Getting Rid Of Mice Using Mousetraps
Do the new mice repellers and humane mouse traps that are now being sold really offer better solutions to get rid of mice? Absolutely.
It is a well-known fact that house mice pose a serious health hazard. They spread disease in their feces and carry fleas and other parasites that work their way into our environment.
It’s not a good idea to rely on a house cat as a mouse control mechanism, as they are also known to carry disease and parasites that are a health risk to pregnant women and children.
They make the old spring traps seem like little torture racks for rodents. Most of us have gone through this situation – you bait an old-style mousetrap one evening and wake up the next day to the mouse or rat trap, but not quite dead.
Very unpleasant, but the new devices make that a thing of the past.
Effective Mouse Trapping
Mice are nocturnal creatures that might not travel more than 20 feet from the nest in their entire life.
If there is a significant rodent infestation in a home it’s a good idea to consider multiple mouse trap placements. Mousetraps should be placed perpendicular to any wall or surface where you have seen the mice run or found their droppings.
Traps should also be placed under sinks, behind appliances, in garages, dog kennels or any area where mouse control without the use of toxic baits is needed.
Signs of mouse infestation include mouse droppings, the visible gnawing of plastic, soap and cardboard boxes.
Safe Handling Procedures
When handling dead rodents and resetting traps, be sure to thoroughly clean contaminated objects with a general household disinfectant or in soap and warm water.
Always wear rubber or plastic gloves when removing dead rodents from traps and when cleaning or disinfecting items contaminated by rodents.
When using glue traps, dead mice can be released from the glue by applying vegetable oil and gently working the animal-free, although most people prefer to simply dispose of the entire mess.
Glue traps should be disposed of by wrapping the trap and its contents in a suitable plastic bag and placing it in the refuse bin.
Preventing Mouse Infestation
It is important for you to find the primary cause of the rodent infestation in your home because if you fail to identify the source and the rodent’s point of entry, it will be nearly impossible to keep these pesky rodents out.
One effective way to prevent mice from coming into your house by blocking many possible entry points as you can find with expandable aerosol foam.
You can inspect your home’s exterior for small holes and cracks by walking around the outside of the house and blocking any holes that you can poke a small pencil or pen into. Use aerosol expanding foam or insulating putty to plug the hole completely.
Do not use any organic material, as the mice will surely chew their way into your home as quickly as they can.
