Problem with mice

[Stan]

My moustache parrot, whose cage is in the enclosed balcony of our apartment, has free access to the whole apartment, which is well protected with mesh over the windows. We have recently been plagued with mice, and after spending $200 on pest control, the mice are still there. The pest control folks said that the problem is that the bird scatters his food all over the apartment, and the mice don't need much of this to hoard and propagate. We are very reluctant to get rid of our lovable pet as we've really bonded. A cat is a consideration but obviously not a viable proposition. The only alternative before me make a drastic decision is to constrain him in his cage, which is on the enclosed balcony, and keep the doors to the balcony closed most of the time.

The question is - will he be traumatized by being in his cage most of the time and having his free-flight privileges reduced? I can fill his cage with toys to keep him happy. What are other readers' experiences with this situation?

A second short question is whether the sonic mice repellents have any adverse effects on parrots. I have just plugged in a few, and they don't seem to be affecting him.

Looking forward to your responses.

Stan

 

[Mimsy01]

Why don't you just restrict his eating to the balcony? Just keep the door closed but let him come in regularly but no access to go back and forth bringing food all over. It's more restricted than what he had, but he still gets to spend some time flying around the house.

The sonic sound things don't really effect mice either. My guess is it probably won't effect the parrot.

 

[Kalidasa]

As far as I know, mice don't "hoard", they are unequipped to do so, as they lack cheek pouches. They are opportunistic feeders. And the short answer is yes, your bird will suffer if it's used to free flying within the house to being subjugated within a cage. Having a single feeding area and keeping it very clean keeps pests at bay. Proper cleaning is key, and using rodent poison disguised as food out of reach of your bird can be very effective...keeping them tucked away in dark, inaccessible corners that your bird could never reach.
Those "sonic" repellents are less than worthless for any pests whatsoever...I have an acquaintance who had some plugged in, and witnesses mice breeding on top of them. They don't work at all.
D-con peanut butter flavored (and scented) rodent poison bait wedges are very effective in eliminating rodents. Put a few in cabinets, under rugs and other inaccessible places for your bird. And of course, keep the bird feeding area spotless.

 

[Praenuntius]

Try putting his food bowl on the floor of the cage in the center. That way it's less likely for him to spill seeds everywhere. Worked with my sisters Budgies

 

[jkudywoods]

I agree with Kalidasa, If the parrot is spreading the food everywhere, mice or other pest may attract to it for food. Proper cleaning is the option you can implement, or you can also contact to professional rodent exterminator like Pest Exterminator Sacramento CA to get rid of rats and let the parrot live happily with you.

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

From time to time I have field mice who come into my house...I live out the country...and of course it being a bird house they the mice say EUREKA! we have arrived in mouse heaven ...i tried all the plug in thingeys I refuse to use poisin on any animal as its such a cruel death andapart from that your bird can pick at the droppings of the poisoned mouse or part of the poisoned food it dragged and get poisoned too but a friend of mine told me that mice hate hamsters in particular female Syrian hamsters as they kill mice who come into their territory so I got three Syrian hamsters and as each are caged individually (syrian hamsters do not get on well in the same cage and will likely kill each other as they are solitary animals and will even kill a male unless they are at the oppertune mating time so under no circumstances house more than one syrian hamster in the same cage) I placed the cages at different spots along where I had seen a mouse or where there had been mouse droppings (dont put your hamster in a draft and remember these little guys like a super large cage and some human interaction too as they grow extremely fond of their humans and hamster toys to keep them hsppy...also they are nocturnal ) anyway to cut a long story short the mice evacuated and left for safer territory and I have not had a problem since. I cant say for sure it was the Hamsters but the mice did vanish the same week the Syrian hamsters moved in...usually during the cold or wet spells the field mice would take refuge in my home but they seem to have taken me and my home off their list of spots to go to when the rainy season comes since I got the Hammies.

I almost forgot to say that the mice here had been making their way to my parrots food bowl when there were no bits of food available elsewhere...cleaning is important but once there is food in a bowl for a parrot unless you can mouseproof it this is enough to attract them...mainly mice feed early morning and night time so for a while Id remove the food from your parrot at night however do not remove food from your hamster cage if you have hamsters.

 

[GaryHill]

The same has happened with my aunt, but after the pest control service, she never got the problem again.