Which is the best mousetrap? Do you know where to place it to catch mice? In this guide, find out all you need to know about using traps to get rid of mice.
Mouse and rats have long been known to be very destructive. These pests can also transmit diseases through their droppings as well.
We will consider several control measures by way of mouse traps. This is done to provide you with several options to choose from. Your preferences may be influenced by a lot of factors which will be discussed shortly.
To find out more; let’s get into details, shall we?
What You Need to Know About Mouse Traps
There are pest exterminating services that offer a wide range of services including mice control. However, since we are discussing mouse traps, you are likely to prefer doing the job yourself.
Under this circumstance, understanding mice’s behavior is paramount to effectively controlling or eliminating them.
The use of traps is an effective measure of achieving your plan.
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Is Hygiene Enough?
It is not enough to intensify hygiene. This is because you may be living in an infested neighborhood. Also, your ceiling or basement may serve as a nesting ground. So, what do you do? You need to first identify the problem as well as their activities.
Based on the level of infestation, you will need to determine how many traps will get the job done.
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Number of Mouse Traps Required
There are usually specific routes used by mice to gain access to your home or property. While blocking identified entry points is recommended, this is not enough. You will need a sufficient number of traps to cover all such points.
You will need to have carefully observed their activities for some time to get an idea.
For every mouse, you need to have 2 to 3 traps in place! Is that too much? Not at all! Mice are known to be highly reproductive. Within a short time, growth in their population can be alarming.
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Safety, Safety, Safety
This cannot be overemphasized enough. Why? Because some mouse traps can pose a danger to your kids and pets.
This is especially true when you are not careful to be on the lookout. Kids and pets can be driven by curiosity. They may get reach out their hands into such traps which can be quite dangerous depending on the type of mouse trap used.
The good news is there are different kinds of traps. If you have no kids or pets, then you need not worry about some types of traps. However, if you have kids and pets, some traps are safe to use with kids and pets around.
Some of these will be mentioned shortly.
Best Mouse Traps Ever to Get Rid of Mice
Different types of mouse traps exist for different purposes. Depending on your needs, this section provides you with a list of some of the most common mouse traps you can choose from to get rid of mice from your house.
These have proven to be quite effective for a variety of needs. They include;
For those who believe in animal rights, this may come at the very top of your preferences. These types of traps do not kill mice.
All it does is trap a mouse without inflicting injury or death. The trap is later taken out and released. For this method to be effective, you need to make sure your property/home and surroundings are kept clean. This applies especially to food which serves as the main source of attraction.
Also, all entry points into your home need to be blocked to keep them away. Mice are likely to burrow through walls to gain entry into your home. For this, regular inspection is necessary to forestall such from happening.
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Snap Traps
This is one of the oldest and most popular mousetraps that have been used. Although several modifications have been made as well as many other types of traps, this is still available in the market if you need it. Snap traps are not recommended for persons with kids/pets or both.
However, if the mice are active only around the ceiling area, then this trap can be used there even when there are kids or pets. This is because it would be out of reach to kids.
Snap traps cause violent death to mice. If you do not have the stomach for such, then you may choose to use other less violent methods.
After the mice are trapped and killed, you will have to release the lock to dispose of the dead mouse. The snap trap can be used multiple times. To attract the mice, bait is placed on the trap.
This mouse trap is not successful for all types of mice infestation problems.
Other traps may prove to be more effective than this under certain circumstances.
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Sticky Traps
Sticky traps are boards having strong glue. This traps mice and rats once they step onto the board. This is a less harmful alternative compared to snap traps. Less harmful in the sense that kids and pets are not injured by them.
Although it causes no injury, it still needs to be kept out of reach to kids and pets.
With sticky traps, monitoring is necessary. This is because you will need to dispose of the mice trapped on the board. To make these pests suffer less, you can kill them before disposing of them.
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Poison
To use mice poison, you need to be very careful. Like the other methods, having kids and pets around can be quite risky. It is recommended that you only use this option when there are no children or pets around.
While it is very effective in killing mice, its disadvantage is that such mice could die in hard-to-reach areas. Under such circumstances, the smell from decomposition may result.
Other types of rat poison dry up the dead rats.
For such, there is hardly a smell. If you are faced with the smell of dead rats, solutions can be found.
Such include odor removal gels which are quite effective in eliminating all types of odors.
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Electric Mouse Traps
Electric mouse traps are quite efficient in killing off mice. There are several brands of such traps. The working principle remains the same.
Whenever mice or rats walk into these traps, it delivers a short and dead current sufficient enough to electrocute. With electric traps, rodents are dead in seconds.
Victor Electronic Mouse Trap is among the most popular electric mouse trap brands.
This mouse trap will electrocute a hundred mice before its 4 AA batteries will need to be replaced.
When using this electric trap, it is necessary to use batteries that are of high quality and strong. This gives the best results. You will need to purchase multiple units of this trap for the best results.
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Enclosed Snap Traps
These are alternatives to open snap traps. They come mostly enclosed in plastic and are safe around children and pets. All you need to do is place your bait on the trigger plate. This snaps once the weight of the mouse is sufficient enough to activate its trigger.
Most of these traps are reusable, thereby saving costs in the long run.
These traps are designed in a way such that when releasing the dead rat, you do not have to touch it. For persons who would prefer not to see the dead rat, this trap may be a disappointment.
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Ultrasonic Control Units
If you aren’t interested in trapping or even seeing the mouse, you can choose to use this pest repellent. So how does it work?
This is an electronic gadget that only needs to be plugged into an electric socket. It gives out an ultrasound wave that discomforts mice and rodents including other types of pests. It repels them and keeps them at bay.
The advantage of this system is that it poses no threat to your health as well as to your pets and kids. These have a range of operations where the ultrasound waves are expected to be most effective.
If you have a large home, you may require multiple units of this gadget for the best results.
Why it is Important to Eliminate Rodents
Rodents are dangerous to have around your dwelling. According to the Center for Disease Control CDC, rodents are carriers of over 35 diseases that can easily be spread to humans.
Also, mice and rats burrow through walls and cause damages to the property including electric wiring. This is responsible for a breakdown including house fires caused by short-circuiting of cables.
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Differentiating Between Mice and Rats
Although their activities are closely similar, it is necessary to identify the infestation problem you have at hand.
Major differences between mice and rats include living near a food source that mice are known for. Rats can stay a bit distant from a food source. This is likely to be in outdoor burrows or the ceiling.
Rats are also likely to be found close to a source of water. For mice, most of their water is gotten from their food.
Which is the Best Mouse Trap to Use?
Having listed the common types of mouse traps, the choice is up to you. There’s no best option here. The decision you make should be driven by what you want to achieve and which trap will best meet your expectations.
Different types of traps offer different results. If you prefer not to harm these rodents, you may choose the catch and release option.
For the safety of your kids and pets, you can use enclosed snap traps, ultrasonic control units, or any other type(s).
These are types of common mouse traps you can find in the market. These are for those who prefer to get the job done themselves.
While these are effective measures, you may prefer getting professionals handling the job for you. Under such an option, pest control services provide a wide range of pest elimination services including mice control.