Mice: the dreaded household pest! Not only do they spread disease and filth, sometimes it can seem like they’re everywhere. If you’ve seen small shavings of wood, shredded insulation or cardboard, or feces, it’s time to take action!

Mouse traps are a timeless and effective way to take care of problems with mice. The classic spring-loaded design used by Victor Mouse Traps has become almost universally pervasive, and has worked for centuries. There are different kinds of mousetraps, including electronic, catch-and-release, and glue traps, and all of them have unique advantages and disadvantages.

We’re focusing on how to set a spring-loaded mousetrap today, and we’d love to help you keep your home mouse-free!

8 Mistakes to Avoid When Setting a Mousetrap

Here are our best tips for catching mice using spring-loaded traps. A lot of these tips also work for electronic or catch-and-release traps as well!

  1. Not using gloves when setting the trap.
    • The easiest mistake to make when setting mousetraps is not wearing gloves.
    • Mice can smell humans, and they will avoid the traps if they smell you!
  2. Not using the right bait.
    • Contrary to popular opinion, some mice like cheese, and some don’t.
    • Use something protein and seed/nut based, like peanut butter or chocolate, to lure in mice.
  3. Using too much bait.
    • Use a small amount of bait that cannot be reached unless mice step on the trap. If they can swipe it without standing on the trap, they will!
  4. Starting with loaded traps.
    • It may seem counterintuitive, but start with unloaded traps (baited but not activated)!
    • Mice are extremely skeptical of new things–especially human things.
    • Set traps out with bait (without loading them) for a couple of nights. It lulls mice into a false sense of security.
  5. Starting with a few traps, and gradually adding more.
    • You will catch more mice on the first night of loaded traps than on any other night. Don’t skimp on the traps!
  6. Not using multiple traps.
    • This follows logically from the above tip, but you should continue to use multiple traps, two or three feet apart.
    • It might not be a pleasant thought, but if you have one mouse, you probably have more! Mice are prolific breeders.
    • By setting multiple traps, you have a better chance at catching as many as possible at once.
  7. Not setting them in the right place.
    • Mice travel along walls, under furniture, and generally any place that offers cover. They’re not typically scurrying across open spaces!
    • Place mouse traps along walls and behind furniture, with the bait placed nearest to the wall.
  8. Not checking traps.
    • Your mouse problem is not going to be gone overnight. It takes diligence to make sure traps are working, set, and not going to waste!
    • Mice can, in some instances, grab bait without setting off the trap. They can also set the trap off without getting caught!
    • If you leave a trap without bait or unloaded, it’s not doing its job.

How to Set a Mousetrap

We know–it’s a lot to take in! We’ll break it down in four easy steps:

  1. Wearing gloves, bait the traps with small amounts of peanut butter.
  2. Set a large number of traps out, with the bait facing the walls, for a couple of days– without setting the spring.
  3. On “the Big Night”, add fresh bait to the traps, and activate the trap spring.
  4. Check your traps!

Professional Mouse Control and Removal

If you’re overwhelmed or squeamish at the thought of doing all of this by yourself, give Rentokil a call. We’ll work with you to determine the best method for controlling the mice in your home, eliminating them and preventing them in the future!

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Setting a Mousetrap in Las Vegas NV

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