From the great snacks in the pantry to the warm and cozy interior, your home is a welcoming place. Although they aren’t on your invite list for an upcoming dinner party or relaxing family night in, sometimes mice find a way into your house. Cute as this critter may be, mice and other rodents can carry disease. Consequently, if a mouse or potential signs of one have been spotted, it’s time to figure out how to catch a mouse! In addition to seeking the help of the mouse control and extermination team near you, here is some guidance regarding how to catch a mouse, as well as how to reduce the chances of having to do so!
How to Catch a Mouse: Trapping Tips
Although sometimes people actually see a mouse scurrying inside an open doorway or sneaking in through a crack in the foundation, most often signs of a mice infestation give their presence away. Some of these signs include mouse droppings, shredded paper or fabric and squeaking or scratching sounds. Knowing how to catch a mouse is one way that you may be able to quickly remove this pest before a larger infestation occurs. Below, find out different trapping methods to consider as well as bait tips.
Types of Mouse Traps
Snap traps and catch-and-release traps (available with a wind-up or a low-profile design) are two commonly available traps used to capture mice. The former is intended to kill the mice while the latter is designed to capture but not harm them.
DIY Options to Catch a Mouse
Some people use an old bowl and condiment container with bait in it as a homemade catch-and-release option, but others use cardboard, toilet paper tubes, buckets and more. To learn more about how to catch a mouse using materials you may already have, home improvement resource, Today’s Homeowner, provides a guide to easy DIY designs.
The Best Bait to Catch a Mouse
When it comes to bait, your choice may attract a mouse immediately, or you may have to try a few different snacks as you determine how best to catch the mouse in your house. Here are 4 appealing bait selections and their benefits:
- Seeds and nuts are a common food source for mice anyway. Their size makes them easy for a variety of trap set-ups. This type of bait also tends to be readily available in many homes.
- Nut butters like peanut butter are also frequently used. The smell and taste of this product and its sticky texture add to its appeal and utility in terms of triggering the trap.
- Marshmallows or other chewy candy will entice the mice with sweetness and trigger traps through the difficulty of extraction.
- A charcuterie platter is a popular appetizer choice, but its contents can also be used for catching mice. Have any fruit jam, brie or other soft cheese or sliced deli meat leftover from a recent party or otherwise in the fridge? These bait options may be a helpful tool to catch that pesky mouse in your kitchen or elsewhere in the home.
Trap Placement
As with bait selection, trap location is an important factor in terms of catching mice. Inside, place traps in attics, basements and other areas with hidden or dark locations like underneath baseboards. Also, locate traps near food sources, as well as along walls and in corners. Traps should also be put around possible entry points to the home, such as inside and outside of doorways, as well as around the foundation, near trash containers or in the garage. Remember: your own pets may find the trap bait appealing, so make sure that they cannot access the traps and inadvertently trigger them.
How to Best Avoid the Need to Catch a Mouse
Knowing how to catch a mouse is helpful in the event that you one day encounter such an intruder. How to avoid catching a mouse (or at least reducing the chances of doing so) comes down to keeping mice out of the home. The recommendations below can help you deter mice and other rodents:
- Enlist professional prevention support. Mice control experts like the specialists at Eliminate ‘Em often offer pest prevention services. For example, a pest exclusion and sealing service targets entry points for mice and other creatures. Basement and attic cleanouts are additional ways to reduce conditions conducive to various pest and animal infestations.
- Do some minor home improvements! Fixing holes in screens or updating broken seals on windows and doors makes it more difficult for mice, insects and other unwanted nuisances to encroach upon your home. Addressing any leaks or standing water sources helps make necessary moisture less readily available to mice and other pests.
- Take time to beautify your property. Enjoy added curb appeal and pest prevention by trimming trees and other growth on and around the home. Removing wood piles from locations nearer to the home’s foundation also moves potential nesting locations farther away from the home itself.
- Try natural deterrents. Mice don’t like essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus. Dip cotton balls or small sections of rags into these oils and place them near areas where you have seen mouse activity or are concerned around their potential entry.
If figuring out how to catch a mouse, not to mention actually doing it, is not on your preferred list of skills, leave this effort to the pest control experts at Eliminate ‘Em. Our local extermination specialists can provide prevention recommendations as well as removal services for mice and for many other insect and wildlife intruders. For immediate service or to schedule an appointment, contact us today!
