Predator scents to discourage house mice

[Coluber42]

I've heard that cats are fairly effective at keeping mice out of the house (well, out of living areas anyway) even if they don't catch mice, because the mice smell cats and will avoid areas frequented by predators. Specifically, it's particularly the smell of cat urine that does it. So, one recommendation I've heard as a mouse remedy if you don't have cats is to put out a small dish of used kitty litter in areas where there's evidence of mice. It needs to be kept fresh regularly for a couple of weeks, and eventually the mice will learn to avoid the area (until enough young'uns have been born and grow up that are too young to remember, at which point you have to repeat the process).
We occasionally get mice in our kitchen, and I was wondering if anyone has tried this with the scent of snake rather than the scent of cat. I haven't tried it with kitty litter either, but I don't have an in-house supply of that anyway; whereas I do have a supply of snake scent. Maybe even shed skin would work? Maybe pieces mushed up with a bit of water, to smell fresher?

We set traps from time to time, and sometimes we catch some. I won't use glue traps or poison because they're needlessly cruel, plus poison has the potential to get out into the ecosystem and hang around poisoning things. We live in an old house in a city full of old houses, so the likelihood of actually getting rid of them completely. But if occasionally setting out some soiled bedding would keep them out of the kitchen or wherever else we find them, that'd be nice.

[Reinz]

Interesting concept.

I wouldn't know about the cat litter thing since I've had cats my whole life. But would love to hear feedback on the snake scent.

[Kokorobosoi]

In theory it makes sense. In practice, I've had rats voluntarily walk right up to snake tubs and check things out. Unless I just have genetically flawed rats with no self preservation...

anyways, house mice should absolutely see a shed as a big ole warning sign and avoid. I would use some fresh shed and put it in the areas you think a snake would be if it got loose. Both mice and snakes look for tight spaces.

[Zincubus]

I've put Boa dung on our gardens for years to keep cats and dogs away .. Really works !

[bcr229]

We have 90 snakes in the house distributed over six rooms between the first and second floor. We also get wild field mice that make their way inside periodically. They don't seem to care about the snake smell.

[MarkS]

I've had a problem with house mice for years. I've also got a cat and many many snakes, I've surprised mice in the basement eating out of the cats food dish. They had to climb over her litter box in order to get to the food. The cat used to catch mice but since she's currently 19 years old she doesn't have much interest anymore. I've got a live catch trap set up in my snake room and I catch wild mice in it from time to time.