Catching Mice

[Crabman]

You should consider electronic repellents.

I have them in two workshops and a house in the country that had bad mice problems and they work. The mice are gone.

Here is an example:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JG4MN2V/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These are not the exact ones I have (mine are a few years old) but are similar. Over 1000 reviews so you can see what people think of them.

I was distraught when the old school DCon poison was outlawed by the government and never had success after that until I got the electronic devices.

Good luck!

Bruce

 

[mmb617]

We have an indoor only cat that takes care of most of the problem, but sometimes we see a mouse or evidence of one on the kitchen counter where the cat cant' get it. When that happens I use the traditional snap trap baited with cheese. Works every time.

 

[joseywales]

Not directing this to anyone in particular, but my feeling is that mice are creatures, just like dogs are any other animal. Mice don't chew and poop because they hate you. It's not personal. They're just living their life the only way they know how. I don't hate them, but we can't have them living among us now can we???

I went back to snap traps. My main issue is that I want to catch as many as I can at one time, because I want to seal up the hole at the base of the siding. I was doing well with two traps, in the same have-a-heart cage, putting a cardboard divider, to create stalls, so one trap wouldn't set off the other. Worked fine. To be fair to another poster here, there's no way to really tell if the snap trap kills them instantly, but it's the best I can do.

Earlier this week, i set out the Dead & Breakfast. A box from a local grocery store, in which I created 4 stalls. It only grabbed one mouse and all traps were tripped, but food still on them. The floor of trap wasn't solid enough to withstand the vibration of the one trap.


Yesterday, I reinforced the floor and placed 4 more traps. Today, all traps are set and no mice. It's the first time in doing this that not one mouse has tripped a trap or been found in a trap. I put it out again, fingers crossed maybe we're at the end.

On that note, what's the best way to seal that corner? it's at the very bottom, probably got torn up by a weed whacker before we moved here. I would just find some spare vinyl and fabricate it, stuff some steel wood inside the hole, cover it with the vinyl and caulk it. It's in the back of the home and no one sees it.

 

[dr_clyde]

I have done quite a bit of work in food and beverage manufacturing. They have to keep pests out for FDA and health code, so they have exterminators on a regular route keeping traps and preventative measures set.

I asked him one day what the best thing for mice was. He said snap traps, hands down. A little peanut butter on them and keep going until you stop catching them.

My house is 100+ years old, and has all kinds of nooks and crannys where they can hide and procreate.

This last winter we had a big problem with the little bastards eating holes in boxes of cereal and granola in the pantry. I set traps all over the kitchen, and caught 5 in one night! After a series of evenings, I had no traps tripped and food would remain undisturbed in the pantry.

Once in a while I will see mouse turds somewhere, and put out a few traps. I'll catch one or two, then it will taper off again for a few months. Its the worst in the fall and early winter.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I like these Victor mouse traps with the large plastic trigger plate. They are much more sensitive than the metal plate ones. I was using the metal ones and caught a ton of mice but then after a while they kept eating the peanut butter off without tripping. Switched to the plastic ones and started catching all the smaller babies till they were all gone.

They say they are pre-baited, a scent is embedded in the plastic, but I always put a little dab of peanut butter in that pocket near the center.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

That Victor Tin cat trap looks to be the best. Is there a better way of killing them though? like open the trap and shoot em with a 12 gauge?.....

 

[dr_clyde]

I like these Victor mouse traps with the large plastic trigger plate. They are much more sensitive than the metal plate ones. I was using the metal ones and caught a ton of mice but then after a while they kept eating the peanut butter off without tripping. Switched to the plastic ones and started catching all the smaller babies till they were all gone.

They say they are pre-baited, a scent is embedded in the plastic, but I always put a little dab of peanut butter in that pocket near the center.

I have the same results. Although I have been using the Tom Cat traps from Lowes. Cheap and effective. The original Victor with the metal plate only works on adult mice.

 

[Dagny]

yeah 12 Gauge

 

[dr_clyde]

yeah 12 Gauge

Funny you mention that.

There is a story in my family that gets brought up every so often. My great aunt was doing laundry one day, when a mouse ran over her feet and scared her. She grabbed the handgun she kept in her purse and unloaded a few rounds into the general direction of the rodent in an attempt to dispatch the mouse.

Uncle was none too pleased as he now had bullet holes to repair in his washer and floor.