How to trap mice fast and effectively

How to trap mice fast and effectively

You’ve noticed signs of mouse activity: Gnawed packaging, little black turds on surfaces. During a quiet moment, maybe you even saw a mouse dash across the floor of your home.

It’s important to be aware of mouse activity and act immediately to get rid of them. Why?

Mice are bad for your health

Mice poop and pee everywhere they go. This means just about every surface they contact -- counter tops, stoves, dishes – can get contaminated.

Not only is this gross, but the particles of feces and urine can become airborne. Breathing in these particles is dangerous because some rodents carry hantavirus. This is the virus that killed actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Learn more about rodents and your health.

Mice reproduce quickly

In addition to being a health hazard, a single female house mouse can spawn a major infestation in very little time. She can have 42 to 60 baby mice in one year! And because those offspring continue to reproduce year round, you soon could be dealing with hundreds – even thousands – of vermin.

Mouse gnawing and nesting makes a mess. Chewed wires can cause house fires. And all that poop and pee? It starts to smell… bad.

The more mice you have, the harder it is to eliminate them. The best strategy is to act as soon as you see or suspect mouse activity. Learn more about mice.

Trap mice like a pest control professional

Trapping is the most effective way to get rid of mice quickly. But mice are clever and may avoid traps. To increase your success, it helps to understand how mice behave so you know where and how to place traps, say the experts at Pest HQ, Ontario’s leading source of DIY pest control products. Collectively, they have more than 100 years of experience helping customers get rid of mice.

Pest HQ experts suggest the following tips to eliminate mice through trapping:

Use the right trap. Many different types of mouse traps are available. They include snap traps, live traps, multiple catch traps and glue traps. If you are hesitant about using a traditional kill trap, try a live trap. Electronic traps offer a "no touch, no view" disposal of rodents. Choose one kind of trap or try several to see which one works best for your situation.

Consider rodenticide. Severe indoor infestations may require the use of rodenticide, a pesticide that kills mice. Rodenticide is used in a locked bait station. It contains food-grade ingredients that attract the mice. The mice enter the station, eat the rodenticide and die. They may die away from the station, however, which means you’ll need to find and dispose of mouse carcasses. Wear gloves.

Buy more than one trap. If you see or suspect a mouse, you likely have more than one. You’ll want to set traps in multiple locations, within 25 feet of each other. This will greatly increase your catch rate. The larger the infestation, the more traps you need.

Place traps where mice are active. This includes areas where mice feed, nest and travel, including:

· along walls and hard edges

· dark corners

· inside closets

· behind appliances

· cupboards and places where rodent droppings and chewed packaging are found

· where pet food is stored, like the garage or pantry

Use an attractive bait. Mice in your home have many food choices. The bait you use to lure them to the trap needs to be yummier than what is readily available. Use a professional-grade bait attractant designed specifically for mice. Remove other food sources. Store food items and pet food in plastic containers with tight fitting lids.

Be patient, then check traps daily. Mice may take a day or two to warm up to a new trap in their midst. But check traps regularly after that. Dead mice smell bad. And you can’t catch other mice if you have one in the trap. Continue to set traps until you’re no longer catching any or seeing signs of rodent activity. Get more tips to get rid of mice.

Prevent future mice problems with exclusion

Mice come into your home from the outdoors. Unless you seal the holes, cracks and gaps where mice entered, you will forever be trapping mice indoors. End the cycle of trapping mice with exclusion, the process of sealing entry points with professional-grade, rodent-proof materials.

Exclusion is the most effective way to prevent mice problems. Pest HQ experts suggest the following:

· Thoroughly inspect the house to find the gaps, cracks and holes where mice enter the home.

· Seal up entry points using materials specifically designed to keep rodents out. These include a caulk-like material reinforced with metal fiber, metal mesh and commercial-grade door seals.

Get more tips for keeping mice out of your home.

Take the next step to get rid of mice

Order mouse traps, attractant, bait stations, rodenticide and exclusion material online from Pest HQ. Items ship fast or can be picked up at our headquarters: 7 Meridian Rd, Etobicoke, Ontario, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Best bait to use for mouse traps