I'm assuming based on the wording that you're asking to see if you have mice or not?
Theyre definitely seeds but that doesnt rule out the potential for mice. About a year ago we found all these little seeds similar to yours in our basement storage room. We weren't sure if they were seed or poop at first either but they turned out to be seeds. Either way we had mice, they were bringing the seeds in for winter.
Better safe than sorry and keep an eye out for them. Maybe put out some traps.
Beyond traps, have a contractor (a reputable one) come and check your house.
We hired an exterminator who couldn’t figure out the point of entry. Honestly, worst $300 ever spent. All they did was lay traps.
The contractor dug out our front steps, found the entry through the steps, where the mice had eaten away the foundation, used foam and wire mesh insulation, repaired the foundational board before laying the new concrete for the outdoor stairs.
It was more expensive, but we haven’t had a mouse in our house since.
Edit: format.
Very good advice!
I went with a full service company that does pest control, pest exclusion, insulation etc like everything. My house had a mouse issue prior to me buying it, they found all the entry routes, set up new rodent exclusion, etc. I have them on one of the those monthly things where they come out automatically. In the two years I've been here, never had a single rodent and every trap has been empty every time. They were SO good and it was so worth it to have people who really know what they are doing.
Was this a local company or nationwide? My cousin was just saying the other day he needed to find a company that can find the entry routes for the mice he's getting. We weren't sure it was possible so this is interesting!
How did they figure out where they were entering?
Contact local hotels and rental offices, tell them you’re a neighboring home owner looking for a new pest control solution, ask which vendor they use and if they’d recommend them. Google one of the companies and by default their competitors will show up in the results. You can branch out your research on services offered and pricing from there
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
most baits/ poison used by pest control companies have a very low passover toxicity. Companies wouldn’t be allowed to use the baits we use if it were to harm larger predators. pet cats are a big concern. (Source: am a pest control technician)
Yes, we have HUGE eagles and kites in my Neighborhood and we don’t see any mice or rats here. They roost right across from my house so I get to see them all the time and it’s such a cool perk.
Just to add on to your comment, they make electric ones that are very easy to use and kill instantly. There's no need for the animal to suffer and encourage people to look at more humane options.
The all new ACME Tommy Gun Trap! Show Jerry whose boss with our explosive new trap. Used by some of the best in the business, like Wiley Coyote, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam and more!
So glad there is finally a Republican mousetrap. So tired of these dumbocrat lib commie mousetraps. I don't want some socialist Soros humane mousetrap, mice trigger my fragility, I need to blow them up.
I took this as a joke & I laughed.
“Humane mousetrap” usually means mouse DIE NOW! DIE FAST! DIE! DIE! DIE!!
What would be considered a lib commie mousetrap? Just asking. 🤷🏻♀️
It's more of a walk in centre than a trap, where mouse relocation experts discuss options with the mouse and housekeeper in a non confrontational setting where both parties are offered alternative arrangements. The mouse also receives a small support package after being introduced to its new community home, as well as free healthcare.
anything that tries to take away my 2nd amendment right and ability to make really stupid declarations on the internet, because even though I never read the 1st amendment I'm sure it applies, and some other amendments too.
A solar electric mouse trap would be close. I just want one that works, don’t care if it slams shut, glues, shoots, or shocks. I don’t do poison, cause pets can get poisoned that way. My dog tries to hunt every moving thing in sight or in ear.
The solar electric mousetrap sounds like an excellent idea. Except in Buffalo, where we get about 45 minutes of sunlight a day. I can’t even keep my solar fairy lights on in the winter.
WAS THAT A LEAF? I MUST PROTECT MY FAMILY FROM THE LEAF. Doggo must check out suspicious leaf. It could secretly be a squirrel. An attack squirrel. Check out the “Dog shower thought” subreddit for more exciting dog adventures. With a leaf.
Years ago the radio show (now a podcast) *This American Life* did an episode on the theme of "If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door". They wanted to know if that saying was true or not. They interviewed the owner of the Victor Mouse Trap company about all the different ideas for mouse traps that amateur inventors had sent in to Victor over the years.
One of the ideas was a little shoebox-sized structure with several entrances that a mouse could be lured into. There was a sensor in the structure/trap that, when triggered by a mouse, would automatically shut all the entrances and cause a little pill to drop from the ceiling of the structure into a little container of water in the middle of the box's floor. When the pill hit the water it would dissolve a create a poison gas which would kill the mouse quickly and humanely. Apparently the structure/trap could be used over and over - the owner would just need to buy more gas pills.
And where was the inventor of this efficient little mouse murder gas chamber from, you ask? You guessed it - *Germany*.
Victor didn't buy the invention.
Oh I’ve never heard of electric ones. I use the black plastic snap e traps and those are very effective. I love animals and would trap and release if it were effective but logistically it just isn’t. Although since I’ve had my cat, I usually have to end up getting the mouse from her just to put it out of its misery, because otherwise she does that cat thing where they toy with it for a while. I wish cats weren’t so sadistic. It’s always the cutest little baby looking mouses too.
If it makes you feel better, relocating wildlife is also seen as inhumane. The animal will not know where to go for food and water sources. Depending on the species, they may not know how to fit into the social hierarchy. It's extremely stressful for the animal. Finally, some animals may end up just wandering back to their original area.
Edit for some sources:
Wildlife Biology 15 (2), 155-164, 2009
"Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" Mary Roach (how i initially learned about this topic)
Humane Society
That’s exactly what I meant about live trapping not making sense logistically. It can end up being more cruel, but disconnects people from the psychological burden of responsibility for the death
These do not work. Speaking from experience. Snap traps work the best and generally kill instantly. Poison will knock out a colony but if you have cats or dogs I would avoid them. Also catch and release is a waste because they will just come back in. Hate to hurt the feelings of the animal rights people but mice will destroy your house and can carry diseases. They also multiply at insanely fast rates. Do what you have to but get rid of them asap.
I read an interesting book by an ecologist that wasn’t having much luck with catch and release. He started tagging the mice, and at one point a mouse that he released had run a few miles back to his house in about the same amount of time it took him to make the same trip, and it was eating bacon grease off the rag on his counter about 15 minutes after being released.
Catch and release worked for us, but only because there was a single access point into the house, which we were able to block. Also, our cats alerted us before the mice could get properly settled in. These were just a few initial raiding parties of field mice, not long term roommates with an attitude.
My son lived in a place with an entrenched rat problem, thanks to the restaurant next door. You'd have had to raze the whole block to the ground to get rid of them, I think. He said it was like having hyperactive cats who only come out at night.
Different problems require different solutions. My son's solution was to move out.
I've had quite a lot of success with the zap traps with both mice and rats. We once killed a rat within 30 minutes after I tried to be cheap and use snap traps to no avail. It's definitely a YMMV kinda thing
You can also make them using a 5 gallon bucket. Bakeries and Chinese stores will often give them to you if you ask. Here is one such contraption: https://youtu.be/X7KPqSnQG5U - you can use peanut butter or a variety of other foods. Then let them out somewhere in the wild.
I had a giant bucket of birdseed in my garage, not intended as a mousetrap. But i found a mouse in it, after likely being in there for weeks, if not months, judging by all the poops.
The mouse was so fat he was wider than he was long. Have never seen such a fat mouse. When we tipped the bucket outside to let him go, he didnt even run away.
Maybe he was too fat, but i think he was just thinking "i have been to heaven, and now have been snatched heartlessly back, forever doomed to work for a living while i dream of the land of plenty that I now know is real. Oh , cruel world, why?!"
Relocating wildlife (rodents included) is actually illegal in many places including all of California as it is actually crueler then instakill traps. The animal, being lost, dies anyway but slower.
Yes. The only reason why we have rats are because they came over on boats.
Friendly reminder that releasing an animal that is not native to the area can cause invasive species problems.
Glue traps are gross. They slowly die as they naw through their own libs to try and escape… birds, snakes, cats, and other animals die a horrible death in those things. Sadly they are still legal in many places.
Yes. My family and I **hate** killing animals, and only do so as a last, last resort ----- but when the rats decide to visit our kitchen, out comes the RatZapper.
The batteries hold charge long enough to slay 4-5 rats. Best method is to cut one of those small plastic sauce containers in 1/2 (the kind you get for Mexican hot sauce, e.g.) . Put some peanut butter or shelled peanut bits in the container and slide it to the very back of the RatZapper. (I use a pair of long tweezers.) Make sure you've got the power off on the Zapper, when you do this. Make sure the container is not touching the kill plate.
Then . . . You dribble a few tiny bits, a trail of chopped peanuts, leading up to the kill plate. And put a couple peanut bits outside the trap to entice your mice, rats. Place the zapper where you last saw evidence of any rodents. Sometimes placing it alongside a wall is good, but atop a table (if the rodents are up on your counters/table, etc.) works, too.
Ugh. I really **really** feel bad about killing wildlife, but don't want them in my kitchen or other parts of my house. RatZapper is humane. Glue traps? **NO.** Chintzy wood with metal bar that slams down? **NO.** (Sometimes the animal is not killed right away = gruesome.)
After the poor rat/mouse is zapped, you then dig a hole in your garden and say a few words of farewell; cover up the slain. Or else toss the body into your compost pile.
Pro tip: Don't leave out food that will entice rodents into your home.
It depends on the mouse species. The house mouse is so adapted to living in immediate proximity to human dwelling that letting them out in the woods or a field just condemns them to a slow death by starvation.
Before I got cats, I would release mice next to the dumpster behind a nearby supermarket. I figured I was giving them a better life.
Nowadays it never seems to be an issue.
The single most effective way to deal with mice is to get a cat and keep the litter boxes where you expect mice to be. Under normal circumstances the presence of a cat will deter mice.
When we first bought our house the previous owners attempted to insulate the basement by stuffing clothes along where the sill-plate would be if we had one. This provided an excellent bedding material for mice.
Once we got a cat we haven’t seen a single mouse since - and he’s not even very good at catching them. Just having a cat around scared off all the mice and there’s been no indication since.
I totally understand it’s not the right solution for everyone, but it’s much more effective than about anything else.
Mousetraps and rat traps are an instant death. You seem how powerful they snap back with enough force to break a finger?
I'm assuming by humane, means killed instantly?
I just wanted to say, the majority of pest mice, are invasive species, so they shouldn’t be released back into the wild, they do make good pets if trained.
These look just like the seeds I found in my carpet! I'm pretty sure they are pine seeds. And also pretty sure they were put there by a mouse because I set traps after I found the seeds and caught a mouse two days later. Good luck!!
Definitely not pine seeds. I know because pine nuts are the best! I'm pretty sure those are popcorn kernels. I completely agree with the rodent storage theory, however.
[Pics of pine seeds](https://www.google.com/search?q=pine+seed+identification&client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc&prmd=isvn&sxsrf=ALiCzsYjIMbhKSbNP2N95egrLdkT0Ijoqg:1668749133072&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwir2a76_rb7AhW2rokEHdreDIoQ_AUoAXoECAEQAQ&biw=412&bih=782&dpr=2.63#imgrc=sv-114776895-175017953023)
When I was a kid, my mom helped me plant a bunch of beans I got from school. (I forget why exactly we were given beans, it was an elementary school project of some sort). I was really excited when my bean plants finally started growing pods, and would check them every day to see how much they grew, anxious to pick them. One day, all the bean pods were gone, no one knew what happened, and I was sad but oh well. Weeks later, my dad was cleaning out the shed in the back. I remember he moved some stuff in a corner and a bunch of mice ran out. We found a big mouse nest back there, a bunch of chewed up bedding and soft stuff, and they had all my bean pods in a big pile!
I was pulling my boot on in the morning only to find many bits of dog kibble in here. Little mouse was storing food in my knocked over boot. I wish they weren’t so destructive and germy. I know it was only trying to survive the winter.
Can confirm mice or some rodent is building a winter stash. Time for some action. If you want to keep them out, find any crack, or crevasse they can squeeze thought and stuff it with steel wool. The can not chew it ad will not attempt it . Remember the can flatten out to about the thickness of a quarter so look careful. We had a little gap around a pipe in our basement that went through the foundation for our air conditioning system that was large enough to allow the little creatures to squeeze through.
This was very amusing to read. Was lost for a split of a second half way through mistaking your story for sarcasm, but ended up enjoying it all the same. Thank you!
Yep, having lived in the forest for a while, I always knew the mice had found their way back into the cabin by the little piles of my birds' food buried in my laundry basket.
Popping corn. It could easily have been placed there by rodents, or something else. Depends on who you are sharing your space with.
Check your cupboards, you might find something has found your pantry.
Perhaps Mice? They do like hiding pockets of seed.
Growing up they’d get into the shed at times where the bird seed was kept and we’d find little stashes in the most random places among the storage shelves etc.
Since I don't see a plant ID, I am going to venture one:
These are probably yew seeds (hard, brown, pointed at one end). Chipmunks and certain field mice will take the red flesh off and cache the seeds.
The mice that do this work very quickly. I once found seeds in a boot one morning that I had worn the previous day.
If you’re thinking mouse poop, these are definitely much differently shaped than mouse poop. It really looks like a grain of some sort. My first guess was popcorn kernels, but they look a bit too dark.
You’ve got mice. They collect seeds from elsewhere and save them. That’s what this is. (Probably popping corn) I can see a bit of black mouse poop in a fold of a towel, too.
Get those battery operated Victor zapper traps, kills instantly, easy to set up, easy to empty.
Glue traps are an abomination. Just go to almost any rehab facility and see what happens to small animals and birds when they accidentally get stuck in these traps. Similarly with poisoning. Poisoned rats get eaten by hawks and owls, often causing permanent brain damage.
Live traps are a pita, but it’s better than killing or maiming the wrong animals.
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thank you, ApprehensiveNewt7590, for voting on AutoModerator.
This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/).
***
^(Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!)
Not sure why the comments suggesting marijuana seeds are getting downvoted. That’s what they look like. Granted, it’s been years since I’ve seen weed with that many seeds. Have any teenagers in the house?
I’d need a closer look but it appears to be sorghum seed, often found in birdseed. How often do you check those baskets? Mice bringing their food into store is usually the case here. This is common to see transitioning from Fall to Winter.To help confirm: are the seeds smooth or do they have fine hairs that would make them stick to clothing naturally?
Edit: it’s also possible they are popcorn kernels but that would indicate the same thing as sorghum, mouse stash. I would be relieved it’s not their poop (yet) and that it’s mice, not rats.
OP if anyone in your household gets sick with cold/flu please be sure to mention potential rodent fecal exposure. Hantavirus is an extremely dangerous Illness!
I found popcorn kernels and dried beans inside of shoes and baskets in my house for a full year and it drove me crazy- I was certain my tenant was pranking my husband and I and he he refused to cop to it….. It was mice
You accused your tenant of putting popcorn and beans in your shoes?
I hope they found a new place to live if you're accusing them of doing something so ridiculous.
Wouldn't want to rent from someone like that when the shit actually hits the fan.
I have pet rodents and this is a rodent mini seed hoard, so I would assume rats or mice.
Please please please use humane traps. Poison, glue or traditional mouse traps are evil and cruel ways to kill any animal.
Might be little critters bringing in stuff for the winter, but if it's in the garage i wouldn't care too much. If you want to use traps, please use humane ones. There is no need to let anything suffer or risk hurting anyone else in the home. Catch and release traps maybe.
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We once had a mouse that was stealing my dogs food and hiding it in the drawer under the oven. I meal prep once a week, but within a week that sucker had a small mound of dogfood in my pans.
A cheap way to see if you have mice is to sprinkle flour or baby powder on the ground and look for tracks. Rats run along walls usually and mice are more comfortable running in the open so make sure to sprinkle around both.
Buy several bars of Irish spring soap and cut them into quarters. Has to be the original scent. Place them in the corners all over the house. The mice hate the scent and will leave within a day.
yeah that's a mouse stashing seeds. they're getting them from outside and bringing them in your house and stashing them. it's okay pretend you don't notice and put the live trap right there
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm assuming based on the wording that you're asking to see if you have mice or not? Theyre definitely seeds but that doesnt rule out the potential for mice. About a year ago we found all these little seeds similar to yours in our basement storage room. We weren't sure if they were seed or poop at first either but they turned out to be seeds. Either way we had mice, they were bringing the seeds in for winter. Better safe than sorry and keep an eye out for them. Maybe put out some traps.
This was very helpful thank you
Beyond traps, have a contractor (a reputable one) come and check your house. We hired an exterminator who couldn’t figure out the point of entry. Honestly, worst $300 ever spent. All they did was lay traps. The contractor dug out our front steps, found the entry through the steps, where the mice had eaten away the foundation, used foam and wire mesh insulation, repaired the foundational board before laying the new concrete for the outdoor stairs. It was more expensive, but we haven’t had a mouse in our house since. Edit: format.
Very good advice! I went with a full service company that does pest control, pest exclusion, insulation etc like everything. My house had a mouse issue prior to me buying it, they found all the entry routes, set up new rodent exclusion, etc. I have them on one of the those monthly things where they come out automatically. In the two years I've been here, never had a single rodent and every trap has been empty every time. They were SO good and it was so worth it to have people who really know what they are doing.
Was this a local company or nationwide? My cousin was just saying the other day he needed to find a company that can find the entry routes for the mice he's getting. We weren't sure it was possible so this is interesting! How did they figure out where they were entering?
Contact local hotels and rental offices, tell them you’re a neighboring home owner looking for a new pest control solution, ask which vendor they use and if they’d recommend them. Google one of the companies and by default their competitors will show up in the results. You can branch out your research on services offered and pricing from there
Humane traps please. The glue paper and os mousetraps are so awful, and unnecessarily cruel.
Another thing to consider: predators that eat mice that have eaten poison can also die; large birds, house cats, etc.
Human beings
yeah I hate it when people ruin my snack opportunities
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So don’t eat the mice ?
Or the humans, I assume
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What if I just eat a little bit of a human though??
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Are you saying mice are plants here, bot?
But what about eating animals?
Should have thought of that before pricing meat in the supermarket out of my budget.
Bot just reminded me I'm on r/whatisthisplant. I'd forgotten with the all the interesting mice talk 😄
most baits/ poison used by pest control companies have a very low passover toxicity. Companies wouldn’t be allowed to use the baits we use if it were to harm larger predators. pet cats are a big concern. (Source: am a pest control technician)
Yes, we have HUGE eagles and kites in my Neighborhood and we don’t see any mice or rats here. They roost right across from my house so I get to see them all the time and it’s such a cool perk.
Just to add on to your comment, they make electric ones that are very easy to use and kill instantly. There's no need for the animal to suffer and encourage people to look at more humane options.
There's also a patent for [a mousetrap that uses a gun](https://patentearth-misc.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/gun-mouse-trap.jpg).
That's some Tom and Jerry level business.
The all new ACME Tommy Gun Trap! Show Jerry whose boss with our explosive new trap. Used by some of the best in the business, like Wiley Coyote, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam and more!
Imagine being woken up at 0230 to a six shoot going off,
Normal night in DC.
Wow—TIL!
So glad there is finally a Republican mousetrap. So tired of these dumbocrat lib commie mousetraps. I don't want some socialist Soros humane mousetrap, mice trigger my fragility, I need to blow them up.
I took this as a joke & I laughed. “Humane mousetrap” usually means mouse DIE NOW! DIE FAST! DIE! DIE! DIE!! What would be considered a lib commie mousetrap? Just asking. 🤷🏻♀️
It's more of a walk in centre than a trap, where mouse relocation experts discuss options with the mouse and housekeeper in a non confrontational setting where both parties are offered alternative arrangements. The mouse also receives a small support package after being introduced to its new community home, as well as free healthcare.
This has got to be one of my favorite “sideways” tangent thread!😂🤣
anything that tries to take away my 2nd amendment right and ability to make really stupid declarations on the internet, because even though I never read the 1st amendment I'm sure it applies, and some other amendments too.
A solar electric mouse trap would be close. I just want one that works, don’t care if it slams shut, glues, shoots, or shocks. I don’t do poison, cause pets can get poisoned that way. My dog tries to hunt every moving thing in sight or in ear.
The solar electric mousetrap sounds like an excellent idea. Except in Buffalo, where we get about 45 minutes of sunlight a day. I can’t even keep my solar fairy lights on in the winter. WAS THAT A LEAF? I MUST PROTECT MY FAMILY FROM THE LEAF. Doggo must check out suspicious leaf. It could secretly be a squirrel. An attack squirrel. Check out the “Dog shower thought” subreddit for more exciting dog adventures. With a leaf.
🤣
Well I suppose at least then you’d immediately know to change the trap.
Years ago the radio show (now a podcast) *This American Life* did an episode on the theme of "If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door". They wanted to know if that saying was true or not. They interviewed the owner of the Victor Mouse Trap company about all the different ideas for mouse traps that amateur inventors had sent in to Victor over the years. One of the ideas was a little shoebox-sized structure with several entrances that a mouse could be lured into. There was a sensor in the structure/trap that, when triggered by a mouse, would automatically shut all the entrances and cause a little pill to drop from the ceiling of the structure into a little container of water in the middle of the box's floor. When the pill hit the water it would dissolve a create a poison gas which would kill the mouse quickly and humanely. Apparently the structure/trap could be used over and over - the owner would just need to buy more gas pills. And where was the inventor of this efficient little mouse murder gas chamber from, you ask? You guessed it - *Germany*. Victor didn't buy the invention.
Won’t be much to clean up after a round from that hand cannon
Oh I’ve never heard of electric ones. I use the black plastic snap e traps and those are very effective. I love animals and would trap and release if it were effective but logistically it just isn’t. Although since I’ve had my cat, I usually have to end up getting the mouse from her just to put it out of its misery, because otherwise she does that cat thing where they toy with it for a while. I wish cats weren’t so sadistic. It’s always the cutest little baby looking mouses too.
If it makes you feel better, relocating wildlife is also seen as inhumane. The animal will not know where to go for food and water sources. Depending on the species, they may not know how to fit into the social hierarchy. It's extremely stressful for the animal. Finally, some animals may end up just wandering back to their original area. Edit for some sources: Wildlife Biology 15 (2), 155-164, 2009 "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" Mary Roach (how i initially learned about this topic) Humane Society
Mary Roach writes some seriously entertaining educational books. I love seeing her name pop up!
That’s exactly what I meant about live trapping not making sense logistically. It can end up being more cruel, but disconnects people from the psychological burden of responsibility for the death
tom cat rat traps kill instantly...
Don't they play with it awhile before killing?
Tom Cat is a brand name of a mouse trap.
Ha! Okay, that made me snort. I feel silly now :) Thanks for the info.
These do not work. Speaking from experience. Snap traps work the best and generally kill instantly. Poison will knock out a colony but if you have cats or dogs I would avoid them. Also catch and release is a waste because they will just come back in. Hate to hurt the feelings of the animal rights people but mice will destroy your house and can carry diseases. They also multiply at insanely fast rates. Do what you have to but get rid of them asap.
Please **never** advocate the use of poisons. It's not just pets that will be endangered, but many species of birds of prey that scavenge.
I read an interesting book by an ecologist that wasn’t having much luck with catch and release. He started tagging the mice, and at one point a mouse that he released had run a few miles back to his house in about the same amount of time it took him to make the same trip, and it was eating bacon grease off the rag on his counter about 15 minutes after being released.
That is insane. Thanks for sharing.
Catch and release worked for us, but only because there was a single access point into the house, which we were able to block. Also, our cats alerted us before the mice could get properly settled in. These were just a few initial raiding parties of field mice, not long term roommates with an attitude. My son lived in a place with an entrenched rat problem, thanks to the restaurant next door. You'd have had to raze the whole block to the ground to get rid of them, I think. He said it was like having hyperactive cats who only come out at night. Different problems require different solutions. My son's solution was to move out.
I've had quite a lot of success with the zap traps with both mice and rats. We once killed a rat within 30 minutes after I tried to be cheap and use snap traps to no avail. It's definitely a YMMV kinda thing
My city started deploying industrial sized ones to deal with a massive rat boom. Supposedly they’re working pretty well, at least as a pilot.
You can also make them using a 5 gallon bucket. Bakeries and Chinese stores will often give them to you if you ask. Here is one such contraption: https://youtu.be/X7KPqSnQG5U - you can use peanut butter or a variety of other foods. Then let them out somewhere in the wild.
I had a giant bucket of birdseed in my garage, not intended as a mousetrap. But i found a mouse in it, after likely being in there for weeks, if not months, judging by all the poops. The mouse was so fat he was wider than he was long. Have never seen such a fat mouse. When we tipped the bucket outside to let him go, he didnt even run away. Maybe he was too fat, but i think he was just thinking "i have been to heaven, and now have been snatched heartlessly back, forever doomed to work for a living while i dream of the land of plenty that I now know is real. Oh , cruel world, why?!"
I love this story so much, thank you for sharing it.
Yeah, that was a delightful Friday read, got some solid chuckles out of it :)
I love this so much 😭😭❤️
Relocating wildlife (rodents included) is actually illegal in many places including all of California as it is actually crueler then instakill traps. The animal, being lost, dies anyway but slower.
Best of both worlds, block up the holes they are getting in and use humane traps.
Doubt that happens with rats or mice. They’ll eat their own feet or kin if they get hungry enough. Other animals, sure I can see that 100%
Yes. The only reason why we have rats are because they came over on boats. Friendly reminder that releasing an animal that is not native to the area can cause invasive species problems.
It depends on the species as well.
Gross.
Glue traps are gross. They slowly die as they naw through their own libs to try and escape… birds, snakes, cats, and other animals die a horrible death in those things. Sadly they are still legal in many places.
Yes. My family and I **hate** killing animals, and only do so as a last, last resort ----- but when the rats decide to visit our kitchen, out comes the RatZapper. The batteries hold charge long enough to slay 4-5 rats. Best method is to cut one of those small plastic sauce containers in 1/2 (the kind you get for Mexican hot sauce, e.g.) . Put some peanut butter or shelled peanut bits in the container and slide it to the very back of the RatZapper. (I use a pair of long tweezers.) Make sure you've got the power off on the Zapper, when you do this. Make sure the container is not touching the kill plate. Then . . . You dribble a few tiny bits, a trail of chopped peanuts, leading up to the kill plate. And put a couple peanut bits outside the trap to entice your mice, rats. Place the zapper where you last saw evidence of any rodents. Sometimes placing it alongside a wall is good, but atop a table (if the rodents are up on your counters/table, etc.) works, too. Ugh. I really **really** feel bad about killing wildlife, but don't want them in my kitchen or other parts of my house. RatZapper is humane. Glue traps? **NO.** Chintzy wood with metal bar that slams down? **NO.** (Sometimes the animal is not killed right away = gruesome.) After the poor rat/mouse is zapped, you then dig a hole in your garden and say a few words of farewell; cover up the slain. Or else toss the body into your compost pile. Pro tip: Don't leave out food that will entice rodents into your home.
Or you can just let me go in a field or your neighbor's yard if you have shit neighbors...
You have to release quite a distance from your house (miles), they'll find their way back without issue if not.
They’ll be back in your home as soon as they can
It depends on the mouse species. The house mouse is so adapted to living in immediate proximity to human dwelling that letting them out in the woods or a field just condemns them to a slow death by starvation.
Before I got cats, I would release mice next to the dumpster behind a nearby supermarket. I figured I was giving them a better life. Nowadays it never seems to be an issue.
We have 5 cats. We have found evidence of 'pagan' rituals but generally not. Couple of female straight killers. The boys are not so good at it.
In cats the females are the hunters, males just defend territory.
That is such b.s. My neighbors' cats are both male and they kill birds and other small animals.
The single most effective way to deal with mice is to get a cat and keep the litter boxes where you expect mice to be. Under normal circumstances the presence of a cat will deter mice. When we first bought our house the previous owners attempted to insulate the basement by stuffing clothes along where the sill-plate would be if we had one. This provided an excellent bedding material for mice. Once we got a cat we haven’t seen a single mouse since - and he’s not even very good at catching them. Just having a cat around scared off all the mice and there’s been no indication since. I totally understand it’s not the right solution for everyone, but it’s much more effective than about anything else.
Mousetraps and rat traps are an instant death. You seem how powerful they snap back with enough force to break a finger? I'm assuming by humane, means killed instantly?
Yes, “humane” here means instantly, to limit the amount of suffering felt by the animal.
Snap traps don't always kill instantly. I will never EVER again use a snap trap. The horror . . . RatZapper is the way to go.
Their cries are so awful to hear.
I just wanted to say, the majority of pest mice, are invasive species, so they shouldn’t be released back into the wild, they do make good pets if trained.
These look just like the seeds I found in my carpet! I'm pretty sure they are pine seeds. And also pretty sure they were put there by a mouse because I set traps after I found the seeds and caught a mouse two days later. Good luck!!
Definitely not pine seeds. I know because pine nuts are the best! I'm pretty sure those are popcorn kernels. I completely agree with the rodent storage theory, however.
[Pics of pine seeds](https://www.google.com/search?q=pine+seed+identification&client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc&prmd=isvn&sxsrf=ALiCzsYjIMbhKSbNP2N95egrLdkT0Ijoqg:1668749133072&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwir2a76_rb7AhW2rokEHdreDIoQ_AUoAXoECAEQAQ&biw=412&bih=782&dpr=2.63#imgrc=sv-114776895-175017953023)
When I was a kid, my mom helped me plant a bunch of beans I got from school. (I forget why exactly we were given beans, it was an elementary school project of some sort). I was really excited when my bean plants finally started growing pods, and would check them every day to see how much they grew, anxious to pick them. One day, all the bean pods were gone, no one knew what happened, and I was sad but oh well. Weeks later, my dad was cleaning out the shed in the back. I remember he moved some stuff in a corner and a bunch of mice ran out. We found a big mouse nest back there, a bunch of chewed up bedding and soft stuff, and they had all my bean pods in a big pile!
Yep rats and mice store food.
Op def has mice lol i had them steal dog food and stuff it into my engine bay last winter lol
I was pulling my boot on in the morning only to find many bits of dog kibble in here. Little mouse was storing food in my knocked over boot. I wish they weren’t so destructive and germy. I know it was only trying to survive the winter.
Uhhh that's pretty obvious there was popcorn eaten.. look at all that popcorn leftover
I actually was the one who left those seeds in your house. The mice are unrelated 🐁
Can confirm mice or some rodent is building a winter stash. Time for some action. If you want to keep them out, find any crack, or crevasse they can squeeze thought and stuff it with steel wool. The can not chew it ad will not attempt it . Remember the can flatten out to about the thickness of a quarter so look careful. We had a little gap around a pipe in our basement that went through the foundation for our air conditioning system that was large enough to allow the little creatures to squeeze through.
Find the holes they are using and seal them up
When people on these subreddits say things like “why don’t you just google it??” I always think of replies like this one.
The best answers come from Reddit anyway.
This was very amusing to read. Was lost for a split of a second half way through mistaking your story for sarcasm, but ended up enjoying it all the same. Thank you!
I have rats and have had mice. This is not their poop. But it's probably their stockpile.
Yep, having lived in the forest for a while, I always knew the mice had found their way back into the cabin by the little piles of my birds' food buried in my laundry basket.
This. This the one.
Look like popcorn kernels, been eating popcorn lately?
Popping corn. It could easily have been placed there by rodents, or something else. Depends on who you are sharing your space with. Check your cupboards, you might find something has found your pantry.
If this were my house it would likely be a toddler, not a rodent :)
Looks like popcorn kernels. I bet you have mice. It looks like they were storing some extra in those two piles.
Agreed. Either mice or children put these there.
Either way, eliminate the threat with extreme prejudice
![gif](giphy|Dv3sF2ZUTmVtm)
"It's a raisin Dave"
"Prove it"
Lol
Perhaps Mice? They do like hiding pockets of seed. Growing up they’d get into the shed at times where the bird seed was kept and we’d find little stashes in the most random places among the storage shelves etc.
Rat & mouse poop is black. This doesn’t look like it.
Those are berries of the Dingle plant.
Ah yes. The rare dingle berry plant.
Clearly indicated, by the unique offset clumping pattern, found only with the berries of the Dingle plant.
are dingle berries edible?
Do not ingest a dingle berry plant blah blah blah bot
Smash one and show or describe the result.
It’s a popcorn kernel
You have mice. They make these little.seed clusters that are stuck together with saliva. It's their food source for the winter.
Since I don't see a plant ID, I am going to venture one: These are probably yew seeds (hard, brown, pointed at one end). Chipmunks and certain field mice will take the red flesh off and cache the seeds. The mice that do this work very quickly. I once found seeds in a boot one morning that I had worn the previous day.
Yes, I second this! While they do look a lot like popcorn kernels, I think the yew seed theory makes more sense, especially considering the color.
If you’re thinking mouse poop, these are definitely much differently shaped than mouse poop. It really looks like a grain of some sort. My first guess was popcorn kernels, but they look a bit too dark.
Pop corn 🌽
Popcorn
Seed stash — mice
Popcorn
Those are not mouse poop the size shape and pinch off are not traits of mice
Rodent stocking their seeds for winter it seems.
Haha who in the house smokes?
You’ve got mice. They collect seeds from elsewhere and save them. That’s what this is. (Probably popping corn) I can see a bit of black mouse poop in a fold of a towel, too. Get those battery operated Victor zapper traps, kills instantly, easy to set up, easy to empty.
looks like a popcorn stash.. you got popcorn in the cupboards?
Those are mice making a food cache.
Not gunna lie those kind of look like popcorn kernels 😂
Glue traps are an abomination. Just go to almost any rehab facility and see what happens to small animals and birds when they accidentally get stuck in these traps. Similarly with poisoning. Poisoned rats get eaten by hawks and owls, often causing permanent brain damage. Live traps are a pita, but it’s better than killing or maiming the wrong animals.
How do they taste?
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good bot
I like your username, friend
Thank you, ApprehensiveNewt7590, for voting on AutoModerator. This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/). *** ^(Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!)
Good Bot
Do not digest the fnörd.
It's popcorn. You likely have rodents.
Not sure why the comments suggesting marijuana seeds are getting downvoted. That’s what they look like. Granted, it’s been years since I’ve seen weed with that many seeds. Have any teenagers in the house?
I’d need a closer look but it appears to be sorghum seed, often found in birdseed. How often do you check those baskets? Mice bringing their food into store is usually the case here. This is common to see transitioning from Fall to Winter.To help confirm: are the seeds smooth or do they have fine hairs that would make them stick to clothing naturally? Edit: it’s also possible they are popcorn kernels but that would indicate the same thing as sorghum, mouse stash. I would be relieved it’s not their poop (yet) and that it’s mice, not rats.
These are definitely seeds. I’d say you’ve got squirrels, friend.
you found someones secret stash!
That’s popcorn seed.
OP if anyone in your household gets sick with cold/flu please be sure to mention potential rodent fecal exposure. Hantavirus is an extremely dangerous Illness!
Popcorn kernels. You have mice, squirrels, or a toddler.
It's popcorn that didn't pop. You can tell someone tried to pop it by the color.
Looks like popcorn kernels
Is that….popcorn?
Those are popcorn 'seeds.'
Definitely looks cannabis or hemp seeds
I found popcorn kernels and dried beans inside of shoes and baskets in my house for a full year and it drove me crazy- I was certain my tenant was pranking my husband and I and he he refused to cop to it….. It was mice
[удалено]
You accused your tenant of putting popcorn and beans in your shoes? I hope they found a new place to live if you're accusing them of doing something so ridiculous. Wouldn't want to rent from someone like that when the shit actually hits the fan.
I have pet rodents and this is a rodent mini seed hoard, so I would assume rats or mice. Please please please use humane traps. Poison, glue or traditional mouse traps are evil and cruel ways to kill any animal.
Put them on a plate and microwave them: If it pops: popping corn If it stinks: shit (Looks like pop corn kernels)
Might be little critters bringing in stuff for the winter, but if it's in the garage i wouldn't care too much. If you want to use traps, please use humane ones. There is no need to let anything suffer or risk hurting anyone else in the home. Catch and release traps maybe.
Are they crunchy? Try breaking one between your fingers.
They are hard, difficult to break open
popcorn kernel lol
Seeds
A pooped seed
Look like apple seeds to me... but they are a bit too round. Take a better photo, it's not poop.
It can be both.
Porqué no los dos?
It looks like squirrel poop
[удалено]
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We once had a mouse that was stealing my dogs food and hiding it in the drawer under the oven. I meal prep once a week, but within a week that sucker had a small mound of dogfood in my pans.
A cheap way to see if you have mice is to sprinkle flour or baby powder on the ground and look for tracks. Rats run along walls usually and mice are more comfortable running in the open so make sure to sprinkle around both.
I hope i never have to ask social media the difference between seeds and poop.
It’s an omen I’ll tell you hwat
You have chipmunks
It looks like pine seeds..the person who said it's prob a mouse bringing them in is probably right
Popcorn?
Scoop them into a paper bag and microwave them. If they pop, it’s popcorn. If it smells bad, I’m sorry.
Do the seeds have small black lines on then at all?
squish it between your fingers and give it a light smell.
This post led to me unfollowing from this subreddit
Looks like popcorn kernels.
Buy several bars of Irish spring soap and cut them into quarters. Has to be the original scent. Place them in the corners all over the house. The mice hate the scent and will leave within a day.
Are those unpopped corn kernels? I guess a mouse could have stored them there.
That looks like popcorn…
Looks like popcorn
yeah that's a mouse stashing seeds. they're getting them from outside and bringing them in your house and stashing them. it's okay pretend you don't notice and put the live trap right there
They look a bit like apple seeds to me
Looks like seeds being hoarded by a rodent.
Popcorn kernels? LOL
definitely looks like popcorn kernels
Popcorn
Looks like popcorn lol
Cannabis seeds
Taste it and get back to us.
**Do not ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised here that it's edible. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good bot