Monona,

 

Being from Wisconsin, as you are, you must know that releasing a mouse you live trapped would have two potential problems.  First, if you don't take it several miles, or tens of miles, from where it was trapped, it will simply find its way back to where its "home" has been.  Second, do you really want this multiply resistant animal out there in the environment to reproduce and pass her resistance to offspring who aren't immediately killed.  So, if this live trapping scenario works, I'd suggest you put this critter down.  (I'm well aware that some won't ever want to kill any animal, but since you've got traps out filled with poison baits, I doubt you'd have a problem destroying it on principle.)

 

We often get mice and voles in the house in the fall, and one way we have caught several of them over the years is with an empty large coffee can, lying on its side, with some sort of food, apple would work, but we often use lunch meat, in the bottom.  The critter runs in, and eats, and then you tip the can up.  Once it has eaten in the can a couple of times, it's easy to bait it and sit and wait for it.  It usually doesn't take long, and we've never had one be able to run up the inside of a large can.  It's too slippery.  So, we clap the lid on, take it outside, and terminate it using an object large enough to fit in the can and crush it instantly (like a log for the fireplace).  I know it sounds nasty, but the critter dies quickly, and won't come back once it's dead.  And, even though we end up sitting and waiting for it to take the bait, we've never had to wait more than half an hour, once the mouse has learned that it can get food in the can.  For voles, the bait must be meat, like lunch meat, or cheese, or meat flavored dog or cat food.  Voles don't eat plant materials, as they are carnivores.  Some mice will prefer the same type of treat that the voles will go for, since mice are omnivores.

 

However, many of our neighbors use a cat with success, and if you aren't allergic, and don=E2=80™t want a lifetime commitment to an animal in your home, you might be able to borrow one for a few days and nights from a friend who is a pet owner.  You'll have to borrow one that hasn't been declawed though, or it won't be able to actually catch the mouse.  And, the difficulty here, is that since your home invading mouse is full of poison, if the cat actually ate the mouse, you might end up having to explain to your friend how their pet died.  Personally, knowing cat owners, I wouldn't want to risk killing a friend's pet.

 

Good luck!!

 

Meg Osterby
W831 County Road K
Stoddard, WI 54658
414-539-1543 (cell)
608-788-7951 (home)
megosterby**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com
"It's better to be careful 100 times than to be killed once.." Mark Twain

 

From: Dan Blunk
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2018 11:47 AM

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] mouse bait anyone?

 

Monona,

 

I suspect you would now miss the company of your four-legged friend, should you succeed in terminating it's existence. 

 

Providing you are prepared for the loss, I have a few suggestions. 

 

Based on the info provided, I suspect the mouse has learned to avoid recognized traps. It likely won't matter what bait is used, the bait won't overcome the trap avoidance. 

 

Nice don't free-drink water. They obtain water from the food they eat. Based on what it prefers to eat, I suspect the mouse is craving water. 

 

I'd be willing to bet a fresh apple slice would provide a scent and the moisture to be an effective attractant. But not for a trap the mouse knows to avoid. 

 

I recommend that you borrow or obtain a small live trap. The trap needs to be small to ensure the mouse can't escape the trap. Because they can compress their collar bones, mice can pass through an opening the size of a dime. 

 

While you're obtaining the trap, try and unfettered apple slice to see if the mouse takes it. 

 

Once you have a successful bait identified and a trap unfamiliar to the mouse, you need to train the mouse to the trap. If it becomes scared of the trap without being caught, you're back to square one. 

 

Put the successful bait near the new trap, but not in it. Next, fix the trap in a set position, but rigged so it doesn't trip. Put the successful bait inside until the mouse is accustomed to taking bait from the trap. Then set and bait the trap to catch the mouse. 

 

If it's a live trap, I suggest you offer your survivor friend a second chance outdoors. But, if you want to put it down, you can do so with dry ice and a plastic bag. 

 

Good luck!

Dan

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