was quite a large one.  It actually scaled a vertical wall with it in its mouth, albeit not for a long distance, but it was truly amazing!

When I wrote that I was depositing them 20 feet away I actually meant 20 yards (it’s a girl thing) but I do take your point that it needs to be probably a lot further away.  The problem is that we only catch them in the evening – and it’s dark outside! [:'(]

 

Lynda M

 

 

[chris pp]

Could be wood mice then by the description.

Get a torch.[:D]  

Chris

[Ford Anglia]

[quote user="chris pp"]

Could be wood mice then by the description. 

Chris

[/quote]

How could they be wood if they can move?

Oh, sorry[;-)]

The answer is proably to leave them IN the trap until next morning, then take them out to the woods.

[Innocents Abroad]

Actually, I've just had a bit of a traumatic moment.  As I was taking out the second one of the evening it's foot got impaled on a bit of spare wire on the spring thing that closes the trap door.  As I walked out further into the garden I tried valiantly to get it free but the little thing was squeeking away and even tried to throw itself away but then was left dangling.  I finally manged to see what the problem was - having walked back towards the house to where the light was - and removed its foot from the spike.  I kinow it didn't mean it but the little bar steward decided to bite me for my efforts.  Wanted to be brave but I'm afraid I went all girlie and my emotions got the better of me.  Have spent the last 30 mins with large glass of red, finger dipped in Savlon liquid and watching Love Actually on telly.  Now want my mum.

[:(]

 

[Ford Anglia]

Had an anti-tetanus recently?