As much of a nuisance as having mice in your house is, a lot of people have a hard time killing them. Many people are looking for a humane mouse trap that is not overly cruel. Some of the traditional devices for getting rid of mice such as glue traps have been on the receiving end of much derision from animal rights activists and well known groups such as PETA. Some people are simply looking for an alternative to killing mice because they don’t like the thought of handling and disposing of a dead mouse. Most of you I know for sure just want to get rid of mice. Whatever camp you fall in, this article is for you. Make sure you read it through because by the end of it, you’re going to know exactly what you need to get rid of mice once and for all.
There are a couple different interpretations of the meaning of humane mouse traps. One way to look at humane is that it’s the opposite of cruel. So what you’re looking for is a trap that gets rid of mice in a manner that is not cruel. There are many traps out there that subscribe to this philosophy by ensuring that they mean the international humane killing standards as prescribed for kill traps. Many of the electronic mouse traps, such as the Victor M260 Multi-Kill Mouse Trap, that effectively shock a mouse to death advertise the fact that they meet humane kill standards. The humane kill standards require that a mouse die quickly and without much pain and suffering. Many of the electronic traps boast kill rates of under 10 seconds, which is much quicker than old fashioned glue traps which kill a mouse by dehydration and exposure which can take hours to complete.
Another way people look to humanely get rid of mice is via the use of live catch mouse traps, which are sometimes called no kill mouse traps. The no kill mouse trap enables people to catch mice without killing them. The mouse is then taken away from the home and released back into the wild. One word of caution is to ensure that you drive at least several miles away before releasing the mouse. Mice have a very keen sense of smell and if released to closely to your home will make their way back to their nest which you are trying to dismantle. Also dumping them into your neighbor’s backyard is not a socially acceptable method of getting rid of your mouse problem. I hardly think they will like you if they see you doing a dump and run of rodents in front of their house. Plus it won’t do you much good because the mice will likely make their way back to their nests which are in your home.
There are a lot of live catch mouse traps on the market, but they all work on the same premise. Usually they operate by having a storage compartment where the mouse is housed and the bait is placed. To get into the compartment the mouse usually has to enter via a one way door or set off some trigger mechanism that prevents their escape. Once the mouse is housed inside of one of these traps, you can simply take the entire trap with you to a release location. Like I said before, make sure it is far from your home, and if you like your neighbors, far from theirs as well. Most no kill traps have a release trigger that gives you access to the storage compartment. They are designed so that you never have to handle the mice with your hands. I’d still recommend wearing gloves as mice can be carrying diseases. Better safe than sorry and don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done.
One of the benefits of using a live catch trap for mice is that fact that they are reusable. The may initially cost more than some of the more traditional types of traps, like the snap trap or poison, but since they are reusable you can catch more than one mouse with them. Depending on the type of trap you purchase, you may actually be able to catch more than one mouse in a single deployment. The old saying goes that you’re killing two birds with one stone. Well, now you’re able to catch two mice with one trap, and you’re not killing them! How’s that for a humane mouse trap!!
So what are your options as far as purchasing a humane mouse trap?
Hands down the most popular and most effective one is the Smart Mouse Trap, and it’s quite inexpensive on Amazon (around $15 when I last checked, so if you see it cheaper, jump on it because you’re getting a good deal). Now I don’t normally like when sites just pick a random product and say “Click here and buy it now” or “Trust me it works.” The reason I’m recommending this trap is because so many other people are recommending it. Usually when you try to solve a problem like getting rid of mice, the tool you use (i.e. the trap) is only as good as the operator using it (i.e. you). A lot of people expect that there is a magic bullet to solving their problems and if they pay for it, it should just work. Well I agree to a certain extent, but you have to set it well and use the right bait – you have to do it right and give it time. Mice may not be the most intelligent creatures, but they do tend to be on the prudent side. They also have to find the trap in the first place. Just because you set it doesn’t mean they know it’s there. You have to effectively lure them in with the bait and ensure you place the trap in areas that they frequent (i.e. where you’ve seen them already, or have identified the signs of mice).
When I saw this trap on Amazon, there were over one hundred 5 star reviews, and an overall rating of 4 stars. For a mouse trap, that is unprecedented.