Oh, RATS!!!

margecat

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Well, MICE, actually!

At work, we are in a block of cubicles (10, 5 on each side of the room). Each cube is L-shaped, with 2 storage cabinets at the top of one wall (they look like metal bread boxes to me). I opened one up; I wondered why I spilled rice cake crumbs...what I thought were chocolate rice cake crumbs were mouse droppings, mixed with white rice cake crumbs. Then I looked up, and saw the chewed rice cake bag! What a mess! The poop and crumbs then fell out onto my desk. Yuck.

I spoke to some other staff members on the other side, and they said they had a mouse in their overheads, too. (In late December.) Kinda wonder why nobody told anyone??? Makes no sense to me. Rodents not only carry disease; I was also worried that somebody would not know about the mouse, put their hand in the overhead, and get bitten.

Maintenance is supposed to put traps down. I feel as if I sentenced the poor mouse to death--I think mice are cute--but they are a health hazard, esp. in a public building.

I thought about suggesting a "Bring your cat to work day", like the "Bring your kid to work days" they have, but don't think that will fly...
 

strange_wings

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Is everyone keeping snacks stashed at their cubicals? If so, one of the simplest solutions is for people to stop doing that. You can't blame mice for being attracted to food and usually during the winter months (or in times of drought) they like to move inside.
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Is everyone keeping snacks stashed at their cubicals? If so, one of the simplest solutions is for people to stop doing that. You can't blame mice for being attracted to food and usually during the winter months (or in times of drought) they like to move inside.
We do, but I need to. I am diabetic, and have 2 blood-sugar snacks each day while at work (usually crackers or rice cakes). I could bring them in every day, but know I'll forget to if I don't keep some at work. Also, I've been in that office since 1986, and most of us have always kept snacks there; never any rodent problem that I know about.

I guess we all should do what you say--and get rid of all of our food at home, too. It's not our fault we have mice at work, either. People need to bring their lunches--are they supposed not store them anywhere, too?

I am not "blaming" the mouse. And I am not stupid--I do realize that mice come indoors in the Fall for food. I was merely relating an amusing incident to the members of this forum.
 

KittenKrazy

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Nah, just store them in airtight containers to eleminate the "tempation"to mousies


Personally, I like the "bring your cat to work" day idea.......could get really funny for those who have multiple cats, lol!!
 

peachytoday

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Ha! Mice can get into everything. I could lend you two of mine that are excellent mousers. They cleaned out my house in short order when we moved in. And I haven't seen one since.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

We do, but I need to. I am diabetic, and have 2 blood-sugar snacks each day while at work (usually crackers or rice cakes). I could bring them in every day, but know I'll forget to if I don't keep some at work. Also, I've been in that office since 1986, and most of us have always kept snacks there; never any rodent problem that I know about.
Maybe something has changed around that area then? Abandon houses or buildings in the area? Building recently demolished?

I was merely suggesting that people not keep food at the cubicals or leaving it there over night, not stop bringing food altogether. There should be a break room for this - that way the mice aren't being attracted near computers where they could start chewing at wires.

I'm not sure supposedly air tight containers actually deter rodents. I've seen plastic containers chewed at because the mice wanted the food inside. I believe that, like most animals, they can scent food/chemicals though containers (drug dogs, for example, couldn't perform if air tight containers truly locked in all traces of scent).
 
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