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It seems as though every time the weather gets colder, mice find their way into homes. They stay there all winter long and won’t leave until the weather warms up. Often, the only way to get rid of them is by using mouse traps.
Mice can be a nuisance as they take over your most personal space. They eat through almost anything, even if it’s not food. They’ll also leave behind droppings, which can cause damage to your property as well. Keep reading to learn about which mouse traps are best to keep the mice out of your house.
Why Mice Enter Your Home
In a matter of days, multiple mice will take over your home. When the weather starts to get cold, or if there is a lack of food for a group of mice, they find their way into houses as long as they have access to the inside. Usually, mice are looking for shelter, food and warmth.
Once mice enter your home, they’ll quickly find a place to call their home. Any isolated spaces near food sources, like in your kitchen area, are perfect for mice. Also, they’ll find materials to build their nest, like paper or any scraps of fabric to keep them warm.
Mice are such small animals, so any hint of cold air will send them to find warmth. If they’re not looking for shelter, they will find shelter in your home to stay warm. All animals need a place to get away from the cold, so a person’s house is suitable for mice.
The food mice are most attracted to is anything they can access. Although mice are known to love cheese, they also like peanut butter, chocolate, seeds, fruits and grains like cereal and chips. An open bag or container of any food will certainly lure them into your house.
As long as there is an entrance point, mice will get into your house. When mice invade, it’s usually not because of anything you’ve done wrong. You can have a perfectly clean home, but if your house looks appealing, they’ll find a way inside.
Signs of a Mouse Infestation
Many indicators will tell you if you have mice. Obviously, if you see one scampering across your floor, then there are probably more hiding in your house somewhere. Other signs of a mouse infestation include:
- Mouse Droppings: Mouse droppings are dark and are about the size of a grain of rice. Fresh ones will be moist and dark, but as they dry, they become gray and crumble. If you notice a large amount of them, then you’re likely close to their nesting or feeding area.
- Gnaw Marks: On the structure of your house, like walls or floors, you might find gnaw marks. Mice chew through materials to get into your walls or to get to food sources.
- Tracks: A light layer of dust may give way to mouse tracks. You can see footprints easily with a flashlight.
- Odor: You likely won’t smell the odor, but if you have a cat or dog that has a change in behavior when it goes to a certain area of your home, you might have mice. Check that area of your home with a flashlight and look for other signs.
Once you’re aware that you do have an infestation, it’s time to find a way to get rid of them. A popular option is the mouse trap.
Types of Effective Mouse Traps
There are many ways to get rid of mice, but people tend to choose a mouse trap. They’re often cheaper than hiring an exterminator, and you can reuse most of them. Plus, they have proven to work. Before setting a trap, remove easy access to your home and any food supplies the mice have been going after.
Below are the common types of mouse traps you can use in and around your home.
Snap Traps
Snap traps are what you commonly see for mouse traps. It uses a trigger system to catch mice that kill them in one swift motion. These are budget-friendly and can be used over and over.
The three types of snap traps are bar traps, clam snap traps and hidden kill snap traps. They don’t require the use of poison to kill the mice. Rather, each is loaded with bait on a sensitive switch. When the mouse goes for the bait, the trigger releases and snaps onto the mouse. Once the mouse is caught, you can dispose of it and reset the trap.
Sticky Traps
Sticky traps are just as they seem — they are simply an adhesive board. All you have to do is set the board down in an area of high traffic for the mice. You often don’t need to bait the mice either as the glue traps them.
These are easy to set up and can be used in combination with other traps. You won’t have to touch anything to dispose of the mice.
Catch and Release Traps
If you’re looking for a humane way to get rid of mice, then you can set live catch traps. These simply keep the mice in a chamber until you can release them far away from your home.
Once the mouse enters the trap, a door closes, locking them in and won’t open until you release them. Although effective, they are larger and cumbersome, and you’ll have to handle a live mouse.
Electric Traps
Rather than a snap mechanism or a sticky board, electric traps use a fatal jolt of electricity. If you don’t want to touch or see a mouse, then this is the trap for you. When a mouse is caught, the trap will signal to you so you can dispose of it.
Electric traps are larger than snap or adhesive traps and require batteries. They’re also more expensive, but they work exceptionally well.
Stop Mice Before They Enter
Once you’re sure the mice are gone, get rid of anything that was attracting them and look for entryways into your home to seal off. This will prevent an infestation in the future.
If you do have another infestation, you can count on mouse traps to get the job done.