Ways to Kill a Mouse
Mice invade homes, spread disease and contaminate human and animal food stores. The three methods that people most often use to eliminate invading mice are traps, poison and cats. Traps are the most effective for small numbers of mice in areas where you store food. Poison is most effective in areas with a large mouse population, where you can prevent access by other animals. Some cats can be effective mousers, but others are completely uninterested in catching mice. It's not always possible to know which you have. Does this Spark an idea?
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Traps
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Mouse traps are mechanical devices made specifically to capture or kill mice. They come in a wide variety of types, from simple glue on cardboard, to elaborate contraptions made to break the mouse's neck by spinning. Probably the best known is the simple wooden snap trap. When the mouse disturbs the trigger, a spring-loaded bar hits the mouse on the back of the neck, breaking the spine. Some traps are made to capture the mouse alive, so you can release it elsewhere. If you find a mouse in a trap that is still alive, you can kill it quickly by dropping the mouse in a plastic bag and hitting the bag against a hard surface.
Poison
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Poison usually comes in the form of baited stations or pellets. Some poisons require multiple feedings, others will kill after a single feeding. Use poison with great caution, as it can also affect other animals--and humans. Never use poison around food. You also have the possibility that the mouse will go inside a wall or floor to die, which may cause a stink.
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Placement of Traps and Poison
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Mice tend to travel along walls, so place traps in corners or along the base of walls where you have spotted mice. This will make it more likely the mice will encounter the traps. If you are using snap traps, bait them with peanut butter or bacon tied firmly to the trigger plate. Leave the trap baited but not set until the bait has been taken at least once. This will prevent the mice from becoming wise to the trap. Place poisoned baits in areas where the poison cannot be accessed by other animals or children.
Cats
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Cats were originally domesticated to hunt rodents, and modern cats still have a strong hunting instinct. In order for you cat to become an effective mouser, expose it to mice when it is very young. The mother cat will bring live mice for the kittens to practice their hunting technique. If you didn't expose the cat to hunting live mice as a kitten, it may not recognize a mouse as prey. Female cats tend to be better hunters than the males, but either sex can make a good mouser. If you are selecting a cat primarily to kill mice, remember that a cat is also a pet and requires care and attention. Get the cat as a pet first, and if it kills mice, that's a bonus.
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References
- Photo Credit Michael Blann/Digital Vision/Getty Images
