MICE!!!!!

[spongebobfan]

So I movie into a rental home 6weeks ago. About two weeks after I moved in I notice mouse droppings around the bag of dog food. I cleaned and disinfected the area and put the dog food in a plastic container. I keep ALL my food in the refrigerator. There is nothing to entice rodents. So anyway. I watched for the next week and I didn't see any more signs of mice so I thought it was ok. The last week I've noticed my house smells like mouse urine. Mostly in the closet where I originally had the dog food. So I realized that the closet under the stairs goes back farther around the corner. When I looked back there I was appalled. The whole area was literally covered in mouse feces! I cleaned and disinfectant and then started cleaning everything in the house. Okay this is where it gets really awful.... I found mouse poop under my sofa cushions. I'm thoroughly grossed out. The thing is the idea of setting mouse traps just makes me so nervous. I start having trouble breathing and my heart starts pounding. I don't like killing anything. I am just as scared to set live traps cause I don't want to see them and I'm afraid to release them. What am I supposed to do? Maybe get a cat? I would move but I'm stuck in this lease!

[Phyllis]

you HAVE to contact the landlord/property rental office and let them know so they can take care of it. You can, dependent upon the rental laws in your area, get out of the lease if the landlord does nothing about it. Because this is a health issue at this point. You can get a cat, but it sounds more like an infestation at this point since you found the nest under the stairs. At least, that is what it sounds like you found. Not only do mice carry disease but they also eat through electrical wires. I don't mean to get you all panicky and anxious, but this is serious and you really need to get a hold of the people you pay rent to. Then just to cover your ass find out what the rental tenants rights and responsibilities are in your city/county so you know what you are legally allowed to do in the event that you get no help from the landlord.

[spongebobfan]

You are right. I did tell the property manager when I first found the dog food issue. She said I could set traps or put down poison and take the cost out of the rent. I didn't do it cause I thought the problem was gone. So I just went and bought a few mouse traps but I can't stand the thought of killing the mice! I know crazy. I think I'm going to go back out and get a live trap. I'm just so afraid the mice will attack me when I release them (again I realize that's crazy). I just finished cleaning everything but I'm still grossed out.  I'm already afraid of the disease issue. I was thinking about that as I was sweeping out the closet. The dust was getting stirred up and I know I was breathing it in. I'll let you know what happens :-)

[Phyllis]

you might be able to contact an exterminator and find the best way to get rid of them. Most of them know "humane" ways of getting rid of pests and may be able to tell you where you can release the mice once captured. After all, you don't want to release them back where they can infest your home or someone else's. Take care! I hope you can get this sorted out soon. Totally not something anyone should have to deal with. :/

[spongebobfan]

I would like to add that the washer broke today and 4 of the Windows are leaking. Oh and the power is threatening to go out. It's been a super awesome day ;-)

[Geister]

Wow, I hope things get better for you, that sounds like a really bad place to be stuck in. 

The mice won't attack you, I've had 12 of them for pets, and you can pick them up at the base of their tale (so you don't dislocate or break it) so they can't bite you.  But yeah like Phyllis said it sounds more like an infestation at this point. I've heard putting mothballs in your closet, etc can drive them away cause they don't like the smell, but I'm not sure about that. It just sounds a lot cheaper than hiring an exterminator if it actually works. lol

[Dreamline]

I used to have gerbils as a kid....I think mice are cute but as far as an infestation goes...not cute LOL.  SB I'd just have the landlord take care of everything...even trapping them in humane traps which will take many and forever isn't humane I'll tell you why...you can't release them out in the cold, they'll die.  If you can' trap them and I don't blame you, make the landlord do it its NOT your problem to fix for fucks sake!  Nice they allow you to do it your way if you want that I can see but I know somebody who got fucked because they wouldn't take care of it and told her to but what she did wasn't enough. 

[spongebobfan]

First, thanks for all the suggestions, comments and support. I am actually quite nervous that the landlord will try to blame me for this. He can't come fix it himself because he's out of the country. I'm also afraid he will somehow think its my fault that the washer broke and the Windows are leaking. Really it would be nice if they just let me out of the lease. I could move back in with my parents easy enough. Plus they totally lied about the heating cost. It's propane heat. I knew that was more expensive so I asked for an average cost. They said that the house hasn't been occupied for enough months in a row to provide a good average. Then the property manager said she had rented this property many times and never had a complaint about the utility expenses. Well my propane bill for 5 weeks was $450! I only live here 3 days a week. I turn the down when I leave. So if I lived here full time it would be more. Add electric and water to that and the total is $575. How is that reasonable? I never imagined that the utility cost would almost equal my rent. Anyway to say the least I'm frustrated. Strongly considering moving and I want out of this lease without a penalty.

[Geister]

Here they charge you first and last months rent right away so you can just inform the landlord you're leaving, rental home or apartment.. but that could just be the way our previous landlord preferred to take payment. Did yours do something like that so you could just inform him to either fix the place or let you go when he gets back? Because it doesn't sound very habitable as it is right now..  having the mice in there isn't good for your health at all.

[Dreamline]

A mouse infestation doesn't come out of nowhere, they can't blame you unless you leave food laying around and trash everywhere....also they shouldn't be getting in anyway!!!  I think they are BSing to shut you up by saying the other didn't complain and so fucking what if they didn't, you ARE because there are MICE among other things!  OMG their assholes...saying the guy is gone is an excuse to not take care of things FUCK THAT.

[spongebobfan]

I did have to pay a security deposit but I'm locked onto this lease. The lease would break if the owner doesn't take care of all this stuff but I have to give him a chance to fix it. I'm hoping he will let me out anyway. I asked the property manager to come see the problems in person. She us supposed to be coming tomorrow but didn't give me a time. I'm interested to see how this actually plays out...

[Geister]

When you first took a look at the house did was it noticeably like that? With all the leaks and everything? Because if they covered that stuff up or didn't tell you about it I think you can get out of the lease that way too.. especially with the mice because it's a hazard to your health and like Dreamline said unless you left food out or something it's not your fault.

I hope everything works out for you~ 

[spongebobfan]

Well its interesting after I moped in I noticed that it looked like there had been water damage at the corners of the Windows. It looked like somebody just painted over it. Turns out the leaks that I have are in those same spots. As far as food goes, I don't even have food here! I live here part time so I buy just what I need each week and keep it all in the refrigerator. I'm sure it will work out.

[Dreamline]

Take pix of all this stuff if you haven't.  Good luck and keep us posted.