How to Catch a Mouse With a Mousetrap

A common spring loaded snap trap

Using mousetraps is a great way to control mice. They do not involve poisons, so are safe to use if you have children in the home. They are re-usable so they can save you money in the long run. Unlike poisons, you can tell they are working because you see the evidence. Mouse traps tend to be more humane than other types of mouse control. Snap traps kill the mouse quickly, while live traps do not kill the mouse at all.

Things You'll Need

• Bait

Instructions

1. Find a place in your home where you know rodents are active. You will usually find torn up paper or mouse droppings. They are more active at night, so you may hear them in places where they are most active after dark.

2. Hold the trap in one hand. Pull up the spring that is lying flat on the trap's surface and pull it up and over 180 degrees until it is lying flat on the surface on the opposite end of the trap.

3. Lock the spring you just moved into place with the small bar.

4. Bait the trap with a small piece of food (candy bars, peanut butter and cheese all work well).

5. Put the mousetrap in place, carefully making sure not to spring it on yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Live traps are easy to use and, as the name suggests, will not kill the mouse. However, this requires that you have somewhere to release the mice without the chance they will re-enter your home.

• Beware of using sticky traps. These traps are simply strips covered with glue and the mice will stick to them as they walk across. Mice will live until they starve to death, die of dehydration, or are eaten by a predator. Thus, they are viewed as being a less humane trapping option.

Resources

• Video Clip of Setting a Mousetrap