Aussie Finch Forum

I have been suspicious of mouse activity for a few weeks in one of my aviaries. It has a concrete floor and 12mm mesh. But could not find the mouse and I looked everywhere.
But low and behold this morning went outside and the mouse was caught in the act!!!
Photo is not very clear but it is stuck half way through the wire. Could not go forward of backwards!!
Initially I thought the wire was broken and it was squeezing through a double width wire.
But it was squeezing through a 12mm x 12mm hole. And it was an adult mouse.
So just goes to show.
I now want to put some colourbond sheeting around the lower part of the wire to mouse proof it.
Not 100% sure how high this should be. I read varying heights on the internet ranging from 200mm to 1200mm.
My issue is I don't want to ruin the look of the aviary with 1200mm sheeting.
So whats the minimum height that people would recommend?

I hope he got stuck under your boot after the photo.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=11733

600mm or if you use flat sheeting 450mm if you bend top out about 100mm and down about 30!! So you ent up with a shortened U if you get my drift

Can't offer any solution really, but I can sympathise with the finding.
I had a mouse infiltrate one of the aviaries when I had budgies. After getting fed up with the seed dishes hanging on the wire (same wire as in your photo) getting plundered, and the mice digging under the concrete, I hung a seed feeder from the roof - hard to get to I thought...until I found a drop of blood on the seed feeder one day, budgies were fine, looked up and saw a mouse stuck in the same position but obviously had hurt itself.
There was clear plastic all around the outside (with liftable flaps for warm days) which didn't look pretty and obviously didn't stop mice finding a way in. There was also concrete edging - again not enough to stop them digging under.

Ive had that happen, just shows what happens when they get greedy, too fat to get out through the wire.

Thanks for the advice.
The original photo was a mouse coming in.
Went out today and found another mouse stuck getting out!!! Had a FAT stomach this one.
Starting to think I have a real mouse problem.
And NO its not the same mouse (unless its name is Lazarus)

Lucky you got him in time, It looks like he was heading to steal your car.

i get them in this situation from time to time .. I always think I might take a pic and add the caption " does my bum look big in this "

Got me buggered how they can get in but cant get out , then again who cares so long as theyre dead

Tintola wrote:Lucky you got him in time, It looks like he was heading to steal your car.

jusdeb wrote:I always think I might take a pic and add the caption " does my bum look big in this "

jusdeb wrote: Got me buggered how they can get in but cant get out

Greed! I reckon they squeeze in when hungry then after gorging themselves on seed they are that fat they cant get back through the same hole.

Yes the second one (trapped while trying to get in) certainly had a fat stomach.

Also I had been suspicious for a while that there were mice, but never saw any in the aviary or any droppings. Just noticed that food was disappearing and a few things e.g. lebanese cucumber on the ground that the birds wouldn't do.

I have also heard of snakes being trapped in aviaries after eating birds because they couldn't get out.