We have mice!

bbo

I only complain about cute and furry myself. mice are not cute in my book.

all animals fill a valid spot in the ecosystem of the earth. I just prefer not to share my space with most of them.

Telfair

Some mice can.

Telfair

Well this mouse looked pretty cute to me while looking at me from behind the toilet to be honest & yes I agree we all have our place & agreed these mice place is not in my home.

creeper

K this is the last time I'm wasting time on this dumb topic but,

1 I think they are cute, but disease ridden, wiring chewing pests that need to go.

2 I don't believe that any creature deserves to suffer

3 The only bug in my house that gets killed are mosquitos. Spiders are caught and transfered outside unless its winter and they are in the basement, then we pretend we didn't see each other.

Speaking of suffering, has anybody ever watched a praying mantice devour a live hornet...fasinating. The whole thing is over in about 15 minutes

Jonsey120

Mammals have a highly functioning brain, and a well developed nervous system. An insect does not. In fact, it is currently unknown if insects actually feel pain, at least in the way we do. Studies have shown insects still feed and have sex even when something it happening to them, where a mammal would recoil.

That said, I wouldn't torture an insect either. But considering we know mammals actually feel pain on a similar level to each other, that's why it's worse. A lot of people don't consider rodents to be cute anyway, so it's not a question of cute or not, it's a question of the animal's capacity to suffer. If it can suffer, then it's morally wrong to induce it when it can be minimised (ie. snap trap vs glue trap).

Considering: a) the animal doesn't know any better than to be a pest b) has no ill intent and c) there are less painful ways to kill the animal, then there's absolutely no reason to make it suffer. I'm well aware that suffering can't be avoided totally, but if you have the power to minimise it (ie. put animal out of misery instead of binning it alive), then why not do it?

Telfair

How about one eating a mouse?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNcIUIULafw

Jonsey120

Glue traps are still worse. Doubly worse considering the being behind the trap has concious thought, and can make decisions. A mantis does what it does to survive, out of instinct. It is incapable of pondering ethical quandaries, and recognising the suffering of another. I can't see the comparison TBH.

Jim F

I'm a long-term homeowner and mouse hunter. Knock wood, we haven had a problem with them in a few years. I have not found anything more effective or cheaper that the old fashioned wire snap traps- 2 for a buck. You can throw them out or if you are a real cheapskate like me you can even wash and reuse them (unless they are bloody, that is just too gross).

Eliminate their food sources. Food should be in the kitchen and dining room only. A big culprit is kids taking food to their rooms.

Find out how they are getting in. They will seek a warm place to nest in the fall.

I don't like poisons. We had a cat that developed encephalitis years ago and had to be put down after probably eating a poisoned mouse. I threw a bunch of "one-bite" bait under the mobile home I lived in at the time. I was then told that the "one-bite" they sell at Agway is much more potent and also makes the mice bait-shy so is less effective on an infestation problem anyway.

I also would not use any trap that is not designed to kill. The have-a-heart traps are fine except if you let the mouse in your back yard, it already knows how to get back in your house and will be back.

Telfair

Yet, did you know that area like Pismo beach get closed off from the public use because of a fly's breeding season?

So my point is there are many that also get upset about upsetting an insect such as what we call a fly.

Jonsey120

I doubt it was closed off because people are upset about upsetting flies. Perhaps there was another reason, like the fact that the fly might actually be an endangered species and important for pollination in the area? Or perhaps in such numbers that it wouldn't be a good idea for people to go there if they want to enjoy themselves?

Regardless, something like a fly is a far cry from a mammal. With a rodent, it's understandable - they are more closely related to us than an insect, thus share similar traits. One of those is perception and the feeling of pain. It shouldn't be dismissed so easily, it's an issue of animal welfare (the distinction here is important, because people confuse it with rights).

Jim F

I had no idea praying mantises got that big!

Telfair

Nor did I have have any idea they could eat mice!?!?!?

seger137

This might sounds crazy, but we used this way to trap mice at work and it actually worked. Here's a video that shows how to trap mice in a humane way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ws_si8amhw

Telfair

Have not seen any live mice, since we started using poison, seen a few dead ones though.

seger137

Haha well at least your mouse issue is gone!