Mice are natural seed eaters, but inside homes they're very attracted to high-calorie sweets and fatty foods. Tiny bits of peanut butter or soft cheese have always worked well. Stick a pinch or two of marshmallows, gum drops or beef jerky to the trigger and the trap will spring when mice take a bite.
They generally look for foods that are high in energy and good fats, think peanut or almond butter, or even chocolate. No matter which trap you choose, it's important you use a food source that's different from what's available in the house and is super high in energy for the mouse.
There are several reasons why you might be encountering this problem. Some of these include handling your bait with bare hands, placing the traps in the wrong places, and underestimating mice activity.
To make this flour, sugar and chocolate rodent bait: Pour equal parts sugar (either white sugar of castor sugar), flour, and baking soda into a small container. Add a little chocolate powder or chocolate sprinkles for extra flavour, and mix it well. The chocolate is optional, but it makes the bait far more enticing!
If your mice aren't biting, the problem could be that your bait smells bad. If you smear the peanut butter on with your bare hands, the mouse might smell you on the bait and stay away.
“Mice prefer foods that are high in protein and fat over cheese. That's why the best mouse trap baits include peanut butter, hazelnut spread, chocolate, and meats like bacon or beef jerky.
Fruit jam is also effective in attracting mice for the same reasons as peanut butter and hazelnut spread – they're sweet and sticky. Just make sure to only put the right amount of jam on the trap's far end so that the mouse is forced to set off the device.
Liquid baits that contain a small amount of sugar are particularly attractive to rodents.
Baking soda is one of the most effective ways to kill mice and rats. It works by producing gas in their bellies. They cannot pass through burping or farting. It finishes off these pests painfully!
Best Mouse Baits
A mouse's diet consists of mainly seeds and grains, but mice are even more attracted to foods high in fat, protein and/or sugar.
Repel rodents and insects
Rats, mice and other insect don't like the smell of peppermint, lemon, and cinnamon. Make tea with these rodent irritants and place the used teabags in places like the back of your pantry, under the kitchen sink or behind the refrigerator to repel these unwanted pests.
Sweet or fatty foods are favorites of these rodents, so peanut butter, soft cheese, or wet cat food often work well. In general, a small amount of a sticky bait is most likely to make a mouse trigger the trap.
Mice are elusive and often most active in the evening and during the night. When you see a mouse but no droppings it suggests that the infestation is only starting. You can check for the presence of mice droppings at the back of the microwave and fridge.
Tiny bits of peanut butter or soft cheese have always worked well. Stick a pinch or two of marshmallows, gum drops or beef jerky to the trigger and the trap will spring when mice take a bite. When female mice gather nesting materials in fall and winter, dental floss, yarn and twine attract them to the trap.
The biggest difference between traps and bait stations is how long they take to eliminate rodents. Rodents that consume the poison found in bait stations can be expected to die within 1 to 2 weeks of consumption. Traps, however, instantly capture any rodents that they come into contact with.
Vinegar. The pungent smell of vinegar is also a natural way to repel mice and rats. These pests cannot stand the sharp scent of vinegar, which means it can be used as an effective rodent repellent. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for this purpose.
Rat and Mice Poison - One part flour or sugar & one part baking soda (do not have to use both sugar and flour, just one or the other mixed with baking soda). Mix together and put out for rodents. Safe if the kids or pets get into it but makes rodents insides bubble up & explode.
Once they consume enough toothpaste with fluorine and ethylene glycol, they will eventually die. Using toothpaste to kill mice is a proposition that has several problems. For starters, mice need to eat a lot of toothpaste to kill them.
There are two main things that can attract mice and rats to your house – food and shelter. If you don't tidy up properly and there's food waste on the floor or surfaces, rodents are going to love it! Rats and mice also need shelter, particularly during winter to avoid the worst of the cold.
They also like to finish their breakfast with a small corner of toast and vegemite. Water should be freely available, sipper bottles are best.
Of course, cheese had to have a place on this list. The classic stereotype is true, mice do love cheese. Although they do not love this savory snack as much as they love sweet snacks, it is still a great option to bait them toward mouse traps. The smellier the cheese the better!
The glass, nickel and peanut butter trap
All you need to do is smear peanut butter on the bottom of the glass, turn the glass upside down, and then rest the rim on a nickel placed vertically. This leaves an opening large enough for a mouse, and the mouse will enter the glass to eat the peanut butter.