Apartment has bad mouse problem? Need Help!!?

Question

We live on the top floor of a 3 story apartment building, and we have a really bad mouse problem. We catch usually 5 a week, and its been like that for the past year. They keep comming and comming, and they crap all over the place, they are getting into everything and even making one closet stink. We have a nice apartment, so it isnt a slum.

So my question is this: We told the office about it and they said all they can do it put glue pads down (we have 2 children, one is 1 and the other is 2 so we can put snap traps down) but they refuse to do anything.... so what else can we do? Can we contact the health department or something because this is really filthy and they need to come and see where they are comming from.

We are thinking of buying a cat, but I would hate to get one just for this reason. Our lease is up in July, so we have quite a few months still stuck here.

Answer 1

Ask your landlord to get an exterminator and if he doesn't do this, then yes, go to your health department.

If all else fails, either move or adopt a cat or two! :)

Answer 2

Move out. Sounds like the management doesn't give a damn.
There should be some kind of tenants rights group in your area, and some kind of authority over landlords within your local government. Just remember that a formal complaint will tick off the management and cause you future problems.
You can use snap traps in areas your children can't get to, like inside kitchen cabinets. Install child locks if you don't already have them. Get some steel wool from the hardware store and stuff it in the holes around where the pipes come into your apartment. That's probably how the mice are getting in. If they've chewed through baseboards and such, plug the holes with something. Around wiring, use caulk or expandable foam.
You can also buy traps called 'tin cats' from farm and ranch supply stores. They are a metal box with 1 way doors in each end. The mice go in and can't get out. Mice are curious to the point of stupidity, and will investigate anything, so you don't need to bait them. And they have no parts to hurt small children's fingers. Once 1 mouse gets stuck in the trap it creates a fuss, and attracts several more. One trap can catch 20 or more mice . The problem is getting rid of them. I drop the whole trap into a 5 gallon bucket of water and drown them.

Answer 3

Call your landlord if you know the others in the building ask if they have the problem. But if no help here's my best - try to keep them out, they can get in really small areas. Look for holes and cracks if you think the closet then start there. If you can't afford a professional buy some steel wool at the hardware store - probably WalMart also in the paint dept. In a pinch use brillo or SOS but the plain steel wool will be cheeper. Stuff all holes and cracks & around pipes with the steal wool. Now to get rid of them. I have seen several studies that say the ultrasonic things do not work. My mother always told me they can smell a cat and will not enter. But I don't know if this is true or not and I don't think you should get a pet just for this so try these from my reference book; put out a bowl of potato flakes and a small bowl of water where the mice can get to it. They will eat the flakes and when they drink the water the flakes expand and their stomach will burst killing them - okay that sounds gross and doesn't say if they blow up in your house or later at their house so here's another - Mice and other rodents are allergic to peppermint oil and won't go anywhere they can smell it so place a few drops of oil of peppermint on cotton balls or whatever and you will never see them again but it must be real oil of peppermint not extract. Also camphor and pine tar work. That sounds good to me and should smell good but here's another just in case you are allergic to peppermint. In a bowl mix 2oz baruim carbonate (sorry don't know what this is) 1/2 oz granulated sugar & 1/2 pound of bread crumbs. mix well then add a small amount of water to dampen and make into small balls to place around for them to eat. These are poison for rodents but not harmful to humans. Other thing to try in your traps are dried fruit and gumdrops they might be harder to get off than the peanut butter. Good luck and be safe with those kids. Hope this helps, but call your landlord maybe he'll call an exterminator.

Answer 4

I sympathize with your problem. I don't know if the health department will help you since the apartments are not a public place, like a restaurant.
And people have been battling mice forever... The reproduce very quickly - way faster than rabbits!
I do know this - they have to be coming in through cracks, maybe under the baseboard and around the plumbing pipes? The best thing I've heard of is filling the cracks with steel wool - they can't chew through it.
If they can't get inside your apartment, they'll go somewhere else.
Good luck

Answer 5

It's true that all that can be done to get rid of the mice you already HAVE is to put down traps.

However, clearly there is a spot in your building where mice have gotten IN. Your landlord needs to hire someone to assess the building's foundation, attic and/or any other entry points for rodents. And then those entry points need to be sealed up.

I would make an anonymous tip to the Health Dept if it were me.

Answer 6

That's an awful problem.
Can you get a cat? We at one time had field mice moving in, I got a young adult cat and then another young cat, now we don't have mice any more.
Good Luck.

Answer 7

The best thing to do is to contact the Board of Health. Unsanitary

Answer 8

Some cats chase mice. Some don't bother.

Answer 9

Well you should get a exterminator for that job or you could do it yourself by getting mouse traps.