General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHumanely caught a mouse—finally!
Over 2 months ago, I discovered we had a mouse in our house. It's actually a townhouse.
I set up a humane mouse trap probably 8 weeks ago, but he/she would not go for the peanut butter.
I would see it scurry across the room from time to time (after 8pm, when it was dark).
My German Shepherd /Border Collie mix would see it, and be obsessed with where ever it hid.
Over the weeks, I had setup 5 humane traps with different types of bait: peanut butter, oatmeal, cereal, nuts...nothing was working.
Then tonight, we had some rain. I heard a sound that I thought was dripping rain. My dog walked over to the corner and was interested in one of the traps.
Voila! The trap door was closed. It was the original humane mouse trap I had placed (I actually had a different one on order, due to arrive soon).
I walked out in the rain about a mile, and let him or her go in a meadow. I just hope it was far enough away. I hear they can find their way back within a mile.
Anyways, I just wanted to share a small success in my life tonight.
Never give up.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Warpy
(110,909 posts)Mice find that combination irresistible.
I don't particularly want to deal with live mice, they carry hantavirus here in NM, so I use electronic traps. I've heard one cycle and it was so quick the mouse didn't even get a squeak out. Those are much better than snap traps or glue traps.
ailsagirl
(22,837 posts)I know exactly how you feel-- I would never use a regular mouse trap-- ugh
Humanely, for me, is the only way to go
TheMastersNemesis
(10,602 posts)Even though I do not keep count I have probably caught and relocated 150 mice since 2000. I have a number of live catch traps and can easily relocate mice to near by open space where we have hawks, owls and other predators.
Since I lost my cats to old age and disease 116 years ago have had a problem of mice somehow getting into the house. We had a dog for 13 years and they would come in through the dog door. After I lost my dog we have had a lot fewer. I also found a hole they were coming through that was very obscured.
My personal policy has been to relocate any creature I do not want around Black widows spiders, stinging insects, and a few other pests are an exception.
BTW we live in a suburb where there is nearby open space and wild life corridors. We have rabbits, raccoon (who eats ALL my grapes, blue heron, prairie dogs, coyotes, geese, red tail hawks, Harris hawks, horned owls,et al in the area depending on the season. Our golf course has white pelican, white snowy egrets, cormorants, king fishers, ducks, heron, minter et al. For a suburb with major highways nearby we have a virtual soon.
C Moon
(12,188 posts)BTW: I saw another one the same night I posted this (about 2 hours afterward). Unless it found it's way back already.
I'm the same way as you with black widows and wasps, too.
Raine
(30,540 posts)I just couldn't use a trap that would kill them. It takes time & patience but I couldn't do it any other way.
colorado_ufo
(5,717 posts)I recommend the Ketch-All. Living in the country is great, but mice can be an issue, especially in the fall. This trap is amazing, works for both field and house mice, and doesn't need bait. You can purchase on Amazon.
montana_hazeleyes
(3,424 posts)I thought, what the heck??? lol
Fla Dem
(23,351 posts)I hadn't finished my 1st cup of coffee, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
C Moon
(12,188 posts)malaise
(267,822 posts)leftyladyfrommo
(18,816 posts)They are just tiny. I put a cookie out for them every day and they come in the afternoon. I have them trained to get their cookies and then leave again. They don't bother anything. And I like to watch them play.
I figure my house is big enough for all of us.
roamer65
(36,739 posts)You should see if u can get one of those wheels they can run in, but not in a cage of course. Set up a small mouse amusement park!
leftyladyfrommo
(18,816 posts)I worder if they would play on it?
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)I've had mice in every house I've lived in. It's fun to see them scurry around, usually along the baseboards. I've been guilty of feeding them, too.
C Moon
(12,188 posts)Of course, when you open the door to the trap, they jump about 20 feet, so the chance of giving them a piece of bread was useless.
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)Mice are funny. I did catch one in a live trap once and transferred it into a spare hamster cage I had. In less than a week, it had adapted to its new environment and was coming up to me for treats, running in the hamster wheel and seemed perfectly happy. Not long after that, it got used to being handled and had no desire to abandon that cozy little home.
They're smarter than people think, and are already half domesticated, just from living with people.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)femmedem
(8,188 posts)My cat was about to catch it outside, and it was in shock so I just scooped it up. I figured I would keep it warm overnight and then let it go again.
But he or she escaped from my container. I used to see it from time to time, but now I only know it is there because it always eats the food I give it each night. Saltines, cooked millet, commercial mouse food, and a bottle cap full of water. I feel badly for it because mice are social and I think this one is alone, but at least it's alive and well fed.
panader0
(25,816 posts)Try to figure out where it got in and fix it, or you'll have more.
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)I learned that early after becoming a homeowner.
jcgoldie
(11,584 posts)Your story shows you are a very humane thoughtful person. But I'm guessing if there was one mouse there for 8 weeks... there's more.