Mice Control: Get rid of mice in your home, stable and garden

Mice Control: Against house mice and voles

A mouse rarely comes alone. House mice breed fast and like to settle in the pantry, loft, feed store or hen house. In the garden, voles damage the roots of fruit trees and vegetables. Well planned mice control protects food, animal feed and plants. Depending on where the problem is, you can rely on mousetraps, baits in bait stations or special vole traps.

House mice in buildings

Unlike the cautious rat, house mice are curious and quick to try new things. That is why a well baited snap trap or live trap often catches them early on. Mice move within a small territory of just a few metres, so set several traps close together. For heavier infestations in a loft or stable, mouse baits in small bait stations help. These belong in places that children, pets and livestock cannot reach. Read the instructions for use and bear in mind that different rules apply depending on the country and product.

Voles in the garden

Voles live underground and feed on roots, bulbs and tubers. Typical signs are flat mounds of soil and wilting fruit trees that can be pulled out of the ground with ease. Vole traps set straight into the tunnel work against them, and spring-loaded vole guns are an option for experienced users. Solar-powered vibration devices drive the animals out of beds, and vole baskets protect newly planted trees from root damage.

Frequently asked questions

What attracts mice into the house?
In autumn, mice look for warm places with food. Open food, bird seed, animal feed and compost bins near the house draw them in. A gap of around six millimetres is enough for them to get in, so it pays to seal cracks around doors and pipe openings.

How do I tell mouse droppings from rat droppings?
Mouse droppings are as small as a grain of rice, only a few millimetres long and pointed at the ends. Rat droppings are much bigger and look more like a bean. Telling them apart helps you choose the right trap or bait station.

Do I have voles or a mole in the garden?
Molehills are tall, with the tunnel right underneath in the middle. Vole mounds are flatter, elongated, often mixed with plant remains, and the tunnel runs off to the side. Moles are protected in many countries and do not eat roots, but voles certainly do.