Mice and rat control is much easier than most people think. Preventative maintenance, such as keeping lids on trash cans, eliminating entry points into your home, and most importantly, sanitation, are crucial to controlling these pests. Uneaten pet food and debris piles inside and outside the house are havens for rodents. Sometimes things outside of your control, like having homeless neighbors or new construction in the area, can easily attract rats and mice. So when it’s time to get rid of mice or rats, mouse traps and rat traps are the best way to rid your home of these nasty critters.
Before implementing a mouse or rat control program, it is always best to know the signs of a rodent infestation. Seeing a mouse or rat running through the garbage is an obvious sign, but the most telling signs you have a mouse or rat problem are scuff marks on the walls, strong urine odors, bites and the droppings.
What to use as bait is also key. Most people think cheese is best, but unless you’re trying to catch Jerry, use peanut butter in mousetraps; Fig Newton’s work is also great. Using raw hickory smoked bacon has been shown to work very well for rats.
Below you will find the best traps to kill and get rid of mice and rats. Trapping, if set and used correctly, is the best form of mouse and rat control, especially if you have animals or children.
1. Paper and Glue Tray Boards: This is hands down the easiest and safest mouse and rat trap. Especially if you have children and pets. Simply place these traps along a wall or in a corner until a mouse or rat appears.
2. Mouse/Rat Snap Traps: There are many types of snap traps on the market, but the most common are the basic pull and set, and the popular and highly effective extended trigger versions. The wider trigger paddle greatly increases the catch rate.
3. Self-Setting Traps – These are great for people who are afraid to set standard-setting traps. Quick and easy mechanisms make this trap ideal for the novice mouser.
4. T-Rex Bait Stations: Basically a black box with a trap inside. Mice and rats never see it coming. Protecta manufactures the most popular bait box/station trap combination with a T-Rex trap. The bait box acts as a shelter and safe haven for mice and rats, and this style of trap plays a safety role when children and pets are present.
5. Tin Cat – This trap acts as a monitor/mouse trap utilizing the Catchmaster Mouse Sticky Plate. Widely used in used food packaging plants and shops, but can be easily used in your home. Tin cats are closed, which helps you prevent the rodent from sticking to an exposed glue board.
6. Ketch-All wind up: A multi-catch trap that doesn’t kill, at least most of the time. Mice crawl through an opening, and the spinning paddle brings them into a holding cell.
7. Live Trap – Much like the Ketch-All, a live trap is a much smaller version of the standard cat and dog live traps. A Fig Newton or peanut butter on the back behind the trigger plate always works.
8. Bucket Tilt Trap – A bucket trap is a gravity trap with a door at one end. When the mouse enters, the cube tilts and the door closes. Peanut butter in the back of the tube works great.
9. Electric Trap: This trap speaks for itself.
10. Homemade – This is for the guy who wants to make a better mouse/rat trap, or wants to try something different. The most common is the 5 gallon bucket and soda can with wire stretched across the top. Don’t forget to place the board on the edge of the bucket (also known as a plank), before sending the local population of mice and rats to their deaths.