Why do mice suddenly decide they require a mouse mat to work?

[Bedders]

I noticed this issue in the school I used to work at, and I've noticed it here at this business too - a couple of mice that were purchased as part of a large batch and are all working on the same surface will suddenly not want to work unless they are on a mouse mat (or piece of paper).

 

I've tried cleaning the LED and the focusing plastic (not sure of it's proper name) but haven't got anywhere. I was wondering if you fine EduGeeks had any experience in this matter?

 

P.S. For those with a sense of humour, I have tried offering them cheese in the past as well as removing any cats in the vicinity.

[LeMarchand]

Have the silicon pads been worn down? Wondering if that tiny extra distance from the surface affects things.

[admars]

I've noticed that as well, maybe it's more that the table surface gets dirty, greasy, sticky, so doesn't reflect as well?

 

edit: yes, I've scraped crap of the little plastic bits on bottom of my mouse, and asked users to do same before. they don't liek that do they? I remember "helping" someone with a "broken" keyboard. I turned it upside down, shook it, out came staples, paper clips, and various debris, keyboard worked fine. she looked at and said "aren't you going to clean that up", I replied "no, that's your skin, sandwiches, stationary etc, you clean it up"

Edited July 27, 2017 by admars

[Bedders]

Have the silicon pads been worn down? Wondering if that tiny extra distance from the surface affects things.

 

Yes, they have, but it's the same on most of them. It's a possibility....The mouse in question that sparked this in my head today has small plastic pads that the silicon used to be attached to, so it's still raised off the desk.

[speckytecky]

Oh, yeah!

 

Been there and oddly it's often the users you wouldn't expect to be mucky pups that are, isn't it?

 

s

I've noticed that as well, maybe it's more that the table surface gets dirty, greasy, sticky, so doesn't reflect as well?

 

edit: yes, I've scraped crap of the little plastic bits on bottom of my mouse, and asked users to do same before. they don't liek that do they? I remember "helping" someone with a "broken" keyboard. I turned it upside down, shook it, out came staples, paper clips, and various debris, keyboard worked fine. she looked at and said "aren't you going to clean that up", I replied "no, that's your skin, sandwiches, stationary etc, you clean it up"

[john]

The desk surface has probably been polished smooth as they need something to reflect off. I had this with some 10 year old work surface so squares of fablon were needed to give it a rough finish again so the mice didn't spike around.

[andydis]

Why do you need a mousemat?..............

 

My Desk after 18 Months (

[ozydave]

I find it with apple mice. When the cleaners decide to polish the desks with Pledge none of the mice work. Give it a few days they then work until 3 or 4 week later when they decide to clean again

[AlanD]

I find its often the lighting. So it can be surfaces near a window which catch the sun.

 

And although I've not noticed this with mice - I have noticed some of our remote controls for projectors are particularly sensitive to particular kinds of "daylight" fluorescent light strips. When the light is on - the remote doesn't work.