Saturday's painting...

I found out I had mice in the kitchen again...with the very cold below freezing weather. How did I find out? I lifted a tray of eggs, and had to put them down quick. I had already taken some a few days before, but it looked as though some eggs were missing.

Didn't make sense. But as I lifted it I found the mice had gone in between the underneath of the cardboard base tray and broken the eggs from underneath after eating the cardboard. Eaten the eggs. And left the shells underneath the cardboard tray. And it had been done surreptitiously from underneath so I didn't notice. I had to deal with that and threw away the rest of the tray of 30 eggs :((


I have gone off eggs...

I have been spraying peppermint, anyway, but the little blighters must have been starving this freezing weather. And I had been pouring bleach every couple of days in the area under the sink ( because I know they like to visit when the weather is below freezing), and they never come in the kitchen when I keep topping up that bleach. I did fill in these holes a few years ago and with steel wool, and cemented the hole in. This problem began when my gas supply pipe was replaced, and when I lifted the unit base, I could see the gaps round the new gas supply pipe. The mice didn't come back for a few years, but I presume they have now dug a new way in knowing there is food in here.

 And, it appears they have the last few days with this below freezing  cold weather. Popeye's face has said mice in the kitchen the last two days. But I hadn't seen any evidence of it, and kept pouring the bleach where those pipes are. So now I have some mess the mice have created to clear. And I have been scrubbing everywhere. I haven't finished yet. I have moved stuff and cleaned behind things etc.

I researched again, and there is some different stuff suggested to kill the mice. Bay leaves is dangerous to mice but is okay for house pets. (But I am not letting Popeye in the kitchen anyway now. I don't want him catching and eating a mouse, or tackling something larger...). Chocolate is poisonous to mice. And, apparently they also die a few days later after eating onions.  Instant potato apparently kills them.

So I have given them a feast last night (Friday) of all the above where they come in.

So with Popeye, I am still looking for more natural ways. The rest of the kitchen is going to get the deterrent stuff. More peppermint, etc etc. So, I am checking everything and cleaning everything to check they haven't been anywhere else in the kitchen.

All food is in plastic containers anyway (from the last experience) and they haven't touched them at all. It was only the eggs that I left out which I have always done. They have never touched the eggs before.

I did have a couple of spare bottles of washing up liquid, but the mice chewed through those. Hence a puddle of washing up liquid. Also they chewed through two of my washing liquid stuff for the washing machine. Again...puddles, but it didn't leak until I picked it up, and obviously I squeezed it when I lifted it...and this fountain spouted out...

Apparently mice don't like silver foil, and won't attempt to chew that. So I wrapped an egg in silver foil. Left it on the floor. And if they don't touch that egg, then I will assume that works and do some more protective stuff in silver foil.

They have nibbled the bottom of my kitchen curtain so I need to replace that.

This is going to be an all day job Saturday, as well.

I have a few other tricks up my sleeve...
But they haven't bothered me all year.
They must be starving now.

I took a pic of their feast so I will be able to tell what gets taken... and I will put more of that down...

So, Saturday now, I got up at 3 am this morning. The onions, dark chocolate and milk chocolate had all gone. They had walked through the potato flakes. So replaced all that. They hadn't touched the egg wrapped in silver foil.

Then, as I am up, I decided to take the net curtains down, and found they had chewed through my blinds as well, just a small hole. So, I thought in for a penny, in for a pound. I took nets and blinds and the fittings all down. I had a shower curtain left over from doing the bathroom. The colour and pattern looked great in the kitchen, and matched. Also found some curtain wire I had bought for the bathroom, but was reluctant to use on the upvc (plastic) frames, but I didn't care now. So managed (with difficulty), to put those small curtain wire hooks in the frame. Hung the shower curtain. Cut the excess length off. Found I had enough in width to make some box pleats. That made it look good and you couldn't see the metal shower rings in the plastic. When I did this, it was only meant to be a temporary solution, but it looks good enough for a permanent solution. And it is easy enough to buy another cheap shower curtain if it gets manky. So, I am pleased with this.

Then, behind the cooker I found another entry point up the skirting board. That needs blocking up with steel wire etc. And I will have to check some more skirting board.

This is all going to take a few days work to sort...

I am having a very well earned rest now. Consequently my digital painting is just a very rough sketch quickie...

Edit: I just went into the kitchen, and in the half hour I have been out of the kitchen, the little blighters have taken the chocolate and onions I replenished.

So, I have some very dark 85% chocolate which is supposed to be even more poisonous. But research online said the mice would only go for milk or white chocolate. But I don't supposed their research was on absolutely starving rodents. I have a few more bars of this very dark chocolate which is out of date. I wasn't so keen on it, so I ate the other chocolate I liked!

They are definitely not having my expensive 100% Montezuma chocolate... 

But according to online stuff, it all says that mice do not like and won't eat dark chocolate, and it is the dark chocolate that is most poisonous to them....the mice in my kitchen are taking that dark chocolate...


*** I meant to play catch up on your posts and comments yesterday and today, but the mice problem took over...the best laid plans of mice and men...