[Shop-talk] NOT Covid-related

[Scott Hall]

Well, except that I can spend more time at home, I guess.

Overall question: how smart can a mouse actually be?

So I noticed some mouse activity in the garage and the house. Put out glue
traps and snap traps. Caught maybe five or six.  Haven't caught any in
months.

But a few days ago I smelled...mouse. At least I think that's the smell.
Sort of sickly sweet, like Simple Green. I didn't see any droppings. I was
under a heat register when it kicked on, and the smell was very noticeable.
Then, last night while I was in bed...I heard them. Scurrying in the vents.

There are mice in the vents.

Option 1) Burn the house down, claim insurance, rebuild.

Option 2) get them out of there, clean the vents.

Here's my dilemma: I must have a dozen traps around the house. Most in the
kitchen, pantry, and garage, where I saw them last. I haven't caught
anything in them forever. And I put traps near all the registers, nothing
there either.

When I initially saw mice I put all the food in the pantry in glass or
metal containers and I don't see any evidence in the pantry either. I don't
think they're eating any of my food. If it weren't for the smell and the
noise I wouldn't even know they're there. I have no idea what they are
eating, but I assume they're not starving because they're still there.
They're not touching ANY of the traps. It's like they've...learned. Can
mice do that? That's disconcerting.

I pulled off the registers. I figure I can drop glue traps down there, and
snap traps if I'm really careful, but it's not like I'm just looking down
at the sheetmetal of the duct--the registers seem to be attached to a piece
of 3-inch tubing to the main duct. So while I can probably get traps in,
I'm not sure I could get them out. To say nothing of cleaning the ducts
themselves.

The ducts are all behind finished drywall. So before I just demolish the
drywall and disassemble my HVAC system, I thought I'd ask you guys for
advice.

The garage I can do the paint bucket with water and a log-roll type PVC
tube. And poison.

I don't have pets or small children at home so I'm not worried about
collateral damage and I'm so filled with hatred that I'm not worried about
being humane. I just want these little bastards gone.
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