We have a small mouse in our kitchen. Help?

Question

We need a trap, but want something humane, any ideas? In the mean time, what's the deal? Are they dangerous? Unhygenic? Help!

Answer 1

there are a few myths about mice, first off is the whole "cheese" thing. mice hate cheese, the only reason they eat it is because it's food. mice have been scientifically proven to be attracted to peanut butter, the certain oils in it. if your looking to be humane, i would suggest buying a sticky trap at the 99 cents store, it is basically a layer of polymorphin, once the mouse steps on it, it is stuck for good. as far as germs go, mice have been known to carry diseases sometime, so i would not recommend getting too close. best of luck~

-bright eyes

Answer 2

The mouse itself can carry hantavirus, which affects the respiratory system and is fatal in most cases. It comes from the saliva, urine or feces of the mouse.

I understand that you want it gone humanely, but understand that mice usually aren't alone. And they procreate like there's no tomorrow.

All you need to do is inhale dust particles from the fecal matter of a mouse to contract the hantavirus, so I would suggest getting rid of it quickly. Any local hardware store should have traps, humane ones, and I would advise picking a few up and setting them around the areas you've seen the mice/mouse.

Please be very careful if you come across any little "presents" from the guy. Wear gloves and disinfect with heavy cleaning agents.

Answer 3

It is that time of year.The mouse is feeling the cold and discovered your cosy house where there is a good supply of food.There is good news ,normally where there are mice there are no rats.Despite that you should get rid of your visitor they do contaminate food when they have been eating it .Keep foodstuffs in closed containers .Try to block off access points .Having said all that you should get a trap from the local ironmongers and let the wee soul out in a sheltered part of the woods well away from other houses.
The other natural way though not humane is to borrow the neighbours cat for the night .
Good luck.

Answer 4

I'm an animal lover in a really big way. I'm also kind of weird.

A few years ago I found out that a little grey mouse was living behind my stove. Sometimes I would see him sitting between my stove and my refrigerator cleaning his little face and paws. I named him Ray and figured I'd just lived with him. Sometimes I'd be sitting in my living room and I 'd see him and his cute little tail running across the kitchen floor. He never came into the rest of the house. He eventually moved out on his own. I made sure that all my food was closed up tight and inside cupboards and I swept the floor often so there wasn't much for him to munch on.

I suspect people will give me a thumbs down for this answer, as I have no idea if it was a dangerous or unhealthy way to deal with the situation. All I know was that it was really fun and now I miss his cute little mouse face.

ps. you can get a reusable mousetrap that won't hurt you or the mouse and you can free him outside. Its called a "Mouse House." Check the source.

Answer 5

Sorry to tell you, you don't have a mouse in your kitchen, you have a FAMILY of mice in your kitchen!

You can get humane traps in most hardware stores, they're a bit like a box that you can then transport the mice far away from your house.

They tend to come in from the cold at this time of year. I wouldn't be so worried about the hygiene as I would about the wiring behind the walls - they love to chew on it.

Do try to get rid of them asap - they breed quickly.

Good luck, expect it to take about three weeks to get them all.

Make sure any points of entry from outside are sealed (tiny holes around gas pipes, aerial cables, dryer vents, central heating vents etc.. That's how they get in usually.

PS - I've seen those sticky traps just once - the mouse got it's tummy stuck down, was still alive after two days, and when we tried to free it, it's tummy ripped open, and we had to kill it to put it out of it's misery - they are the WORST type of trap.

Answer 6

People have already answered with what to get but something you should know once you've caught the mouse is how to but him back into the wild. It is suggested that you let the mouse loose somewhere at least a mile away that will not annoy other residents or else it will find its way back. Chocolate is good for attracting the mice. I use pet chocolate drops.

Answer 7

All rodents carry some form of bacteria, usually it is the fleas that cause the diseases, you might want to get a cage trap, use a piece of bread with some peanut butter, they cannot resist the smell and you will have the critter before you can say mickey mouse

Answer 8

Mice mess as they are walking along and can get into the smallest of places. In the meantime wipe your surfaces down well before you prepare food and as always wash your hands.

You can get humane traps that are like little holding pens for the mice. Mice love mars bars that have been chewed up a bit and then remoulded into shape(sounds horrible but it works!)

Good luck :)

Answer 9

You can get humane mousetraps in most places now. hardware stores etc? I got my parents to use one & it worked fine. You just need to let the mouse go outside somewhere well away from your house. Keep all food etc well sealed & put away. Use chocolate instead of cheese in the trap as they like it much more than cheese. Good luck

Answer 10

Most pet stores will sell humane traps, just throw away anything food wise in cupboards that have been nibbled disinfect the floors etc each day till its caught Poor wee thing probably in for the warmth