Locker neighhbor won't get rid of her cookies...

[Scribbler]

Regardless of what kind of tin you buy your locker partner, you must bring the general mouse problem up with management because the solutions have to be implemented in the whole barn. Mice travel.mice replicate. Mice are destructive and spread disease. They can’t be eliminated but there can be controlled a bit.

In my barn the mice thrive off the seed heads of the Timothy hay in the lofts. It’s one thing to lock up all your brain but you can’t lock up all the hay! They got out of control this past summer until we changed exterminators.

So nice can live off the hayseed and nest in your blanket box and pee and poop on everything.

As far as your locker mate thinking you are overstepping, how do you know? She night be silently rolling her eyes every time she sees you sweeping. You just don’t know.

[dotneko]

Locker neighbors doesn’t mean they share a locker. I assume it means they have adjacent lockers. Our three locker rooms have 12 lockers apiece.
As a barn owner, i would not be pleased to find a boarder put out DCon, as one poster suggested.

[kwpn_01]

@dotneko

Locker neighbors doesn’t mean they share a locker. I assume it means they have adjacent lockers. Our three locker rooms have 12 lockers apiece.
As a barn owner, i would not be pleased to find a boarder put out DCon, as one poster suggested.

You are correct, we do not share a locker per se, but they are side by side. They were built with plywood so mice can run from one locker to the next fairly easily from the inside. They snack in neighbors locker, and then come pooping into mine.

[kwpn_01]

@Scribbler

Regardless of what kind of tin you buy your locker partner, you must bring the general mouse problem up with management because the solutions have to be implemented in the whole barn. Mice travel.mice replicate. Mice are destructive and spread disease. They can’t be eliminated but there can be controlled a bit.

In my barn the mice thrive off the seed heads of the Timothy hay in the lofts. It’s one thing to lock up all your brain but you can’t lock up all the hay! They got out of control this past summer until we changed exterminators.

So nice can live off the hayseed and nest in your blanket box and pee and poop on everything.

As far as your locker mate thinking you are overstepping, how do you know? She night be silently rolling her eyes every time she sees you sweeping. You just don’t know.

I agree. I have brought the issue up with the BO, we have a very good relationship/friendship so hopefully this will mitigate the issue.

Also a possibility on the over-stepping part, this seems to describe her personality quite well. I really just want the best for everyone and to avoid silly, unnecessary conflict.

[high_hat]

@anon40672407

Do you want to solve the problem, or defeat the locker mate? Be bold.

Love the above.

OMG just buy her a mouse proof container and move on. Happy Valentines Day to her and you and everyone else.

[trubandloki]

Another way to do this - “Suzy, I picked up some metal containers at the dollar store and have an extra so you can put Dobbin’s treats in something so the mice do not keep contaminating Dobbin’s treats. I figured it is hard for you to get to the store and I am sure you want to keep Dobbin’s treats safe from those annoying rodents so here you go”.

I do agree that the rodent issue does need to be brought up to the management so they can try to deal with it.

[CanteringCarrot]

If this is literally the only problem I have/had at this stable, I’d just gift her a container and move on.

[kwpn_01]

Update: BO advised me that we couldn’t do much until spring when the cats can get into the locker rooms. I was advised that bounce sheets and moth balls would help remedy the mice.

Looks like I’m buying locker buddy a treat tin. Happy Valentine’s Day!

[Scribbler]

You might want to consider how to mouse
”‹”‹”‹”‹proof your own locker. If there are gaps in construction fill them with steel wool or crumpled tin foil. Get everything out and scrub the poop and pee out with peppermint soap. Put loose gear in sealed plastic bins. Reduce the opportunity for mice to hide, nest, linger. Etc

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@crosscreeksh

THIS!!
And buy some "DeCon to place in the lockers!! Out of the reach of barn dogs and cats!

It doesn’t matter if the poison is out of the reach of the cats and dogs - if they get hold of a mouse that’s had it, they, too, are going to be poisoned by it. Not to mention any wildlife that feed on those mice.

[chestnutmarebeware]

There will still be mice even if every food source is removed. They nest in the walls and like to chew blankets and saddle pads for bedding. Mice are just a part of a horse barn.

[chestnutgelding]

So sorry to hear about the critter problem OP! I once had a momma mouse give birth in my helmet bag so I feel very strongly about mice in tack rooms. The family of mice moved in because of a similar situation, everyone was keeping treats /not keeping the room clean. It really comes down to a matter of respect for others and keeping a shared space clean. It really isn’t that hard to get cheap containers to put your treats in. If barn management won’t do anything about it (which makes me sad to hear) I guess I would go ahead and buy her a treat container. I second the mothballs and dryer sheets, they really work!
To people saying it isn’t any of your business, they are wrong. Everyone needs to respect the shared space and each other’s property. It is unfortunate that barn management doesn’t take enough pride in a clean mice-free facility and isn’t encouraging proper food storage. Mice don’t have to be apart of the barn environment. Keeping food out of reach, a handful of cats around, and keeping some mothballs in the lockers will keep the mice away.
I personally would be bothered that the barn allows a working student to not comply with basic barn hygiene but maybe that’s just me. If you don’t mind spending a little extra cash, get her a bin for treats and toss some mothballs in her locker too.
Best of luck to you and I hope you have luck with getting those gross little critters away!

[TMares]

I would be modifying my locker from the inside out to ensure the mice cannot get in, period. Metal flashing is cheap and easy to install.

[trubandloki]

@chestnutgelding

To people saying it isn’t any of your business, they are wrong. Everyone needs to respect the shared space and each other’s property.

I read it more that bossing around the other boarders is not within the rights of another boarder.
Nothing wrong with the OP having a discussion with their fellow boarders about some nifty ideas on how to better deal with the mice, etc.

Respecting the shared space has nothing to do with demanding the other boarders do something in their locker the way you want them to do it.

Helping a young person have appropriate storage for their treats is a nice thing. Demanding they must do something is not.

I also think this young person will appreciate the help to keep Dobbin’s treats safe. Being bossed around by another boarder, not so much.

[Posting_Trot]

The management can’t or won’t do anything until it’s warmer and the cats can be in the locker room? That’s a bit wacko. I mean the mice move into the locker room when it’s cold outside, and when it’s warmer they’re probably okay with going outside again.

But, I’m with the poster above who stated that if this is the biggest problem you have at this barn, by all means just buy your neighbor a metal treat tin and give it to her as a gift.

While you’re at it, you can get some peppermint extract and a few cotton balls, and a plastic cup or some such to put the cotton balls in. Put several drops of peppermint extract on each of the cotton balls, and then place them in the locker. Refresh them every month or so with more peppermint extract. Mice hate the smell, and (to me) it smells nicer than dryer sheets. (It will also repel spiders).

[mmeqcenter]

@chestnutmarebeware

There will still be mice even if every food source is removed. They nest in the walls and like to chew blankets and saddle pads for bedding. Mice are just a part of a horse barn.

I guess, to an extent. Of all the barns I’ve boarded at, I have never been at a barn with visible mice nor any evidence of mice (droppings, chewed equipment, etc.), not even the little “backyard” boarding barns. Just because they exist outside, doesn’t mean they’re inside the tack room destroying all your stuff. They nest near a reliable food source, therefore if there is no reliable food source in the tack room, they’re not likely to just suddenly decide to nest there. An existing infestation should be taken care of with traps, an exterminator, etc., and once all of the current mice are eliminated, sealing off all food sources is an excellent preventative to keep others from moving in down the line.

[Casey09]

A lot of people in barns don’t put treats in a different container. Personally I have a thing about mice and it does bother me, but I’m not sure that it does everyone.
I think you’re on the right track to just buy her a container. It doesn’t sound like management is that concerned, so you are on your own. I’d never use d con, but I’d try the rest of it and maybe peppermint tea bags also. I’d also take home anything that I really could do without.

[enjoytheride]

@kwpn_01

Update: BO advised me that we couldn’t do much until spring when the cats can get into the locker rooms. I was advised that bounce sheets and moth balls would help remedy the mice.

Looks like I’m buying locker buddy a treat tin. Happy Valentine’s Day!

If you tried to boss all the boarders around by buying them tins I wouldn’t be surprised to find the tin in the trash. You tried being bossy. Then you tried complaining to mgmt. Mgmt gave you their answer. So now you’re moving on to being passive aggressive.

Just ask to move away from this person or switch barns.

I agree that mice can cause a lot of damage, but you aren’t in charge.

[cayuse]

I dont have any advice to add, everyone else has it covered, but does this thread sound familiar? I’m honestly having “deja vu all over again” reading it. Is it me or is there another “mouse in the locker/cookie thread” somewhere? Could be that I’m just nuts. It’s been a long winter.
OP I hope that you solve your dilemma. The moth balls might help if you can stand the smell.

[2DogsFarm]

There are rodent poisons that do not have secondary effects on animals that eat poisoned vermin.
They act as anti-coagulants on the target, that animal dies from hemmorhaging.
Anything that eats the poisoned body does not suffer the same effect.

For those suggesting peppermint oil or naptha (mothballs):
The rats in my chicken coop ignored both.
I went with the No Secondary poisoned bait & in a couple weeks, no more rats.
I did see a chicken eating a dead mouse & no I’ll effects.