How do mice get food off traps without setting them off?

Question

We have a mouse in our house that keeps removing peanut butter from a set trap without setting it off. The trap is extremely sensitive and has worked in the past!

Answer 1

its a new breed of super-mouse that's using it's built-in tele-kinnetic powers tomake the food levitate from the trap right into it's mouth

Answer 2

I've had this problem before. Peanut butter is the best bait to use for the traps. Especially if it's fresh, they'll smell it and go straight for it. They are sometimes able to eat the bait without setting the trap if they lick the peanut butter off. Remember they weigh a lot less then us so they are able to do this. l would suggest using a couple traps and set them a foot from each other. If one won't work then you can maybe get him on the come back.

Another thing I've tried is getting bread and stuffing it in the part of that trap where you set the bait. Then coat the bread with a little peanut butter so they smell it. Hopefully it will end up pulling on the bread and thus set the trap.

Never use cheese. Mice will not eat cheese unless they are desperate. The whole thing on how mice eat cheese is a myth.

Keep trying, you'll get them eventually, leaving mice unchecked in your house can cause some serious damage and disease.

Happy hunting.

Answer 3

The fact that this trap's 'worked in the past' may be a pointer to ye problem.

Exanine the trap very closely. Take ye time and assume nothing. It would help if we knew what sort of trap it is. But my first inclination would be that it's simply become clogged and jammed up with past bait. Peanut butter is a perfectly fine bait for mice. But it does dry to a rather hard crust - often mildewed too - with time.

Take a knife or similar and poke about. Scratch about beneath what ever form of Treadle the trap has. All sorts of things can get under there and jam it; Cobwebs. Coccoons. Mouse droppings. Any general detritus. Give it a poke, scratch and blow out.

Alternatively, simply invest in a brand new trap. Many - especially these cheap, plastic things - have worthless springs anyway. They throttle the mouse, choking it slowly, rather than killing it outright with a stunning blow.

My professional choice of trap is - believe it or not - the good old " Little Nipper ". They do what they say on the can. Only take ye time. Examine the end of the rod, where it engages under the staple. It *may* benefit from being touched with a file.

Idea is to get it set so fine that it fires as the mouse puts his first weight on the treadle. Mouse weighs about five grams. Set for about one or two.

Here's a good test: Borrow a cigarette. Stand it on its filter and let it fall, like a little felled tree, across the treadle. If that trap doesn't fire then you haven't got it sussed yet.

Failing all else, ask around for reccomendations as to a good Professional Pest Controller in your area.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

I love the way people answer the question without reading it. People, if you read the whole question it says they ARE using peanut butter.

I have had this problem in the past and changed to the glue traps. Just put a little of the peanut butter ( that you are already using ) in the center and keep checking daily.

Answer 5

I have the same problem but last night I witnessed how they were doing it. They're coming in from the side and the back of the trap and leaning over to the bait. There isn't so much leverage that close to the hinge/spring so it needs more weight to set them off. Those pesky meeces must have learnt this and are avoiding the front of the trap which only needs the slightest touch to set it off.

Answer 6

Oh you poor thing. When i rebuilt my kitchen last summer i tore down some walls and came across a mouses home. He has a LCD TV and dsl connection for his apartment. I made friends with him and he let me on his wireless.
If you can't keep a peaceful co existence with your neighbours try peanut butter is takes more work to take off and thus you'll prevail in the end.
But sooner or later you'll get a new neighbour and need to deal with the real issue. Find a higher standard of living so you don't have to share your walls.

Answer 7

They watched Mission Impossible too many times. LOL

Get glue traps and if that dont work and you dont have pets put mouse poison out

PS You never have a mouse you have lots, they breed like crazy

Answer 8

Try chocolate or dried dog food . they love it and make sure the trap is running in the right direction ie the way they run round your cupboard . Usually round the edge. The traps have to be laid correctly as they can snatch the food and escape
Good luck

Answer 9

probably with its tail some mouses are smart enough to swing their tails to remove the food. They have better traps out there that you can buy!

Answer 10

You should use live traps, they are impossible to outsmart, and then you can go somewhere far away and release them. Mice are fast and intelligent. Those cheap traps are no match for them!