A New Mouse Trap

[philromano@attglobal.net]

Does anyone know of a good way to deter the vermin from entering the piano?
I have a non-university client that would like to keep the mice out but
doesn't really want to use any lethal means. The piano is actually located
on a nature and animal preserve.

I have in the past seen the use of pipe tobacco spread under the keys. I
don't know if it was effective, but come to think of it there were never any
droppings, just a mess of tobacco! Is this just an old wives tale? What
other substances might work?

Phil Romano
Coastal Carolina University
Myrtle Beach, SC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Birkett" <birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2001 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: A New Mouse Trap


> > While I'm writing this, I'm trying to browse the list archives for hanta
> > virus, about which there was some extensive posting a few years
> > ago.  Unless it was a hoax,  the prudent course might be to read up and
do
> > a thorough cleaning, wearing the appropriate protective wear.
> >
> > No luck with the browser.  Maybe someone else can advise you on that.
>
> Hi David,
>
> Maybe this is what you remembered...
> Here's the little post I made on hantavirus back in 1998 (pianotech) when
> the subject came up. Be careful.
>
> Stephen
> ----------------------
> From birketts Wed Jul 22 12:47:27 1998
> Subject: Re: Hantavirus
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 12:47:27 -0500 (EDT)
> In reply to: "Sy Zabrocki" at Jul 22, 98 09:15:16 am
>
> > It's puzzling why this virus is now present. Some of us have been
> > shoveling mice droppings from pianos for over 40 years with no problem.
> > What is the factor?
> >
>
> The rodent strain is the first US outbreak of acute disease associated
> with hantavirus. Hantaviruses have traditionally been associated with
> diseases like hemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome. Mortality rate from
> hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is 48%. The disease is asymptomatic in
> rodents and is transmitted via saliva and excreta. Its *first* occurence
> was only in 1993...a designer disease for that year, along with the new
> cholera pandemic that was first seen in 1993 in Asia. Question is why did
> pulmonary hantavirus syndrome emerge in 1993, when the virus was present
> in low levels in rodent populations for years prior to 1993? Is this
> related to changes in rodent ecology and/or changes in the viral
> strain...why pulmonary now and not renal? The answer depends on your
> political pursuasion, but it seems fairly likely (in other new disease
> emergence also) that ecological/environmental perversions are at least
> partially responsible. Possible scenario is: 1993 heavy rains after 6
> years drought caused flourishing rodent food supply...rodent burrows were
> flooded driving the mice above ground...perfect conditions for
> amplification of the virulent strain of hantavirus and its transmission to
> human populations. 1993 was also a particularly bad El Nino year.  Years
> of overgrazing and de-forestation in the southwest served to amplify the
> flooding problem, plus increased human contact with rodent populations.
> So the combination of conditions no doubt made everything just right for
> emergence of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
>
> Just some thoughts from another one of my past lives. When I was involved
> with ecosystem modelling we looked at the emergence of new diseases.
> This one is certainly not the first or last....and we are in for a rough
> ride over the next decades judging by history since the 80s.
>
> Isn't piano servicing fun. You should check out the CDC website for
> suggestions on reducing the risk.
>
> Stephen
>
> Stephen Birkett Fortepianos
> Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos
> 464 Winchester Drive
> Waterloo, Ontario
> Canada N2T 1K5
> tel: 519-885-2228
> email: birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca
>
>
>
>
>