Pest repellers alternative

Purdy71 · Jan 8, 2024

I've just moved into a house that has had a history of mice infestation. It's an old house in a rural area that needs a bit of a refurb, so I can't guarantee the mice won't come back. The previous owner has put plug-in sonic repellers around the house, but I'm wondering if there is a hard-wired solution that I could consider. I've googled but haven't come up with anything.

So (a) does such a thing exist where I don't use up loads of sockets on plug-ins, and/or (b) have I discovered a gap in the market?

TIA.

littlespark · Jan 8, 2024

Those plug in repellants are good enough. I’ve had one in my garage for 15 years, still ticking away, and never had a rodent problem.
I’m in a newish build that used to be a field, so there is still mice over the road, but not near me.

If you’re renovating, then put in a socket for it… make it a double.
Best place for it is near a door, or points of access…

Best thing is to discourage rodents altogether. Don’t have open bins outside that might attract them, and a fast enough dog if you do see one

Purdy71 · Jan 8, 2024

littlespark said:
Those plug in repellants are good enough. I’ve had one in my garage for 15 years, still ticking away, and never had a rodent problem.
I’m in a newish build that used to be a field, so there is still mice over the road, but not near me.

If you’re renovating, then put in a socket for it… make it a double.
Best place for it is near a door, or points of access…

Best thing is to discourage rodents altogether. Don’t have open bins outside that might attract them, and a fast enough dog if you do see one

Thanks for the reply. I have two cats so if they do get in I'm pretty sure it won't be for long

littlespark · Jan 8, 2024

At my previous house, our dog intercepted a mouse on its way to an open door… The wife screamed, but the neighbour praised the dog no end…. It did the right thing, and it’s natural instinct.

But like I say, nothing at this house so far.

There is an audible click out of these sonic repellants… so don’t put them where you can hear them.
Don’t seem to annoy larger pets, but I haven’t tried holding a hamster too close to one.

westward10 · Jan 8, 2024

We had mice a few years ago and got some of the plug ins, you could almost hear them legging it and never been back. Cats are without a doubt the best repellent.

Moley · Jan 8, 2024

westward10 said:
Cats are without a doubt the best repellent.

Try telling that to my two. We don't have problems with mice, well not until the cats bring live ones into the house and drop them. Then we have the 'pleasure' of catching the mice and chuck them back out while the cats just watch. At least all the dog brings in are sticks. They are easy to catch.

Purdy71 · Jan 8, 2024

Moley said:
Try telling that to my two. We don't have problems with mice, well not until the cats bring live ones into the house and drop them. Then we have the 'pleasure' of catching the mice and chuck them back out while the cats just watch. At least all the dog brings in are sticks. They are easy to catch.

It's when they bring them in and immediately lose interest so it's then up to me to get rid of them.

DPG · Jan 8, 2024

I've had plug-in tiger repellers for years now and have got to say they seem very good. I've never had any tigers in the garden.

I bet somebody asks what a 'plug-in tiger' is now

pc1966 · Jan 8, 2024

DPG said:
I bet somebody asks what a 'plug-in tiger' is now

Is that the Esso EV replacement for the tiger in your tank?

Mikegh · Jan 9, 2024

First priority is usually try to keep them out , find out how they're getting in

Some fancy repellers on Amazon
Different frequencies for different pests and flashing lights

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasonic..._1_66?keywords=pest+repeller&rnid=20930948031

7029 dave · Jan 9, 2024

My old feral cat was the best, he ate them bones an all

7029 dave · Jan 9, 2024

pc1966 said:
Is that the Esso EV replacement for the tiger in your tank?

Put a gallon in me Alan

Mike Johnson · Jan 9, 2024

The real control is finding where they come in and block it, cat's bringing them in is always fun, I became and expert, wave you hand in front of them and catch them by the scruff of the neck with the other hand, they used to get flying lessons out the back door.

Mikegh · Jan 9, 2024

You hear totally contradictory stories always on cats and repellers

Some say they're great and others say they're useless

Purdy71 · Jan 9, 2024

Mikegh said:
First priority is usually try to keep them out , find out how they're getting in

Some fancy repellers on Amazon
Different frequencies for different pests and flashing lights
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasonic..._1_66?keywords=pest+repeller&rnid=20930948031

I've got a load of steel wool to shove in gaps as I find them!

Rockingit · Jan 9, 2024

Mikegh said:
You hear totally contradictory stories always on cats and repellers

Some say they're great and others say they're useless

We've two cats and a very big dog. Cat 1 is old and lazy and has very few teeth left anyway to go hunting and the dog has far too strong a shepherding instinct and will invite them in for tea and cake. Cat 2 is 7kg of prime mouse catcher except recently his kill/eat/new pet ratio is definitely questionable - I had to chase one around the kitchen this morning that he'd just brought inside unharmed for fun. Trouble is, where we're so flooded at the moment rodents are everywhere as they've lost all their normal nests and burrows under water. I don't actually mind mice and voles in the (very old) house, they've enough right to live as the rest of us, it's just the calamity that goes around them!

nicebutdim · Jan 9, 2024

Purdy71 said:
I've got a load of steel wool to shove in gaps as I find them!

Great stuff which they won't chew through.

I've tried everything over the years, but never managed to keep the buggers out of the old place my parents live in. These days it's poison and traps. Not exactly humane, but very effective and I'm more concerned with not letting them eat new cables than with the rights of mice.

brianmoooore · Jan 9, 2024

Mikegh said:
You hear totally contradictory stories always on cats and repellers

Some say they're great and others say they're useless

Cats are great at the job, as long as they're motivated! All the food they want, constantly available, and a nice warm spot on the sofa by the radiator, and you get a useless cat.
Our current cat had lessons for life when, at 6 months old, he escaped from a cat carrier outside of the vet's, and legged it. Facebook found him five weeks later, about six miles away, and when we picked him up, he was covered in fleas and ticks, but wasn't in the least bit undernourished. The skills he learnt then have served him well in the years since.
He gets fed, but doesn't eat it with much enthusiasm and he gets to come in on the sofa for a few hours most evenings, but the rest of the time we rarely see him. All we find of his victims are tails (including a squirrel tail last year) and piles of feathers.

littlespark · Jan 9, 2024

Our childhood cat was the offspring of a farm rat catcher. School holidays, so every lorry that went into the farm included the drivers children, and every lorry that left the farm came away with a kitten.

The cat always had a fear of car engine noises.... probably from being chased around a moving lorry cab by a 5 and 7 year old as dad was trying to drive, and not step on it.

Our neighbours would 'borrow' him every now and then when they had a mouse problem.

brianmoooore · Jan 9, 2024

Purdy71 said:
I've got a load of steel wool to shove in gaps as I find them!

Dug out the floor of our kitchen about six years ago to re lay it, incorporating such modern features as a damp proof membrane and insulation.
This exposed a clay drainpipe in the corner, about 50mm internal diameter, which had been originally installed to drain away all the blood from the unfortunate sheep and pigs that had met their end hanging from a iron hook in the middle of the ceiling in the distant past.
A day later my wife discovered rat droppings and nibbled food inside the larder next to the kitchen, so we realised that it must have come in from the main drain outside, via the blood pipe, and exited by the same route.
The oversite concrete was laid later that day, which nearly covered the pipe, but we made sure to push some concrete into the pipe as well. The rat wasn't have any of that, and by the next morning he'd dug through the setting concrete and had raided the larder again.
A couple of stones that nearly filled the pipe, some broken glass, and more concrete put a stop to that.

Marvo · Jan 9, 2024

On the odd occasion we get a mouse I just use the traditional type mouse traps with peanut butter as bait but the cheap nasty ones you buy at the supermarket never work very well until you adjust them to a hair trigger by tweaking them with a pair of long nose pliers.