It is the preferred method in homes, garages, and other structures where only a few mice are present. Trapping has several advantages:
- it does not rely on inherently hazardous poisons;
- it permits the user to confirm that the mouse has been killed and
- it allows for disposal of the mouse carcasses, thereby eliminating dead mouse odours which may occur when poisoning is done within buildings.
The simple, inexpensive wood-based snap trap is effective and can be purchased in most hardware and grocery stores. Bait traps with peanut butter, chocolate candy, dried fruit, or a small piece of bacon tied securely to the trigger.
Set them so that the trigger is sensitive and will spring easily. Leaving traps baited but unset until the bait has been taken at least once reduces the chance of creating trap-shy mice.
Multiple-capture live traps for mice such as the Victor Tin Cat and the Ketch-All , are also available in some hardware and feed stores.
Set traps close to walls, behind objects, in dark corners, and in places where evidence of mouse activity is seen. Place them so that mice will pass directly over the triggers as they follow the natural course of travel, usually close to a wall. Traps can be set on ledges or on top of pallets of stored materials if mice are active in such locations.
Use enough traps to make the campaign short and decisive. Mice seldom venture far from their shelter and food supply, so space traps no more than about 10 feet apart in areas where mice are active.
An alternative to traps are glue boards, which catch and hold mice attempting to cross them in much the same way flypaper catches flies. Place glue boards along walls where mice travel. Two or three glue boards placed side-by side will be more effective than individual boards.
Do not use them where children, pets, or desirable wildlife can contact them. Glue boards can be placed inside bait stations in exposed locations. Glue boards lose their effectiveness in dusty areas unless covered, and extremes of temperature also may affect the tackiness of the adhesive.
Using Poison Baits (Rodenticides):
Rodenticides are poisons that kill rodents. They are available as either non anticoagulants or as anticoagulants. They can be purchased in hardware stores, feed stores, discount stores, garden centres, and other places where pesticides are sold.
The non-anticoagulants cause death either via the nervous system or via the release of calcium into the bloodstream. Anticoagulants cause death as a result of internal bleeding, which occurs as the animal’s blood loses its clotting ability and capillaries are destroyed.
The active ingredients are used at very low levels, so bait shyness does not occur when using properly formulated baits. Most of these baits cause death only after they are fed on for a number of days. The exceptions are baits containing brodifacoum or bromadiolone.
These baits can cause death following a single feeding, although the mouse does not die for several days. When rodenticides are used, fresh bait must be available continuously until mice stop feeding. Depending on the number of mice, this may require up to three weeks.
Bait Selection and Placement:
Baits are available in several forms. Grain baits in a meal or pelleted form are available in small plastic, cellophane, or paper packets. These sealed “place packs” keep bait fresh and make it easy to place the baits in burrows, walls, or other locations.
Mice gnaw into the packet to feed on the bait. Block style baits are also very effective for most baiting situations.
Proper placement of baits and the distance between placements is important. Space bait placements no farther than 10 feet apart and preferably closer. For effective control, baits or traps must be located where mice are living.
Use of tamper-resistant bait stations provides a safeguard to people, pets, and other animals. Place bait stations next to walls with the openings close to the wall, or in other places where mice are active.
When possible, secure the bait station to a fixed object to prevent it from being moved. Clearly label all bait stations “Caution ‘Mouse Bait” as a safety precaution.
Sound and Electronic Devices:
Although mice are easily frightened by strange or unfamiliar noises, they quickly become accustomed to regularly repeated sounds and are often found living in grain mills and factories. Ultrasonic sounds, those above the range of human hearing have very limited use in rodent control because they are directional and do not penetrate behind objects.
Also, they lose their intensity quickly with distance. There is little evidence that sound of any type will drive established mice or rats from buildings.
Predators:
Although cats, dogs, and other predators may kill mice, they do not give effective control in most circumstances. It is not uncommon to find rodents living in very close association with dogs and cats.
Mice and rats may obtain much of their diet from the pet’s dish or from what pets spill. In barns, stables, and other areas where grain based feed is always available to mice, some cats and dog breeds may help reduce mice populations.
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