[NA] Humane mice traps

ArrowFlyer86

ArrowFlyer86

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Came back after a couple days away and find that for the first time ever, I have a mouse running around my place. Seen em around the hangar but never scurrying around my house.

The only hint I had before I saw him that day was that the package of bagels I had just bought before traveling has been nibbled at and there were crumbs on the pantry floor that I couldn't explain. Now it makes sense.

Anyways, now I gotta catch him/them. Please god just be 1 lol... I bought lethal traps but decided I don't want to use them unless I have to.

In the interim I borrowed inspiration from YouTube and created a bucket trap where if they step on the entry side they're fine, but the trap door opens up and dumps them in. A ramp helps them check into hotel California, and a counter weight helps the entryway stay shut when not activated. Baited with a little peanut butter and a few bits of everything bagel. Tiny apple crisp in the bucket bottom as a reward for being caught. Hoping it works but... I have no experience with this.

Anyone care to share other baits or trap designs they've had luck with? Plenty of gnarly lethal commercial traps available, looking for the more mouse friendly versions that will take them out of the fight without killing em.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
looking for the more mouse friendly versions that will take them out of the fight without killing em.
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And where are you going to release Jerry and his friends (if any)?
Two mice today means a lot more will be around a month from now.
 
AV8R_87 said:
And where are you going to release Jerry and his friends (if any)?
Two mice today means a lot more will be around a month from now.
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My HOA presidents front yard :)
(Joking, if they're captured in the bucket the nearby forest will work fine)
 
1) There's always more than one. 2) Kill them as they can bring disease into your home that can make you very sick or kill you. 3) Figure out how they got in and plug the hole/crack. 4) Make sure they are mice as baby rats require a much different approach to capture.

To answer the question you asked: Humane mouse traps

These traps are costly but quite reliable and do not necessarily need bait inside to work.
 
I understand the sentiment, as they are kinda cute, but honestly trapping them alive and dumping them in the woods just prolongs their suffering. The wild mice have spent all year preparing their winter home and stocking up food. Dump one out unprepared and it's going to freeze, starve, or get eaten. Or find its way into another house. In the summer it'd probably be fine, but it's also not like there's a shortage of mice in the world.

The trap you describe is an effective one. Often filed with water to drown them, which i personally find too cruel even for mice. Be forewarned, a mouse can often jump out of a five gallon bucket. Also, if you leave a couple in there together for any length of time.... you'll end up with one really big mouse.

I just use the old fashioned snap trap. Usually that's the quickest and most humane way to deal with them, and they're cheap enough to throw away. A cardboard tube to prevent them from approaching from the side improves effectiveness.
 
I setup a few traps.

The bucket one that wouldn't kill, and then 3 other lethal ones in somewhat nearby locations.

... Mr Mouse can choose his exit strategy... I hope he chooses the bucket.
 
The bucket you’ll have a mess of urine & feces to deal with, and if they’re in there for any length of time will have exhausted themselves and likely not survive. And as Jim K says, if there’s 2 in there for a while, one will eat the other to survive.

I have a bucket trap I use occasionally, and plenty of snap traps. The snaps are more humane if you can’t empty the bucket trap routinely. The old wooden and metal bail snap traps are the best but hardest to set; the plastic ones are easier, but sometimes can get robbed or end up empty or snagging a limb only to be dragged around.

We adopted one of my daughter’s cats, and kitty does the best job of all.

The joys of living in the woods.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
The bucket you’ll have a mess of urine & feces to deal with, and if they’re in there for any length of time will have exhausted themselves and likely not survive. And as Jim K says, if there’s 2 in there for a while, one will eat the other to survive.
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This is the concern with any live catch trap. If you get there too late you either toss the trap or have to clean up the gooey/gross remains.

When two or more get caught and hunger sets in they don't be friends anymore ... :nono:
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
The bucket you’ll have a mess of urine & feces to deal with, and if they’re in there for any length of time will have exhausted themselves and likely not survive. And as Jim K says, if there’s 2 in there for a while, one will eat the other to survive.

I have a bucket trap I use occasionally, and plenty of snap traps. The snaps are more humane if you can’t empty the bucket trap routinely. The old wooden and metal bail snap traps are the best but hardest to set; the plastic ones are easier, but sometimes can get robbed or end up empty or snagging a limb only to be dragged around.

We adopted one of my daughter’s cats, and kitty does the best job of all.

The joys of living in the woods.
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I live in a small suburban/exurb forest type deal, so critters aren't new. Just having them in the house is!

All the traps are in relatively high traffic areas, no chance of forgetting to check them multiple times per day. For now at least.
 
Best way, as mentioned above, is to seal all possible openings so they can't get in. Once I figure out a way to do that, I'll let you know. Meanwhile, I'll keep trying.

Also, I don't think there's any more of a thing as one mouse as there is one ant.
 
I think one of the POA guys a while back mentioned a video of a guy with various traps for his shop. The best deterrent was to leave the light on and the radio on loud.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
I think one of the POA guys a while back mentioned a video of a guy with various traps for his shop. The best deterrent was to leave the light on and the radio on loud.
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The implication being I should probably turn the lights OFF if I want them to venture out and use the traps!
 
Jim K said:
Also, if you leave a couple in there together for any length of time.... you'll end up with one really big mouse.
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Karen and I live trap. We just don’t like to kill things unless absolutely necessary.

Once, while waiting to release one, we found it had had a litter in the trap. I know they don’t have much of a chance when released in the wild, with snakes and cats and hawks and owls and the elements, but at least they have some small chance of finding a new home.
 
Once, in our N GA cabin, we had scurrying around in our downstairs ceiling. We set a live trap. But we kept finding the bait gone but no critter. Set up a camera, and found how sneaky these little guys can be!

 
We use Hav-A-Heart traps to catch the groundhog that's been undermining the front walk and eating our garden vegetables. I told my wife I'd shoot the thing. She asks if I'm going to release him from the trap and shoot him as he runs away. I said, hell no, I'll shoot him while he's in the trap (previously, I kept the shotgun loaded to shoot at them when I saw them in the garden). Oddly, with my .22 pistol, it usually took a couple of shots until I hit something in his body that was vital and not just fat. I tried using a larger round, but it went straight through and punched a hole in the trap treadle.

Margy reset the trap near the hole they were digging under our sidewalk and caught a skunk. It wasn't in a good location to shoot (right up against the house), so I figured I'd let the thing die. Over a month later, it's still alive. I call animal control and they suggest throwing a tarp over the trap, which allows me to move the thing away from the house and then keeping the tarp between me and the trap, I reached under and opened the door shoving a coffee can there to hold it open. The thing wandered away and we've not seen him back since.
 
Anything larger than a mouse I'll try to live trap and relocate first before shooting it as a last resort, but mice reproduce so fast and are so determined I just exterminate anything that gets inside. Snap traps at home where I can monitor and reset them, bucket traps at the cabin where I may be gone for several months. A bucket trap doesn't need resetting and can catch a dozen or more. Fill the bucket traps with antifreeze; not only does it not freeze in an unheated building but it pickles them so it doesn't stink.

Later when I have time maybe I'll type the story of shooting the raccoon that got into our bathroom... :eek:
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Anyone care to share other baits or trap designs they've had luck with? Plenty of gnarly lethal commercial traps available, looking for the more mouse friendly versions that will take them out of the fight without killing em.
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We have had great success with these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4Y78YG5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

I've never seen them miss. Meaning, I've never seen a trap sprung without a mouse, nor has the bait been stolen without a mouse. Be aware that mice can't live too long without food or water. So you need to check the traps every day if you want Mr. Mouse to still be alive. In our experience, 48 hours about a third are dead. 72 hours most are dead.

The bucket traps have the advantage of being repeaters. I've caught as many as three in a night with ours.

For release, we have the benefit of being on a reasonably large lot. During the winter I take them across the field into a rock pile about 80 meters away and they scamper into the woods. Unfortunately we have enough mouse pressure that I can pretty much identify individuals by size and head shape, so am quite confident that even at only 80m, they aren't coming back. During the summer I use them as an excuse to jump on the quad and drive them to the end of the runway about 600m away. And, no, that doesn't dump them near a neighbors house. It's at least another 500m to them.

RyanShort1 said:
Unfortunately, in my experience - and a lot of it - only lethal traps are reliable.
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The ones I link above have been far more reliable than snap traps or glue traps, our previous "go to" approaches.
 
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Dana said:
Fill the bucket traps with antifreeze; not only does it not freeze in an unheated building but it pickles them so it doesn't stink.
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I haven't read this tip before. I'll have to try it. What do you do with the waste?
 
In all my mouse catching experience I’ve never tried live traps. Mice are food for other animals and destructive pests when indoors.

I’ve used the old-school snap traps, the spinner traps (rotate the outer case until it clicks, mouse goes in, inner spring snaps, throw in the trash), and other “enter, snap, and toss” styles. Peanut butter is pretty good bait. If you have pets or little kids you might want an alternative to snap traps.

I remember contacting my county extension agent about squirrels. “Are you inside city limits? You are? Well, then you can’t shoot them.” Apparently squirrels, and I’m assuming mice, are territorial. If you live trap and relocate they will either find their way back or be killed or starve. They said the most humane thing, if using a live trap, was to drop it in a bucket of water.

I use my trail camera once in a while to see what’s going on.

IMG_6174.jpeg
 
Matthew said:
Apparently squirrels, and I’m assuming mice, are territorial. If you live trap and relocate they will either find their way back or be killed or starve. They said the most humane thing, if using a live trap, was to drop it in a bucket of water.
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I've read the same about mice, but could never find a source. It was always just passed around in the context of a rationalization to kill the mice. I always figured the world is a big place and supposed that boundaries are fluid, like they are with other territorial animals, that don't always result in death or starvation. And, as I wrote above, I'm very confident they aren't coming back to the house, so that's not my worry. I guess I figure a chance is better than being drowned.

Anyway, I eat meat, so it's not like I'm arguing from a position that it's immoral to kill mice. They do damage and need to be controlled. I just figure I feel better giving them a chance and that's reason enough.

OTOH, I did just start Plur1bus last night, so my attitudes about rodents are evolving... ;-)
 
rwellner98 said:
I've read the same about mice, but could never find a source. It was always just passed around in the context of a rationalization to kill the mice. I always figured the world is a big place and supposed that boundaries are fluid, like they are with other territorial animals, that don't always result in death or starvation. And, as I wrote above, I'm very confident they aren't coming back to the house, so that's not my worry. I guess I figure a chance is better than being drowned.

Anyway, I eat meat, so it's not like I'm arguing from a position that it's immoral to kill mice. They do damage and need to be controlled. I just figure I feel better giving them a chance and that's reason enough.

OTOH, I did just start Plur1bus last night, so my attitudes about rodents are evolving... ;-)
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Mice don't generally die of old age, releasing them in a foreign territory probably shortens their lifespan but I don't know for sure. Yeah, I understand. If I can make sure they stay outside, that's one thing. But once they get inside, they gotsta go.
 
Of the 5 traps, one was set off. Unfortunately it was one of the lethal traps. When I went to pick it up -- the mouse started thrashing around.

Since it was still alive I bagged the trap, drove out to the forest preserve a mile away, reset the trap door allowing the mouse to get out. He was struggling and I didn't want to pull him out and risk killing it in the process.
He was making headway getting out but hadn't freed himself quite yet, so I left the trap on top of a stack of stuff in the dumpsters they have and let it be. It's a forest preserve so there's probably 50 other mice in that dumpster too.

... So at this point he's Schrodinger's mouse. Both alive, and yet in a fatal trap. What happens next will depend on how much he learned from Houdini about the escaping arts, his rodent ingenuity... and nature. God speed Mousey.

Let's hope you didn't have many other brethren in my home.
 
RyanShort1 said:
Unfortunately, in my experience - and a lot of it - only lethal traps are reliable.
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We recently dealt with a rat problem, mostly in our barn. The lethal snap traps work, but I had a couple of occasions when the trap wasn't fatal and I had to finish off the critters. Also, the traps seem to become less effective over time, especially if placed in the same locations. Rats and mice are pretty smart, and I suspect when they see Uncle Ralph squished in a trap they learn to avoid the traps and vicinity.

Ultimately I had to go with poison to solve the problem. That worked well, but the complication is that the mouse might ultimately expire almost anywhere, and can be tough to find. Hopefully it won't be inside a wall or other equally inconvenient place.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
Please god just be 1 lol
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That's a lousy bet. There are probably five for every one you see.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
Anyone care to share other baits or trap designs they've had luck with? Plenty of gnarly lethal commercial traps available, looking for the more mouse friendly versions that will take them out of the fight without killing em.
Click to expand...

If you can manage to stomach a lethal solution, a cat can work well. The mice that a cat doesn't catch will be frightened and relocate.
 
Half Fast said:
That's a lousy bet. There are probably five for every one you see.
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Yeah, that's probably wishful thinking on my part. 'Tis why I'm leaving the traps out despite catching one today.

Half Fast said:
I suspect when they see Uncle Ralph squished in a trap they learn to avoid the traps and vicinity.
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Funny enough, that's what my friend nicknamed the mouse in my house yesterday: Ralph.
Now Ralph is the latest unwitting participant in my "Insect and Rodent Involuntary Relocation & Rehabilitation Program"
 
We used to read “Wee Mouse” to our kids.

IMG_9724.jpeg

At the time, we had a cat named Moe.

One day our youngest daughter, maybe 3 or 4, was in the back yard with me. We noticed the cat had caught a mouse so she went over to investigate. The cat settled down to business. After a few minutes of watching, my daughter turned to me and said, “Moe ate Wee Mouse.”
 
A mouse that gets into a building or vehicle needs to be killed. Mouse traps are best, followed by glue traps. Don't poison them as you'll end up poisoning the predator that eats a lot of them. Mice are very destructive to property and the diseases they carry can be devastating. Don't mess around with them.
 
rwellner98 said:
I haven't read this tip before. I'll have to try it. What do you do with the waste?
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Dump it in the woods. If I'm reusing the trap I just pick the dead mice out with a couple of sticks like chopsticks; at the end of the winter I just dump the whole thing out. I use non toxic RV antifreeze (the pink stuff which is ethanol or propylene glycol), though many people use ethylene glycol (green) antifreeze which is toxic; it breaks down quickly in soil but can pose a risk to any other critter that eats the carcass.
PaulS said:
Mouse traps are best, followed by glue traps.
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Glue traps I won't use, that's a bit too cruel for my taste.
 
Dana said:
Anything larger than a mouse I'll try to live trap and relocate first before shooting it as a last resort,
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If you don't move them far enough, they'll just come back. If you move them sufficiently far away, you're likely illegally dumping your pest on an area that doesn't have them.
 
flyingron said:
you're likely illegally dumping your pest on an area that doesn't have them.
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Hmm... Seems doubtful... If you have mice at your place, I'm pretty sure any area you would reasonably drive to is also going to have mice. They're not an exotic species.

But if I got caught for that, honestly, I'd love to have that charge on my otherwise clean criminal record...
"Man illegally dumped a mouse in a forest preserve and upset the delicate balance of power amongst the woodland creatures"
 
Nice to quote the wrong stuff. Dana sayd "anything bigger than a mouse" in what I was quoting.
 
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