A mouse (or a shrew) problem

[carpetowl]

Help please. We have a mouse that visits our back porch every night leaving a trail of droppings and urine. Apart from some vegetables (onions, potatoes, leeks) that we leave there to keep cool - there's no other food source. So why does he come, do a few dumps, and then disappear? I know he comes into the porch from outside since, when I block up the entrance ( very inconvenient) there's no evidence of him in the morning. I've tried humane traps (I'm soft like that) but cheese, chocolate, currants - even a bit of leftover birthday cake - seem to hold no interest for him! So what else might work? Could it be a shrew? If so, what do shrews like to eat? Help and thanks in advance.

[Old_Geezer]

Clearly letting you know what it thinks of you.
Or maybe it gets nervous in your porch.
Can you borrow a cat for a few nights ?

[EDDIE51]

It will be a mouse , or several mice , they are after the veg you leave out.
Mice can eat anything even paper. Stop leaving food outside and get a proper trap or a cat. 'humane' traps are useless.

[ttfn]

Some mouse trap makers suggest that peanut butter is irresistible

[ethelburga]

I've always found they love salami!

[chas2008]

rodents are bit like cats/dogs once they have found a place to do their business they keep to the same area.When there is a serious mouse problem its their wee that you tend to smell first as they all use the same toilet !!You need to sort the problem well before it gets to that stage.I live backing onto fields and i keep poison down permanently the one year i didnt i caught over 100+ mice in my garage...lesson learnt.

[B00]

Could be worse...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVw-j8eYSk

[jno]

gosh... I'd be tempted to put a mousetrap down and kill one of those... I know you wouldn't, B00, but still....

[mrs.chappie]

We have caught several mice in our humane trap, using a piece of chorizo sausage. They seem to love it.

Mind you, we do wonder if it's the same little fella coming back, even though we release him about four miles away.