Mice are elusive and shy creatures that try their best to hide from people. However, their presence in a home causes an unimaginable amount of health and safety problems for you and your family. Aside from calling a professional exterminator to get rid of them, mouse traps are the next best thing that can help catch these little pests.
So how quick can mouse traps work in catching mice? The time that a mouse trap needs to catch mice depends on a lot of factors including the severity of the infestation, the kind of bait used, and the area it was placed. Mouse traps can work in a span of a few hours to days. To prevent this long wait, there are few ways to make the traps catch mice quicker.
During winter, around 21 million American homes unwillingly become hosts to pesky rodents like mice and rats. As the temperature drops outside, mice will seek warmth, shelter, and food in human homes. However, these unwanted guests can cause structural damages to a home by chewing through wiring and different materials. They are also responsible for carrying several diseases that can affect humans and pets.
To eliminate them effectively, many homeowners use mouse traps with food baits. These traps can take around several hours to a few days when catching mice, but it promises a sure kill. To maximize the effectiveness of mouse traps, they must be placed in strategic places, such as near walls and the attic, where there are signs of mice activity.
Mouse traps are highly effective in catching mice. They are even utilized by most pest control services, along with other extermination methods, to put a dent in the mice population in an infested home.
Mouse traps come in different types such as snap traps, glue traps, and electronic traps. Since these traps are easy to use, you can use multiple types of traps to catch more mice in different areas of the home.
If the mouse traps are taking too long to catch mice, there might be some things you are doing wrong. Here are a few tips that can help you trap them quicker:
There are many types of mouse traps available on the market. Although they are all effective in catching mice, picking the right type of trap will depend on the situation and resources you have at home.
Snap traps are easy to use because they only need food bait like peanut butter to lure mice in. However, it shouldn’t be placed in areas where there are children and pets. The snapping force of a snap trap is enough to kill a rodent so it can definitely cause injuries to pets and children if triggered accidentally.
Glue traps can also catch mice by keeping them trapped in place. This method is a slow way to kill the rodent. It should be placed in the mice’s pathway but ensure that the area is not too dusty. Otherwise, it might affect the effectiveness of the adhesive on the glue trap.
Electronic traps shock the trapped mouse with a high voltage, effectively killing it. It’s also safe to use around pets and children. However, electronic traps are not recommended for outside use.
Most homeowners put the mouse traps in the wrong places when attempting to catch mice. It’s better to place these devices near places where there are signs of mice activity. Watch out for mice droppings and the scent of urine; the more droppings there are, the closer you get to the mice nest.
Some of the best places to set mouse traps are along walls, at the back of cabinets, and under the appliances. Since mice are wired to avoid humans, they tend to travel along walls and other concealed areas like the attic.
It’s natural for mice to be wary of the new objects in their path. You can teach them that the traps are harmless by placing them in the areas where mice frequently visit. Make sure that the traps are unset and there are baits inside.
If you see that the baits are being taken by the mice, it’s safe to assume that they became acclimated to the traps already. By the time you set the trap, mice will not hesitate to take the bait and get caught in the mouse trap.
When it comes to catching mice with mouse traps, it’s better to go big. Your first night of using mouse traps will catch more mice and rats than the succeeding nights. This is because the rodents will be more careful when moving around a home after their kin has been caught.
Rodents like mice and rats reproduce rapidly. By the time you manage to catch one, there’s a huge chance that it has already reproduced more pups before getting caught. If you want to put a dent in the mice population, place multiple traps close together. Each trap must be installed 3 feet apart.
People think cheese is the best bait when attracting mice – they couldn’t be more wrong. Although mice will eat anything available to them, they prefer eating nuts and seeds. When infesting a home, their diet changes to food with high fat and calorie content.
To catch mice quicker, you must be using the right bait. Food like peanut butter is one of the most popular bait for mice because its nutty flavor is favored by the rodents. Its stickiness also makes it hard for a mouse to eat the spread without triggering the trap.
Other foods that are also effective include chocolate, bacon, fruit jam, pet food, and bird seeds. Nesting materials such as cotton, twine, yarn, and dental floss may work if the rodents are still starting to build their nest inside the house.
Traps should be checked frequently to see if they already caught a mouse. There may also be times when the mouse manages to swipe the bait off the trap without getting caught. When this happens, it’s important to re-set the traps to refill the bait.
If you are reusing a trap that already managed to catch a mouse before, it’s crucial to clean the trap thoroughly. Aside from preventing the transmission of diseases that come from the mouse carcass, disinfecting the trap will erase the scent of the dead rodent. When mice smell a dead rodent from a trap, they will take it as a warning and stay away from the device.
At Permakill Exterminating, we ensure that our clients experience foolproof rodent control services for their homes. Our IPM-based extermination methods will safely eliminate the mice and rats from the home and keep them from returning.
Upon arriving at your home, we will inspect the property and evaluate the situation to provide you with the best solution. For a thorough and quick mice control in your home, call us now at (973) 584 – 6414 to get a free estimate.
Learn more: What is the Best Bait for a Mouse Trap?
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