There are several alternatives available to a homeowner to successfully catch mice. Some of these techniques are humane while some are not so. The debate regarding the implementation of inhumane methods like glue traps still persists and animal rights groups are fervently against the idea. A natural technique to catch mice that was quite popular in the old days was keeping a cat as a pet. However, in the present-day scenario it is not always possible to have a cat in one’s house. Some people might be allergic to cats. It is not very easy to raise a cat too as it can often raise tantrums if not looked after properly. With the advance of science more effective techniques have been devised that are able to catch these rodents very swiftly.
Mouse traps that were originally used were quite sordid as the spring-loaded lever on many occasions killed the mouse. Disposing the carcass then became a problem and sensitive people often wanted to avoid going through all these hassles. Hence a new improvement has been made wherein an enclosure is present on top of the trap and around it. In this way a person does not need to see the dead body and can throw it away uninhibitedly. A person must ensure that the corpse is not kept inside the trap for too long as germs might then start breeding along with emission of foul. Poisons are also used for killing mice by mixing the venoms with tempting baits. The issue with poisons is that pets and children might also ingest those mistakenly and a fatal mishap might occur. Also poisons kill the mice and that might not be an acceptable idea to many people.
An advanced technique frequently used nowadays is the sonic repellant. Though it does not actually catch mice, it effectively helps to drive away the rodents. In this machine sound waves of high-frequency are emitted which are inaudible to the human ear. This repellant is not only able to get rid of mice and rats, but also ants, roaches, and spiders. In many houses several such gadgets are kept in different rooms to comprehensively thwart the rodents and various insects from entering. An individual must remember that inhabiting with rodents is a dangerous proposition as serious health issues can surface anytime. Valuable property inside the house is destroyed and electrical wires are not spared either.
A person must initially locate the dwelling of the mice, and then plan to catch these rodents. Although mice and rats build their nests outside the view of human beings, certain clues are left behind like chewed fabric, droppings, etc. It is important to carefully search behind and under the furniture pieces. Snap-traps are employed by many people to kill mice instantly. These traps work on the principle of breaking the mouse’s neck immediately. In this method a person is able to catch mice but unfortunately those would become dead after being caught. Peanut butter, candy, meat, etc. are all used as items for baiting the mice. These traps should be kept away from children and pets as they might get injured by accidently fidgeting with them.
To catch mice effectively a person might need to place several traps. Ideally these should be placed near the walls, in the corners of the room, beneath cupboards and kitchen sinks, etc. Mice have an intrinsic tendency to scurry against the walls of the rooms and rarely travel openly. Many other innovative methods are there to catch mice without killing. This strategy has several advantages. Firstly, no harm is done to these rodents, and secondly, foul odor is absent after the rodents are caught. Interestingly, quite a few people are able to get hold of mice with towels. But a certain degree of guile and agility is required in this method.
There is another exciting technique that can be employed to catch mice. It is known as the “freefall” and involves placing a tall can / bucket underneath a table. Then an empty cylindrical tube is placed at the side of the table. After the bait has been properly placed on the edge, a person would need to wait for the rodent to come near the bait. Then the tube would tumble due to the weight of the mouse and drop right into the can / container underneath. In this way the mouse would get caught in a safe manner.
All the best,
Sergiu Zburatoru
