The Case of the Mysterious Muncher

[Gcroz]

Ok, so today there were no missing buds. However, all the moss I attached to a cork plank for a Max. sophronitis was eaten away. I have "dispatched" about 6 mice in the greenhouse, and now must do away with more. Man, what a pain!

6 more trap are down as I type...

 

[John M]

OK! Question from a cat person. What do you do with the dog once all the rats are dead? :evil:

Easy! You never get rid of the dog because "all the rats" are NEVER dead!

Unfortunately, when you have a greenhouse, rodent control is a non-stop activity. It's as integral to good growing as watering your plants.

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Remember, it's good to move those traps around every now and then.

 

[Gcroz]

You know, I'd had never been a problem before. Even when i worked at a orchid nursery in Virginia, never had an issue with mice. Of course, in Virginia we had a few resident Blacksnakes and Rat snakes, perhaps they kept the mice and rat populations in check!

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Gcroz, don't feel bad. You aren't the only one. I started losing spikes and set out some poison and traps. In the last couple of weeks I caught 5 or 6 in the traps and the poison is being eaten. I think I've gotten them but won't stop putting out poison or traps. My problem is I have to collect all the poison and traps before doing my weekly watering and then have to re put them all back out. What a pain. But worth it!!

 

[Gcroz]

Oh I don't feel bad... at least not anymore. Begining to feel like the Terminator with my current death count! Also, gives me a good excuse to justify that pet snake I've always wanted!:evil:

 

[John M]

Gcroz, don't feel bad. You aren't the only one. I started losing spikes and set out some poison and traps. In the last couple of weeks I caught 5 or 6 in the traps and the poison is being eaten. I think I've gotten them but won't stop putting out poison or traps. My problem is I have to collect all the poison and traps before doing my weekly watering and then have to re put them all back out. What a pain. But worth it!!

I buy mouse traps on sale at $1.99 for a pack of two. Then, I use sunflower seeds in the shell as bait, not cheese or peanut butter or anything else that will spoil quickly in the high moisture environment of the greenhouse. Once I set out the traps, I don't collect them before watering. I water one bench each day and spray the entire rest of the greenhouse with a coarse spray every day there is sun and some days that there is no sun. The seeds stay attractive to the mice for up to about 8 weeks. I buy the (not for human consumption grade), seeds at the bulk food store. They carry a lot of wild bird seeds and the unsalted, raw, sunflower seeds in the shell is one of the items that they have. So, in a greenhouse that is 1440 sq ft, it's still pretty cheap each year. I spend about $30 to $40 a year on new traps and the seeds are a couple bucks for enough to set traps for many years. Eventually, the traps begin to rot and rust and they must be replaced; but, by then, it's warmer and I don't have trouble with mice in the warmer weather. They don't mind staying outside when it's warm. But, each fall, they start to seek the warmth of the greenhouse. I end up with a very disporportionatly high population relative to the square footage inside the greenhouse. They are all looking for food and nesting material. That's when the spikes and buds and new growths begin to disappear.