What to do about a trap-shy house mouse

So you find out that you have mice. You don’t think it is that many critters because you only ever seen one at a time, and even when you look for it you don’t really find more than a few droppings at a time. You have plugged up as many holes as you can find. And searched the exterior for ways in and out but it is a really old house, so there could be more holes that you have yet to discover. When you finally get around to setting traps you are lucky enough to catch a mouse in a snap trap right away. You believe that it is because you are using the peanut butter bait and he just couldn’t resist.



You are optimistic that your mouse problems will soon be over but don’t celebrate just yet. His furry little friends are proving to be another story. The left behind mice are proving much cleverer than their unlucky buddy. They not only act totally uninterested in the other peanut butter-baited snap traps, but also seem totally at indifferent in trying the poison that was put out a week ago (which proudly proclaims on the package “mice can’t resist us”). Now you have begun to realize that this is not going to be as easy as you first thought. In fact, you are getting a little irritated with this mouse that is throwing his freedom up in your face.

So: Is there a way to make mouse trap and remove efforts more effective? I Maybe you need a new type of trap or you should smear peanut butter all over the “irresistible” poison pellets. Maybe there is some other type of food that will tempt a finicky mouse. Is this just a more intelligent mouse, or is there something wrong with it? You are not alone in this observation, and quite frankly, no one knows for sure. The general consensus is that the mouse is alerted by the smell of the urine or blood that was secreted by the unlucky mouse the trap caught. It is recommended by a number of specialists that if a trap is unsuccessful for a few days you should consider changing its location, or get a different type of trap. Changing the bait is probably not necessary, but that is up to you. If you have tried everything and still feel that the mouse is somehow eluding you, it might be best to solicit the help of a professional.

Calling on an animal removal service assures that you will be serviced by trained expert that is wise in the ways of all sorts of critters. A reluctant mouse will be no match for them. Not only are they versed in the standard techniques used for mouse eradication, but they will have studied the newest methods on the market today. A professional will analyze your situation and not only determine the actual number of mice you have, but the best way to get rid of them. An animal removal service will also deal with any bodies or live mice left behind, as well as deposing of any remaining traps.

Go back to the How to get rid of mice in the attic home page. You might also want to read about how to kill mice and why the use of snap traps is better than mouse poison. Read an analysis of the different types of traps and how to use them on the how to trap mice page. Learn why bait is not as important as trap type, placement and location. Also read a full analysis of mouse repellent to understand why it never works. If you see droppings and want to identify them, read the mouse poop page. If you need to hire professional help, read about how much does mouse removal cost? or you can read this site to learn how to do it yourself. Feel free to email me about What to do about a trap-shy house mouse

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