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Very determined Mouse!
#21
Tamara's idea with the plastic bottles is a great idea. I think I know how that would work...
1) the neck is cut off.
2) lightweight bait is put at the bottom of the bottle.
3) There is some object (like a piece of wood etc) placed on the floor and the bottle is balanced on it with the 'entrance' facing downwards.
4) when the mouse gets in, by the time it reaches the bait, its weight tips the bottle entrance-up, bait end down. When the mouse tries to get out its feet slip on the inside of the bottle and it can't run out.


Is that how it works?

Good idea. But my main thought is....it's impossible for me to know how many mice there are. There may be just one, or as the winter wears on, there may be a whole family of them. Setting a trap will only catch one at a time, and there may be long intervals between catching one and catching the rest. So the one/ones I caught I would have to put in a holding area, until I am certain there are no more. That's why I think I need to make the cage.
Then they can be re-located all together.

At the moment, there are no problems so long as I remember to put a little food down each night, and some water in a glass candle holder. Then he/she/they don't get onto my surfaces.
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#22
Maybe you do have just one mouse. You are not putting out enough food for a whole family of mice and there are no signs of mice chewing everything in sight.

If the mouse stays for the winter it will still be able to live wild in the spring. Wild mice don't lose their mouse cunning. They are very clever about surviving.

Having a cage ready is a good idea. If you were closer I could loan you one.

The bottle idea sounds good. I must keep that in mind if I have to catch a mouse again. I don't like the tiny live traps. They must be scary for a mouse.

I am sure you mouse will be happy in the hay barn when you finally have to relocate him there.
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Catherine

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#23
I think a quick cage which I could also dismantle later to re-use the chicken wire would be easy to make.
The chicken wire is on a roll, and when you cut a piece it all rolls back into a cylinder shape. Well I could secure this in that shape with some wire, then cut a piece to secure one end. Then I could put some cardboard inside the bottom part, and some dried grass etc to make it nice. Then a water bowl and put some food in there.
I have a long dropper (which is actually a spare urine-collector which the vet gave me for Sally way back) so could fill up the water bowl if needed, from outside the cage.
Then I will make a round entrance cover which fits exactly over the entrance with an overlap, so that when I put the mouse/mice in they can't run out straight away. I'll make it a fairly snug fit, so that will give me time to secure it with some cable ties or wire etc. They would be fine inside there for a few days while I wait to collect any possible stragglers, and not too distressed so long as it's in a quiet place.
The cage will be easy to make I think. They can't get through the wire as it is a fine mesh.
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#24
The cage sounds interesting and very do-able. Just remember the mouse will eat the cardboard. It is what they do.

It must be very fine mesh chicken wire. The stuff I have seen here wouldn't hold a mouse. I am not sure it would hold a rat. The holes are large enough a chicken could stick its head out. So why do we call it chicken wire?

Shredded grass is nice for bedding so is a shredded piece of paper towel or Kleenex. It fluffs up very nicely when a rodent shreds it.

Good luck. Do post a picture of your cage. I am interested to see how it turns out.
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Catherine

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#25
I am not sure what's happened to my Mouse. I put sunflower seeds and a piece of bread down last night and it was still there this morning. That doesn't bode well.
It isn't going to up-sticks in this freezing weather and find another place to live. There isn't even another place to live for a quarter of a mile. Or a half mile in another direction.
It is possible that Mouse was alone after all, and he/she was at the end of their life. In which case I am glad I let it be....in peace, with some kindness.
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#26
Quote:It is possible that Mouse was alone after all, and he/she was at the end of their life. In which case I am glad I let it be....in peace, with some kindness.

It might have been an old mouse that came in to a warm spot to die. Mice don't live very long. It also could be hibernating.
I agree it would have no reason to leave. 
You may never know for sure what happened, but I believe you gave the little mouse a peaceful place to live.
He was safe and secure and there was always enough food. If he has crossed the rainbow bridge he did it with a peaceful spirit.
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Catherine

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