# Getting rid of mice without killing them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189 "2001-02-12T19:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/21 "2001-02-14T16:26:07Z")
Don’t get a cat-get a little Yorkshire Terrier. Yeah, one of those little rag dogs. BUT…they’re wicked tough when it comes to rodents-my gramma had one who would catch and kill rats! Also, cats kill mice very cruelly by torturing them. A yorkie will just shake them and break their necks-very quick. ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/22 "2001-02-14T22:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > Recognize any of these addresses and phone numbers as being close to you? Yep! Eastern Massachusetts Cooperative Extension Center 240 8eaver Street Waltham 02154-8096 (617) 891 -0650 Hope they are still there (Waltham isn’t in 617 anymore). That would be the nearest city with anything close to farming in it close to Boston, come to think of it. (the rest of the towns you mentioned are a bit of a haul). Thanks. Exterminators coming tomorrow but if the critters can’t take a hint, I’ll look these guys up. Thanks very much for your help!!! (the rest of you too) ---
**Author:** ![Azazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Azazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azazel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/23 "2001-02-15T02:00:10Z")
A cat will kill a few of the little critters, but mainly gets rid of mice by making the situation too lively for them, causing them to seek lodging elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/24 "2001-02-15T02:38:43Z")
Send them an eviction notice. jmullaney – you live in Somervile? Heck, I used to work near there until last fall. Lived in Cambridge and in Medford, but the worst I had were cockroaches. Sorry to hear about mice. (In “The Great Railway Bazaar” Paul Thereaux compares the triple-deckers in Somerville to the slums of India. Must be the mice.) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/25 "2001-02-15T03:20:26Z")
What you need to do get yourself a _gecko._ No, wait a minute, that’s for another problem. Seriously though, since my cat moved in I haven’t seen evidence of **any** mice. None, and there were several before. Never saw him catch one though. I agree that the mice probably just don’t want to reckon with the cat. Besides, cats are good company, as long as you do exactly as they tell you. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![gorkamorka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/87869e/32.png) [@gorkamorka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gorkamorka)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/26 "2001-02-15T05:44:26Z")
No, no, no, a gecko will work! An adult Tokay gecko (10"+) will be more than happy to consume baby mice. However, it won`t kill the adults, so livetraps will be needed(Would`nt want to kill the gecko now, would we?). ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/27 "2001-02-15T06:15:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jmullaney \* > **I’m sure if I was at my mother’s ranch in Junction Texas (Kimball County) they’d laugh – but out there the rattlers would take care of any mice. But up here in Somerville Mass. (just outside Boston – I think I’m in Norfolk county or southern Middlesex) there ain’t much in the way of farming.** [hijack]Nope. There’s no more counties in Mass., AFAIK. All county government was abolished in 1999/2000. County functions have now gone to the state level. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189/28 "2001-02-16T02:02:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gorkamorka \* > \*\*No, no, no, a gecko will work! An adult Tokay gecko (10"+) > will be more than happy to consume baby mice. However, it > won`t kill the adults, so livetraps will be needed(Would`nt > want to kill the gecko now, would we?). \*\* Baby mice my butt. This sucker looks like he’d take on the cat. [http://www.netwurx.net/~tokay/](http://www.netwurx.net/~tokay/) According to the description, this gecko is likely to attack his owner. I repeat, get a cat. 😉 Peace, mangeorge [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-mice-without-killing-them/54189.md?page=1)