Do you hear the sound of little feet coming from the back of the closet? Do you find poop and chewing paper and clothing? Here’s a guide to getting those critters moving, or not!
Mouse Cube ~
Mouse Cube is a human trap. It looks like a small square tunnel, but it has a single plastic door. In the latter you put something tasty, and when the wall enters to eat, it closes the door, trapping him inside. Now it’s up to you what to do. If you leave him in the Cube, he will eventually die (because there is no water there). If you take the Cube outside, you can release the “wild” rat into the yard (or the neighbor’s orchard). The goal is to probably find it at your home within a day or so.
Sticky legs ~
Sticky traps are also considered ‘humane’ in that they don’t actually kill the mouse. And they make them a kind of guns. An adhesive tape is basically a piece of paper with an adhesive film on one side. You put the mouse side up and wait for the mouse to walk over it. Then his little strong claws stuck to him. The instructions say that you should then set the trap. So you’ve got a nervous, squeaky, struggling paper mouse stuck in your garbage disposal until it’s a mess.
Snap traps ~
This classic spring-loaded mouse trap clips down on the mouse’s arm when it reaches for the bait. In fact, sometimes it gets stuck in his head. It depends on the angle at which the trap is entered. Having it snap in the head is actually kinder, as it usually kills in one hit. If only the arm is caught, you’re back to dealing with a hysterical (and now wounded) mouse.
Poison ~
This option, while effective, should not be used in homes where small children or care could be occupied. The poison comes in small cardboard trays, and you slide them under the furniture and in the back of the cupboard where I have seen rat droppings. The poison is green, and soon you will start to see green poop. That’s how you know what they eat. The poison is actually just a super-strong anti-coagulant. Anyone who eats it will start bleeding internally because their blood cell usually leaks through the walls. Rats tend to crawl to death in private, but you may find carcasses later if you ever move the furniture.
Let them remember that even these bodies are contaminated. Do not touch with your bare hands, and do not eat with care. That anti-coagulant is still present, and can kill people and animals who absorb or consume it.
Caes~
Some cats eat mice. If you add a good mouser to your family, it will keep your mouse under control and enjoy the job. Just make sure you don’t have a ‘Garfield’ type cat that will learn that mice can walk properly without fear.
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