Mice and the Best Way to Deal With Them

[strawberryfields]

What is the best method for getting rid of mice? I don't want to use poison or snap traps for obvious reasons.

Has anyone had any particularly good luck with a specific trap? I have tried the sticky ones, which work great, but if I have to keep buying the traps I will go broke. I have tried the kind you wind up with limited success. I had a live trap once that was great but I cannot find a supplier for them anymore.

Ideally, I would purchase one or several live multiple catch mouse/rat traps.

Can anyone make any recommendations? Anyone know of a particularly reliable mouse trap?

 

[Cara]

I have a multiple mouse live trap that I bought from a Big R store. Our local feedstore also sells them, i'd bet a Tractor Supply Co would.

 

[patman75]

You could try the "5 gallon bucket of death".

Fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/2 or 2/3 full of water.

Put a piece of wood like a 2X4 across the top/opening and along the sides as ramps.

Put of heavy layer of sunflower seeds in the water, the seeds will float and it will look like a bucket of sunflower seeds.

The mice, chimpmunk, rat, etc will jump in the bucket to get the sunflowers and then drown because they will not be able to get out.

Just make sure there is a good gap between the top and the water level so they dont get out. You can use a bigger bucket if you like.

Cheap and easy. Good luck!

 

[DawnSuiter]

If you figure it out, do let me know.

I'll give the bucket of death a try once the temperatures thaw out.

I plan on going to war with them mice though this coming year!!!!

 

[strawberryfields]

Cara, what sort of trap is that? Do you have a brand name? I have been on ebay and amazon and reading all the reviews... am thinking about a sparrow trap if I can find one with small enough mesh.

Patman75... that may just work and I believe I will give that a try. Sometimes they get into containers that are not baited, so this idea seems especially appealing! I bet it works pretty good

I once had a wire cage that was supposed to be a single live trap, but I would get two or three mice in a setting... baby mice mostly. This year has been especially bad for the ever growing mouse population. Even the birds can't keep up with it

Thanks!

 

[patman75]

Quote:
I know a few people who have used the "bucket of death" with chipmunk problems and they got about 20 over the summer. I accidently caught about 10 mice in a bucket once at my old house that had just a little feed left, they couldn't get out.

Good luck!

 

[todd walker]

My place sat empty for 4 years before I bought it,about 2 months after I had it a cat showed up,I feed it every 3-4 days and almost every time I see it it is eating something mouse,rat,snake,so far it has only looked at chickens,and does not even look at the ducks.
I know in TX there is a group that deals in feral cats they spay-nuter and rehome,they are feral so used to killing to live,so the trick is to feed them evey 3-4 days so they will stick around.I'm a dog guy and went 40+ years hating cats now that mine is here I'm liking him/her.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have tried a number of different traps when the mice decide I was running a bed and breakfast.

Snap traps – my 2nd BEST catcher. I took a recycle container and flipped it upside down. Placed trap – baited with string tied around the food pedal and coated in peanutbutter – inside the upside down container, place bricks on of recycle container so chickens cannot move container. Our recycle containers have a small inch inch/half gap that allows the mice to crawl in. Less than 2 dozen killed with the snap traps.

Water container – my BEST catcher. For my chickens water I use a large dog bowl, but do not fill it full, I fill it to within 3 inches of the top. Mice go to the edge to drink and fall in. Best night I had three of the furry ice cubes. I have taken out over 3 dozen mice this way.

Live traps – poor catchers. I have the single whites that can be bought at the big home improvement stores – caught one mouse. I also have the hotel type (sorry I no longer have the box) – purchased at the feedstore – caught 2 at the same time. The hotel type do seem to work the best when one mouse is already caught. Exactly 3 mice caught.

Currently I am mouse free, but do have a live trap and snap trap set – just in case we get any mice applying for a rental.

 

[PineappleMama]

Ohhh Pat I didn't think of that!

The bucket version I heard was 5g with a wire running along the top and a holey (top and bottom) coke can with peanut butter in the center. They try to stand on the can to get teh PB and get tossed in. I like your way better!!

 

[LynneP]

We feed feral cats and they now have to travel about 1/4 mile to get a rodent! It's worth a few bags of cat food, table scraps and consistent water to keep them patrolling. Good for squirrels and other troublesome mammals too.