Mice

Tue 18 Jan 2022, 18:38

Wasn't there something called the "mosquito" that Oxford City council installed near Bonn Square, supposed to emit a signal of a frequency to deter teenagers gathering, but be above the level or range of hearing of anyone older? Well myself and a lot of older people, supposedly immune, could hear it quite well (at least I heard it distinctly on a radio programme where they had recorded it; ironically the sound person on the radio outdoor broadcast crew was the only person on said crew who couldn't hear it on the recording). That would have been around the time we moved here from Oxford so with it the end of my regular weekly cycle trips into the town centre from the northern "suburb" we used to live. I can't now recall whether I ever heard the noise in vivo or only on the radio about it...  Now at 66 years very much doubt I'd hear it as, even though having a good frequency score a few years back, the frequency sensitivity drops precipitously with advancing years. The problem with the mosquito was sales-hype, for to be able to sweep up "all" pestilential yoof given to mass gatherings, they had to drop the frequency to a range where a lot of people of older age cohorts could hear it. Damn nuisance, statistical distribution bell-curves. 

Mon 17 Jan 2022, 16:23

Right you are, Malcolm. 😳

Mon 17 Jan 2022, 14:44

Having been having trouble with hearing speech had a hearing test about 5 years back. Speech perception nothing to do with my actual audial acuity at all- in my early 60s could still hear just under 21kHz, 21,000 cycles per second. Knew I had good high frequency hearing from being a Guinea Pig for labs as a student where could just about hear one species of bat but wasn’t expecting anywhere near at 60+! Deterioration is fast with age apparently so now probably nowhere near !

There will be a small but noticeable number of younger people who will hear pest controls unless they are pushed up past 25kHz min I would wager.

Mon 17 Jan 2022, 14:34

We’ve a Cockapoo bitch, about 14 months old now, who’s in a stark contrast to our ever so gentle Goldendoodle. She’s a killer so far caught voles and one small but quick rabbit  :-( Ever so fast. I do sometimes think she should be rehomed to a young active family on a smallholding and not with us ageing lot. She is a very loving family dog despite the Jekyll/Hyde contrast. I don’t altogether jest if you wanted to borrow her for a day or so…

Mon 17 Jan 2022, 08:55

Stop feeding the cats and see what happens. ;-)

Sun 16 Jan 2022, 18:00

Neighbour's cat would happily catch all your mice for you, provided you gave him cover to hide behind, but I don't think he'd be happy in a strange house. 

Sun 16 Jan 2022, 17:55

Thanks for all your suggestions.I rang WODC and they gave me a number. My cats sit and watch as the mice run straight past !

Sun 16 Jan 2022, 15:13 (last edited on Sun 16 Jan 2022, 15:17)

Another person here, along with daughters, who could hear a neighbour’s new ultrasonic cat repeller. Fortunately, they were very good neighbours and removed it for us immediately.

Sun 16 Jan 2022, 12:53

Please don’t believe that the plug-in devices are inaudible to humans. They are inaudible to some humans and really, really annoying to others. In my 30s I could regularly hear ultrasonic cat repellers and couldn’t sleep if there was one plugged in next door. I suspect I’m less prone to them now but they will annoy others!

Sun 16 Jan 2022, 12:27

The plug in devices work really well. As do owls...

Fri 14 Jan 2022, 16:48

I'll second Richard Brooks

Fri 14 Jan 2022, 09:06

You can buy a plug-in device that gives off a sound in your house, inaudible to humans, and keeps the mice away

Fri 14 Jan 2022, 08:21

Richard Brooks is your man, see his entry in the Business section, General category, Charlbury Pest Control.

Fri 14 Jan 2022, 08:17

Hi does anyone have a number for a mouse control company ? My mousetraps are not working.Nor are my cats doing their job