Mice!!

[WindyCityMom]

I hope this is the right place to post this.

I live in a two story home with a separate attic and basement, we live in the basement and rent from my DHs family. His parents are on the 1st floor, grandparents on the 2nd, and cousins in the attic. Crazy situation, I know.

His grandfather has been doing som work on the back stairs (an enclosed porch), and the back door has been left open alot.

Today I was on my way up the stairs... when the basement door slammed behind me, a black mouse scurried underneath the stairs. It was either a big mouse or a small rat. Under the stairs there's storage space, which is where I have a few guitars and all of our holiday decorations stored. Those will be moved to the garage loft asap (which we just cleaned, and is mouse free). Too hot for anything to live up there.

So.. how do we go about getting rid of these mice? How can I make sure they don't find their way into our living space? We have small children in the home, and I'd prefer a safer method of getting rid of them.

TIA. I'm going to go search some threads also, but I'm hoping I can get more ideas here.

[mamallama]

I use snap traps

I'm dealing with an infestation right now. I hate killing them, but I can't let them spoil my family's food....

[WindyCityMom]

I ended up putting out snap traps and I caught the little stinker. I didn't look at it after the fact, I had DH dispose of it... but he said it looked like a small sewer rat. Really.. not a house mouse! Much bigger. We know that it got in when the door was left open, and none of my other traps have caught anything... so I'm hoping that it was the only one.

I did go overboard on the snap traps though They were 4 traps for $1 at Family Dollar and I got three packs. So I think I'm good for awhile on snap traps

[mamallama]

I've gotten three from my pantry this week. Usually where there's one, there are more (sorry to say!)

[WindyCityMom]

Well, all of my other traps are still empty, and bait is still there. I guess that was the only one! That or they don't like peanut butter