The better mousetrap
This is the better mousetrap if your objective is to bring 'em back alive.
We tried another product first, sold in pairs. It was also by Victor, which seems to have a stupendous share of the mouse and rat market. Our kitchen mouse–so far singular–figured them out about as fast as I did, and amused itself by eating the bait, then escaping before the little sucker shut. The one time the mouse got caught, Kitchen Mouse took advantage of my curious inspection to bolt down the range vent again.
That's when I went for heavier weaponry. These cost $4-$5 apiece, depending on where you get them. Setup is idiot-proof. You bait it, set it against the wall, then check it in a safe place.
The morning after I had set the thing up, I found it out of place–in fact, a couple of feet out in the kitchen floor. I figured this indicated a catch. Following the instructions, I took it to the back of the lot, near the large shed, and slid open the top. Yes, indeed: we had a mouse. I tipped the trap over and Kitchen Mouse bolted under the shed.
People who want live catch traps have an ongoing moral dilemma about what to do with their catch. The instructions suggest you can just throw the whole trap in the trash. Keep in mind the mouse can't get out. As soon as it finishes the bait, it dies a slow death from starvation or gets scrunched into mouseburger when the trash goes into the truck. Ah yes...very humane.
If one releases the creature, what next? Should you simply open the door and release next to the house, odds are the mouse will be back inside within 48 hours. In a rural place, it might be possible to walk into the woods to release the mouse. The further away from the house you are, the less likely it is to come back. However, you may also be providing a live meal to a local predator. I noticed fresh digging under the shed when I released the critter. The digging may be a woodchuck or a skunk: we have both in the neighbourhood. It could also be a fox: there is at least one here. One way or the other, there have been no repeat mice. Our solo entrepreneur is, we hope, finding greener pastures.
For the best option, consider turning to your neighbourhood enemies list. You do have one, of course: no neighbourhood is so good that you can do without such a list. The obvious solution is to discreetly release your captive mice near a hostile residence.
We now have two of these traps, which we'll move into other areas. Like Santa, I'm making my list and checking it twice.
We tried another product first, sold in pairs. It was also by Victor, which seems to have a stupendous share of the mouse and rat market. Our kitchen mouse–so far singular–figured them out about as fast as I did, and amused itself by eating the bait, then escaping before the little sucker shut. The one time the mouse got caught, Kitchen Mouse took advantage of my curious inspection to bolt down the range vent again.
That's when I went for heavier weaponry. These cost $4-$5 apiece, depending on where you get them. Setup is idiot-proof. You bait it, set it against the wall, then check it in a safe place.
The morning after I had set the thing up, I found it out of place–in fact, a couple of feet out in the kitchen floor. I figured this indicated a catch. Following the instructions, I took it to the back of the lot, near the large shed, and slid open the top. Yes, indeed: we had a mouse. I tipped the trap over and Kitchen Mouse bolted under the shed.
People who want live catch traps have an ongoing moral dilemma about what to do with their catch. The instructions suggest you can just throw the whole trap in the trash. Keep in mind the mouse can't get out. As soon as it finishes the bait, it dies a slow death from starvation or gets scrunched into mouseburger when the trash goes into the truck. Ah yes...very humane.
If one releases the creature, what next? Should you simply open the door and release next to the house, odds are the mouse will be back inside within 48 hours. In a rural place, it might be possible to walk into the woods to release the mouse. The further away from the house you are, the less likely it is to come back. However, you may also be providing a live meal to a local predator. I noticed fresh digging under the shed when I released the critter. The digging may be a woodchuck or a skunk: we have both in the neighbourhood. It could also be a fox: there is at least one here. One way or the other, there have been no repeat mice. Our solo entrepreneur is, we hope, finding greener pastures.
For the best option, consider turning to your neighbourhood enemies list. You do have one, of course: no neighbourhood is so good that you can do without such a list. The obvious solution is to discreetly release your captive mice near a hostile residence.
We now have two of these traps, which we'll move into other areas. Like Santa, I'm making my list and checking it twice.
Labels: mice, mouse traps
posted by Uncle | 19:46
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