How do you catch a trap-wize mouse?

Question

The little geezer knows what mouse traps are for, and I'm looking for something more devious. I use peanut butter for bait, and I've tried glueing a sunflower seed to the trigger. That didn't work--the mouse ate the seed! I can't use poison, my dog would get into it, no doubt about it. The idea of using sticky trap paper gives me the chills. Any other ideas? If I knew that the mouse was alone, it wouldn't be so bad...but chances are, there are more than one!

Answer 1

Sometimes, when you see one, there's another hiding out somewhere.

The peanut butter has to be replaced daily or twice a day. It hardens & they just walk by it or nibble then move on.

I had a similar problem with 2 mice a few years ago. I changed the peanut butter in the traps in the morning & before bed. I also put traps in odd places, behind my entertainment center, behind the sofa & loveseat, under my rocking recliner & under the dining room table. I have a cat that I thought would catch it but she didn't. I was also worried she'd set off a trap & get herself caught. She set one off by accident & ran off in fear. After that, she'd avoid the places where the traps were. The mice finally got caught by one trap under the sink & the one under my recliner. My cat was sitting like a guard dog by my chair so I knew she could smell the mouse. I used my grabber to pick up the traps with the mice, triple bagged them & out to the trash they went (I used the plastic grocery sacks). I used Clorox Cleanup on the grabber to disinfect, then let it air dry. I also liberally sprayed it with Lysol later on & did another Clorox round.

Sticky/glue traps work only if you don't mind seeing them still alive in the trap. Unless the mouse or mice get stuck on it headfirst, it won't suffocate or die. It'll struggle to get free. I learned this one the hard way several years ago while living with my mother. If you don't want to use either trap, then call a Pest Control. Most will come set out poison that won't harm humans & pets. Some poisons will turn their droppings odd shades of blue before they're dead.

Mice & rats can squeeze in almost anywhere. Their bones are soft & they can squish themselves almost flat to get indoors. Mine came in through the hole where the cable cords are. Since then, I've caulked the hole to fill it in better inside & outside my home. I've also caulked the hole around my phone line.

Answer 2

I seem to have your mouse's relatives living in my house. They can take anything off a trap and leave it unsprung. I have tried 3 things, and all seem to work: 1) I got a cat, 2) put cedar balls in the drawers where the mice were "visitng" and 3) used a Hava-Heart trap and then let the mice go near my nasty neighbor's house. The cat not only has caught several mice, but stations herself near mouse "smells," so when I see her sitting at the base of my kitchen cabinets hour after hour, I know there is a mouse in the vicinity and can go to 2) or 3). I find mouse droppings in my kitchen drawers from time to time, but never in the ones in which I put cedar balls (cheap from Lowe's). With these encouraging results, I am going to increase the cedar balls and bars throughout the house. The Hava-Hearts have worked well in closets and my bottom kitchen cabinets where there is more room.

Good luck. At least when you have mice, you usually don't have roaches (the mice eat them).

Answer 3

I've used a mouse trap for years. You are right up until the bait. When you put the peanut butter in the trap add a piece of bacon. I think the mouse needs to pull on the bacon for it to snap. One nught I caught 12 in 1 hour. (I lived in the country)

Answer 4

Honestly. I got some electronic mouse repellants. Thought they wouldn't work but seem to really keep the mice away.

Answer 5

Cat is the solution as the biological approach it's seems more success.

Answer 6

Get a cat?