Rodents like mice and rats are unwanted guests you wouldn’t want to hear scurrying in the house at night. They bring a lot of structural damage and several diseases to a home. One of the most effective ways to eliminate them is using traps with good bait.
So what is the best bait to use for a mouse trap? Mice are shy creatures that hide in secluded places in the home, but they can be lured out of hiding by peanut butter baits. The high-calorie taste of peanut butter and its strong smell make it attractive for mice to risk getting caught.
Rodents like mice and rats will build nests in a home that provides them with shelter and a stable source of food. If your house is one of the 21 million American homes affected by rodent problems every year during winter, start solving the problem using the right mouse traps and baits.
Finding the best kind of trap and bait for catching these pesky rodents might require a few trials and errors. But for the most part, food baits like peanut butter can be used to attract and trap mice quicker than any other bait.
Mice and rats are omnivores, which means they feed on meat and plant materials. In the wild, these rodents will consume seeds, grains, and small insects, but their diet changes when they enter a home.
Once they infest a house, they need to eat high protein and fatty foods, such as peanut butter, hazelnut spread, and chocolate. These kinds of food are also easily detected by the rodents’ strong sense of smell, which is why they’re the best bait to use when luring mice out of their nests.
Unlike what television shows have told you, cheese isn’t really that great as rodent bait. A chunk of cheese doesn’t attract mice and it can easily be taken from the latch without triggering the trap. It’s better to choose sticky baits, such as jelly, peanut butter, and chocolate spreads. If you still want to use cheese for baiting these little pests, cream cheese will work better than cheddar cheese.
It’s important to find out which kind of bait works best in catching mice because an effective mouse trap won’t work without the right bait. Remember to use gloves when setting up the trap because the mice can detect human scent if you touch the bait.
Three kinds of baits are effective in attracting mice out of hiding: food bait, nesting bait, and specialty bait. Out of these three, food bait is the most effective because it can be picked up by the rodents’ keen sense of smell.
If you don’t know what food will be effective in catching these pests, here are six of the best food baits to use:
Mice like eating nuts, which makes peanut butter a great bait for luring them out of their nests. Its high fat and calorie content also makes it an attractive bait for the mice inside the home. Other nut spreads such as hazelnut also work great as baits for mouse traps.
One common mistake that people do when attempting to catch a mouse is putting too much bait, but this only makes it easier for the mouse to get some of the peanut butter without triggering the trap. Just spread a pea-sized amount of the peanut butter or hazelnut spread on the trap and let it do its job.
House mice are also attracted by small pieces of chocolate. Like peanut butter, its strong smell and high-calorie content make it a good mouse bait. Try using milk chocolate or regular chocolate and observe which of them works better in attracting mice.
Mice wouldn’t pass up a chance to eat their favorite food, which is why seeds are excellent bait too. These little rodents enjoy the taste of bird seeds and other plant seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Aside from the taste, seeds are also easy to carry back to their nest, which is why rodents collect seeds that the pet bird forgot to eat.
Cats and dogs are considered natural rodent control measures because their strong senses allow them to detect the presence of pests in a home. But ironically, they actually end up attracting mice because of the food they leave in their bowls.
Mice are opportunistic feeders who enjoy eating pet leftovers. They typically prefer wet pet food to dry biscuits. If your pet leaves a few pieces of food in their bowls, just place a mouse trap near that area and wait for the little rodent to get trapped in the device.
Aside from peanut butter and hazelnut spreads, fruit jam is also another affordable mouse bait that can effectively lure mice out of hiding. Just dab a bit of the jam on the far end of the trap to force the mouse to push the lever and set off the trap.
Make sure to check the trap frequently because fruit jams can also attract other pests like ants and cockroaches. If the bait has been eaten by these pests, replace it with a new piece so that it attracts mice more effectively.
Just like humans, mice won’t be able to resist bacon that’s open for the taking. It doesn’t matter if the meat is cooked or raw – mice will attempt to risk their lives for a few slices of bacon left on the kitchen counter. But for best results, fry the bacon to enhance its smell. The bacon grease can also be used in the trap to lure the little rodents out of hiding.
Other deli meats can also be utilized in baiting mice as long as they don’t spoil quickly. Preserved meats are tempting, but they can easily spoil at room temperatures. If you are luring mice using this kind of bait, make sure to check it frequently to make sure it hasn’t spoiled.
Here at PermaKill Exterminating, we can provide you with a permanent solution to your rodent problems at home using the right knowledge and tools to eliminate them. We ensure to integrate IPM in our extermination services to make your New Jersey home rodent-free for a long time. Call us now at (973) 584 – 6414 to get a free estimate.
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