Mouse trap: How to set it?
If you’ve ever tried to set a mouse trap, then you’re probably aware that it can be an uphill battle. With a plastic stash container, sticky foam, and cheese as bait in your average mouse trap, these poisonous pits are being recycled into tiny homes for children in third world countries. But with the proper tools and knowledge on how to wield them properly, the refined mouse trap will make quick work of any rodent scuttling about in your home.
In addition to making your stomach turn at the thought of mice entering your house without permission (there’s something about plump white tails that entices us), this one simple trick will help keep out those unwanted rodents while also providing long-term sustainability benefits for our planet.
Ok, Back to the topic.
Step-by-step guide on setting up a mouse trap
- Firstly, you have to decide whether you want a lethal or humane trap. While the “Do it Yourself pest control” movement is growing in popularity, you might want to reconsider this one. Why? The plastic box mouse traps are a very efficient way of getting rid of mice. But they are not the most humane way. If you’re going to set these traps in your home or in a place where people are likely to be walking by, then we recommend another option entirely (see below). However, if you’d like something more traditional and somewhat more discrete, read on.
- In order to set the trap properly, you’ll need to stand the box upright and remove the lid. Simply place it in the corner where you have seen the most activity from mice. Make sure that it’s level by using a ruler or measuring tape. If your mouse trap doesn’t have a base, then make sure that it is at least sitting on something that will stabilize it. This will reduce movement and increase your effectiveness of killing the mice immediately on contact.
- Using duct tape, stick the box to a flat surface using the inside of your box as an anchor point; Don’t lay it flat. This will help to prevent the mice from using the walls of your home as a safe escape route.
- Add the bait. You have several options here, ranging from the traditional cheese or peanut butter to a dark chocolate bar or even some sunflower seeds. The important thing is to make sure that you add something that won’t be consumed by humans because it can be extremely deadly for children and pets in particular.
- Check on it every 30 minutes. You will want to check up on your trap from time to time, especially if you have multiple boxes set up around your home (we recommend making a ‘control box’ so that you can see if there has been any improvement). Also, it’s a good idea to check and make sure that you’ve tested the trap at least once, especially if you haven’t seen any evidence of mice in your home.
- After a few hours/days, you should be able to tell which box is a success because it’s moving around less. The dead mouse will leave a scent trail in the walls, which will become visible every so often.
- When the ‘control’ box shows no movement inside, take down your tasty treat from the ‘live’ box and put either bait or peanut butter back into it. This will allow for a new trap to be set up without your pet dying from an accidental poison ingestion.
Recommemded: How to train Kittens to use the litter box?
So there you have it. In a nutshell, this is a guide on how to set a mouse trap. While the plastic box mouse trap is seen as the least humane option, it is the most efficient and reliable. If you decide to go with something else, just make sure that you are ok with killing mice in the most painful way possible (for important reasons such as children and pets). Hope this helps.