Mousetraps???

[judyjht]

OK - we have a couple of critters we need to get rid of. We did trap 2 so far but there are more. Problem is - we set 5 brand new traps last night with peanut butter - this AM the peanut butter was gone but the traps did not flip!!! What the heck??? How is the possible?? Any thoughts??

 

[pkyorkbeach]

I have the same issue...The sticky mouse traps have worked well for me. But the critters are smart believe it or not. The old fashioned traps are good too.

It will be interesting to see what suggestions you get.

Good Luck


and no I do not have a cat right now
and no I am not getting a cat

 

[MommaBear]

Very talented critters! I have used the traps that have cheese scented plastic on them and they have worked well. We have also used the mouse poison, being VERY careful that the dogs cannot get at either the poison or the mice that have eaten the poison. We do not find we have an odor after the poison has done it's work. I also like the mouse traps that are like little houses, but I really hate opening up the traps and emptying them out, so I find it better to get the cheaper traps and throw them away- basically one time use. I also have squirrels and they are tough to get rid of. I imagined smoking them out a la Bill Murray in the movie Caddyshack, but then I realized I might set the insulation on fire. Would solve the immediate problem but would be hard to explain to my husband and the insurance company.

Good luck!

 

[Don]

We had gerbils for a while and a couple of times one would get out of the old aquarium we kept them in. I would get a metal pail or waste basket and use a small board as a ramp. I would rub the board lightly with an apple slice and put the rest of it in the pail. The gerbil would follow the scent up the ramp, see the apple on the bottom of the pail and lean over too far trying to get it. It couldn't climb or chew its way out, so it was still there the next morning.

 

[bullroc3]

I set three traps in the cellar - two original and one with the cheese platform. I place peanut butter on all three and the one with the cheese and peanut butter works the best. It is VERY sensitive. Have to watch my fingers!!!!

 

[6scoops]

Get a couple outdoor cats, the mice stay far far away!

 

[IngridN]

This thread brings back some great memories. When my 2 brothers and I were kids we lived in a house near an open field. Every winter the mice would come running into the house for the dog food and warmth. We set out regular traps under the sink and my brothers and I would race each morning to see how many we caught the night before .

Ingrid

 

[DJensen]

PB Under the Plate

For a traditional trap, I make certain to put some of the peanut butter on the underside of the "plate". This generally works as they are so hungry they must get every last drop and SNAP!

I have also cleaned the catch to make certain it is free of dirty and sometimes pinched the catch so the slightest touch will set it off.

Coworker mentioned the pail trick that was posted for catching the family gerbil - twist is that they put peanut butter about an inch down on the inside of the pail and and then filled the rest with water - mice are not much for swimming!

 

[normab]

PB always worked for my in my previous home. Have you tested the force needed to snap your traps by touching with a pencil? Maybe you need to put less PB and locate in a slightly different place on the platform to make sure the slightest touch forces the trap to snap? Just some thoughts...

Norma

 

[RX8]

I have the same issue...The sticky mouse traps have worked well for me. But the critters are smart believe it or not. The old fashioned traps are good too.

It will be interesting to see what suggestions you get.

Good Luck


and no I do not have a cat right now
and no I am not getting a cat

Some may disagree, seeing that we are talking about mice, but the glue traps are cruel in that they cause slow agonizing deaths. The best traps are the old fashioned traps that kill instantly.

PETA's (no I'm not a member) take on glue traps

http://www.peta.org/living/home-and-garden/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-glue-traps.aspx

 

[lll1929]

I have used sticky traps (with PB in the middle) successfully as I too have experienced fault in the old time metal ones.

I now have 2 cats, so I don't worry. One cat is a hunter, so she would have fun with a mouse in my house.

Good luck.

 

[Passepartout]

d-Con works for me. No little corpses to dispose of.

Jim

 

[pkyorkbeach]

The mouse poison..if used or the DCon mentioned-a mouse gets the poison do they die in your wall or in a corner where you can not find them?

 

[PigsDad]

The mouse poison..if used or the DCon mentioned-a mouse gets the poison do they die in your wall or in a corner where you can not find them?

The theory is that the poison will make them extremely thristy and they will go outside in search for water. But with that said, we did have one die behind a cupboard and it certainly did smell for a few weeks. But IMO, it was worth it to get rid of the infestation.

Kurt

 

[judyjht]

Well we set 5 traps last night again with cheese and peanut butter tied on with a string - BINGO!! 4 customers last night. We will do it again tonight. I will NOT let myself be outsmarted by a MOUSE!!!

 

[memereDoris]

We have also used the mouse poison, being VERY careful that the dogs cannot get at either the poison or the mice that have eaten the poison.

Be very careful with mouse poison. A young child (crawling age) died in our town after ingesting 2 grains of mouse poison. The mother did not know how the child found these grains. The mice may have moved them or they could have been under a baseboard. It could even have been left by a previous owner of the home.

 

[artringwald]

Last year I tried snap traps, house traps, and glue traps and still couldn't catch them all. It cost $20, but the JT Eatons Wind Up Mouse Trap caught over a dozen:

Some tips:
1) Move the bird feeders at least 50 ft away from the house.
2) Look all around your house and garage for holes as small as a dime. Plug them with steel wool.
3) I don't like glue traps, but sometimes they work when all the others don't. I check them daily, and put the mouse and trap in a zip lock bag and freeze them. It reduces the time of suffering. (I warn the wife when there's one in the freezer.)
4) We don't use poison, but we did have one die in the wall. I think it got lost. It really stunk for about 2-3 weeks.

I found most of the entry points, so this year we haven't had as many, but I do wish they'd stay outside (where the hawks and owls can get them).

 

[Carta]

I would never use any type of poison...Reason: It destroys the meat...That's right, I love mice.. Grilled,oven baked, and especially deep fried... As Jinks the cat would say: "I hate meeses to pieces"....As I would say: "Please bring your mouse to my house"

 

[PigsDad]

Last year I tried snap traps, house traps, and glue traps and still couldn't catch them all. It cost $20, but the JT Eatons Wind Up Mouse Trap caught over a dozen:

That basic design has been around for ages -- we used to have a couple of those on the farm I grew up on to trap mice in the milk room, shop, etc. The best thing is that one "wind-up" of it will allow the trap to trigger multiple times. It was common to catch 5+ mice in a night in that trap when first placed out.

3) I don't like glue traps, but sometimes they work when all the others don't. I check them daily, and put the mouse and trap in a zip lock bag and freeze them. It reduces the time of suffering. (I warn the wife when there's one in the freezer.)

I just take them out to the garage and w/ one good whack to the head, they are dead. Instant death = most humane, IMO. But I certainly understand if you can't bring yourself to do that.

Kurt