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A NEW APPROACH TO EXTERMINATING MICE... OR IS IT?

By Valerie Osterhoudt

Real Estate Agent with Johnson Real Estate, Inc. RES.0761759

October 31, 2008 08:59 AM

Do you have clients that have problems with mice? I found out a way to eliminate them yesterday... that is a little out of the ordinary, but I gather works.

I brought my van in for emission testing to the dealership I work with. It didn't pass..why? It had a mouse house (whole family) in the air vent/filter system. How strange is this? Well after 3 hours of labor and upon checking out I found that if you put wolf or fox urine around the air vent system it would keep the mice from coming back. Have any of you heard such a thing?

Well, I ended up getting Red Fox Urine from a local hunting store. The clerk had no sense of humor. I asked how they get the fox to pee into such a small bottle? He said with a straight face, maybe it is on the back of the package, and proceeds to check.

Any way, I have put some on the engine of the vehicle, and around the van on the asphalt. Now I'll see if this works... or is the joke is on me.

Have any of you heard of this to help eliminate mice? Wouldn't putting it around the exterior of the house also do the same thing to keep mice out of your home?

valerie osterhoudt

Info about the author:

Valerie Osterhoudt is a Cromwell Connecticut Residential Realtor who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Middlesex County of CT, as well as the surrounding areas. Please visit me at www.CTrealtorMLS.com for all your relocation and/or local needs.

Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR - Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - 860.635.0387 #2 - valerierealtor@sbcglobal.net

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Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Valerie, I love your question to the clerk. It sounds so much like what my always curious and funny self would say. I'm putting you down as my fox urine specialist Associate. Strangely I think you won't have much competition for this lofty perch.

Oct 31, 2008 10:08 AM

Jen Bowman

Keller Williams on the Water - Holmes Beach, FL

Realtor - Anna Maria Island & Bradenton FL

Valerie, I want to know if it works to keep mice away. Will it work for squirrels too?

Oct 31, 2008 10:11 AM

Steve Loynd

Alpine Lakes Real Estate Inc., - Lincoln, NH

800-926-5653, White Mountains NH

Val, Moth balls work well also..you have to pry their little wings back and use tweezers..Just kidding try the mothballs you put in with your sweaters.. That keeps the mice out.

Oct 31, 2008 10:18 AM

George Souto

George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT

Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Valerie friends of mine just got rid of a car because they could not get rid of the mice. In their case they also got into a part of the engine that fried atleast one of them, and they could not get rid of the smell.

Oct 31, 2008 12:28 PM

Teresa Harris

Lake Real Estate, LLC - Denver, NC

Denver . Lake Norman . Charlotte

OMG, Valerie I guess those mice needed a warm home! Let us know how it goes...

Oct 31, 2008 12:41 PM

Carl Winters

Canyon Lake, TX

Valerie - Let me know if this works. They cleared the ranch next to where we live and now having problems with field mice wating to set up housekeeping at our house.

We are having a Halloween Blog Along tonite to spur on our S.A. Spus Basketball game. We do this every game; have food and costumes, drop by if you can. Dale Baker just came in his vampire costume and I know you like ghost - come tell us a ghost story.

Carl

Oct 31, 2008 03:22 PM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Gary... I'm still chuckling on this end after reading your comment. I guess I'm the president of the wolf/fox pee club.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 04:49 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Jen.. I believe it will. Aren't squirrel prey of the fox? The smell is of the urine is very potent.. you don't want to be down wind of the stuff.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 04:51 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Steve... I *love* your sense of humor... Have you ever tried *those* moth balls? I think I'll try that next.. the fox/wolf urine has a potent stench.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 04:54 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

George.. I'm gathering this happens a lot more than I thought. At this point, I'm not giving up the van. For now, other than the fox/wolf urine.. I've been parking the van in a different area.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 04:56 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Teresa.. So far I have the fox urine all around my parking space, and in certain areas of the engine of the car. I'm also parking in a different area for a few days to see if that might work too.

I hope I don't get them back.. I know they need a warm place to live, but they need to find some other place.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 04:58 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Carl.. I'll let you know how things go with the fox/wolf urine.. but it might take some time for the final results. Wish I could have stopped by.. I was out trick or treating with my sons.. 2 hours later and almost 13 pounds of candy each.. they are all set until Easter as far as I'm concerned.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 01, 2008 05:00 AM

Laura Watts

Positive Properties, LLC - Laurinburg, NC

Val- Wow this is weird. Mice making a home in your car. The strangest thing I remember is I kept hearing a funny sound all the way to work one morning. When I got out of my car, I heard a kitten meowing. I raised the hood and the little thing was setting on top of my filter. It must have crawled in there to keep warm during the night. Hope the Red Fox Urine works for you.

Nov 01, 2008 05:09 PM

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection and Investor Services, Clayton - Clayton, OH

Valerie it would probably be easier to get the fox to pee around the house than in the car.

Jack

Nov 01, 2008 05:37 PM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Laura... I don't understand how they got there in the first place.. and stayed? I'm in my van EVERY day. Between children, school events, after school events. Then real estate, back and forth to the office meeting clients, etc. How did they find time? Better still how do they survive in there without getting burnt?

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 02, 2008 10:39 PM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Jack.. I wonder how they got the fox to pee in those small bottles? LOL. No blonde roots here.. just a joke? I think mothballs (even though those suckers are small) might be with way to go next time.

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 02, 2008 10:41 PM

Debi Ernst

St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO

GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Valerie - I've never heard of that method, either. However, if you try it in a home, it might keep the people away, too... :)

Nov 03, 2008 01:39 AM

Valerie Osterhoudt

Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT

ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Debi.. LOL. You are right. When I first sprayed the *pee* around my van. I wanted to go up wind from the stuff. I thought putting it around the vehicle on the ground would be better than spraying it in the vehicle. Can you imagine turning on the heat.. and getting that smell coming through? UGH!!

valerie osterhoudt

Nov 03, 2008 01:49 AM