Place rat traps at intervals of 15 to 20 feet. Corners and mid-wall runways are ideal spots. Mice are curious and quick to investigate new things, including traps, while rats exercise more caution. Consider leaving an unset trap in an area for one or two days before you bait and set it.
Mice have a great sense of smell which also allows them to avoid traps. Once they smell a human scent on a trap, they avoid it. Additionally, smelling dead mice on a trap teaches them to avoid particular areas. That scent warns them of the dangers in that area.
Next, the mice exterminator will place traps at strategic places in your basement, kitchen, attic, bedroom and bathrooms. They use different types of traps like glue traps, snap traps and other live capture traps. This method helps to control a smaller population of mice infestation.
Humane trapping is the best way to go. In general, traps are preferred over poison bait as they are less hazardous to children and pets. But if you're dealing with a severe infestation that can put your family at risk, consider using spring traps or calling a professional pest control company.
Inhumane and Cruel
As you may or may not already be aware of, mouse traps are often inhumane and cause undue stress or harm and often death to the animal. Even if you are okay with killing the animal in your home, the way in which many commonly sold products do so is cruel.
Mice have a great sense of smell. This ability helps them stay alive, especially where traps are concerned. Mice know what we smell like. If they smell us on, or around, a trap, they will avoid that trap.
Spotting one elusive mouse typically means there are at least five or six hiding out in your walls, basement, or attic. This is particularly true if you see a mouse at night or in a low-traffic area of your home. For more proof of a full infestation, look for these indicators: Scratching noises in the evening.
House mice prefer living in cool, dark places during the day. The most common areas they like to hide are in between walls, pantries, cupboards, sofas, old boxes, and other similar areas wherein they would not be disturbed inside your home.
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.
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.
Put the baited end of the trap next to the wall so it forms a “T” with the wall. Rodents prefer to run next to walls or other objects for safety and do not like being out in the open. Place traps in areas where you have seen mice or rats, nesting materials, urine and droppings, nibbled food, or gnaw marks.
After a fruitless struggle, they may succumb to exhaustion, collapse face down in the glue, and die of suffocation when the glue lodges in their nasal passages. Most often death comes from a combination of exhaustion, dehydration, and starvation. This can take anywhere from three to 24 hours, or more.
The rodents are primarily nut and seed eaters, so the mouse trap bait they are most strongly attracted to is peanut butter or hazelnut spread. Their hunger for calories also entices them to try chocolate.
Look closely at your foundation for cracks or gaps where a mouse could squeeze through. Wherever possible, climb underneath porches and look behind stairs, bushes, or other objects. There may be holes that have been made larger over the years by water damage and chewing pests.
Classic snap traps are commonly used to kill mice within homes. For best results, these traps should be set flush to walls, with the trigger plates facing the wall. Glue boards may be effective, as well. If placed properly, the mice should become caught in the glue and unable to free themselves.
Mice are nocturnal creatures, so they are most active between dusk and dawn. They don't usually like bright lights, but a mouse may sometimes be seen during the day, especially if its nest has been disturbed or it is seeking food.