The Types of Mouse Traps
No one wants mice living in their homes, leaving droppings in drawers and cabinets and eating holes into bags of dry goods. Several types of traps are available on the market and can help rid homes of vermin without the expense of an exterminator. They rang from traditional traps that kill the rodents and live-catch traps from which mice can be returned to the wild. Does this Spark an idea?
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Traditional Snap Traps
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Traditional snap traps are among the most widely used for killing mice. These come with a spring loaded u-shaped bar on a wooden board and a platform that, when applied with pressure, causes the bar to snap shut on a rodent's back or neck. These can be baited with soft cheese or peanut butter--something that can be smeared on the surface of the tripping mechanism and not removed easily. These traps are available at most hardware stores, grocery stores and big-box retailers.
Be careful, though. When installed improperly, these can injure fingers when snapping shut. Follow all directions carefully. Also know that use of this trap means the removal of a rodent that has met a rather gruesome end, so this type is not for the squeamish.
T-Rex Traps
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Closely related to the snap traps are the T-Rex variety made by the Bell company. Traditional snap traps typically require two hands to set. The T-Rex traps can be set with one hand. Serrated "teeth" on the top, bottom and sides of the trap allow for rodent kill from several different angles. Like traditional traps, however, this can be a bit gruesome.
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Multi-Catch Traps
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These traps are a kinder, gentler trap, allowing for the trapping of multiple mice (up to 30 at a time) without killing the animals. These are used by those who want to release the mice back into the wild after the trap is removed from the home.
Glue Traps
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These traps incorporate an extremely sticky adhesive on either cardboard sheets or plastic trays. Mice that venture onto these become stuck. These traps are cheap and easy to use, but they're not necessarily for the faint of heart as sometimes live mice must then be disposed of after a catch.
Electronic Traps
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Electronic traps are battery-powered chambers that lure mice in and then administer an electric shock to kill the rodents. Dead rodents basically stay out of site as the bodies are concealed in a chamber and can be dumped into the trash without looking. The Victor company reports that its electronic trap can kill up to 150 mice on one set of batteries. Green lights activate when mice have been captured and red lights indicate low batteries.
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