Help! Mouse bait when peanut butter or chocolate leaves them unmoved?

[teacups]

As per the title. What can I use as bait for these mice?

They are in my stables and are getting too cheeky. Luckily not in the (metal) feedbin, but they are running around the hay and have wrecked several bales of bedding by chewing holes in the plastic so that the contents have gone musty.

I have had traps so far baited with: cheese, chocolate and peanut butter…none have worked. Have varied the location - even seen a mouse run straight past my trap! Caught one baby mouse a month ago and nothing since.

A cat is not possible as it is next to a road where cats can and will get run over. In any case not all cats are interested in mouse control, in my experience <g> We have dogs and other wildlife, including barn owls in the fields, so would rather not use poison.

Thanks for all tips and advice.

 

[Dasher66]

A very light dusting of flour - so they have to scrape at it. Put the trap to the bottom af a wall or other upright surface so that as the mice run around the room’s perimeter they run over it.

 

[Birker2020]

Can you make a live trap, so many showing on the Internet with really simple designs!

 

[YourValentine]

I had sucess with little bits of carrot, quite hard to tug off the hook so springs the trap (I've been using humane cages) but you have to have the trap on as fine a edge as you can manage.

 

[teacups]

Thanks for tips so far - definitely not used carrot yet! I have been using humane traps - not cages though. Do they work for you, and do you have a photo/link?

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks for tips so far - definitely not used carrot yet! I have been using humane traps.

Good on you.

I am so relieved that selling those vile glue traps have been outlawed now.

 

[Bluewaves]

Wine gums worked for me many years ago.

 

[Clodagh]

Remember technically it is illegal (and cruel) to release pest species post trapping. A snap trap is actually at least a quick end.
As for bait, no idea I should think it’s the trap deterring them (wear gloves when handling it).

ETA actually with mice I’m not sure if it is illegal, but the chances of survival would be very low.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

We use the plastic traps with peanut butter and they work here in our loft but we don't have any other food sources.

I think that's what makes a difference if there is other stuff around for them to eat the traps are not as effective.

I would also keep leaving them in the same place they are suspicious of new things that move around.

 

[Bellaboo18]

Jam worked for us

 

[greasedweasel]

Peperami - like crack for mice!

 

[Sparky Lily]

I found out, quite unintentionally, that soap worked well.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I found out, quite unintentionally, that soap worked well.

Soap! Really! That’s so weird.

 

[Haniki]

We use cheese.

 

[Suby2]

We use Maltesers in the traps in our loft!

 

[Bearsmum]

Bird seed with sunflower hearts in the mix, the owls near us waited for me to drive up and release their supper

 

[Keith_Beef]

I use a bit of walnut, and put a couple of pieces of walnut nearby. If the trap is empty but the other pieces disappear, then I know that the mouse is still around and hasn't just moved out because of Tabitha's smell.

I'm not convinced that you need to wear gloves when setting the trap. Mice seen quite happy to come into places where the smell of humans must be quite strong, like nibbling through packaging that has been handled.

 

[TPO]

Peanut butter, Nutella and horse mix work for here

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

We use Maltesers in the traps in our loft!

Far too good to waste on mice

 

[Birker2020]

Remember technically it is illegal (and cruel) to release pest species post trapping. A snap trap is actually at least a quick end.
As for bait, no idea I should think it’s the trap deterring them (wear gloves when handling it).

ETA actually with mice I’m not sure if it is illegal, but the chances of survival would be very low.

I had them at a previous yard years ago. We used to have these old sheds about 5ft deep by 2t wide. The type of trap I used was a long pull apart humane one. I used to release the mice I caught about half a mile away in the field. One day as an experiment I pulled the trap apart and put a blob of tippex on one of the mouse's back.

Set it loose and a couple of days after it was back in the trap. So yes they can survive outside and do very well.

I always spare a life when I can. It doesn't hurt to have compassion even for a rodent. At least they have a chance.

You are best to set them 2 miles away as they have incredible homing instincts.

 

[ester]

we use raisins quite successfully.

 

[teacups]

Thank you for all the suggestions so far - quite a few to try!

Cheese and peanut butter, chocolate and a small piece of mars bar, have already been tried - so will hold off with the malteser for now. Then again, maltesers are lovely and it would be a good excuse to buy a bag ; )

I've released about 2 miles away. Well away from any houses but there is so much pheasant shooting around this region that their chances of survival are pretty high (lots of pheasant feeders around, with a lot of waste on the ground), in terms of food at least.

Perhaps I'll try gloves rubbed in hay to handle the trap, just in case. And yes I have been moving it around every now and then, trying to find a better location in case that was the problem! But even when it was in one place for 10 days nothing happened.

They are very cute mice! I'd just like to relocate most of them to more of a countryside location...

 

[Burnerbee]

Try a different brand of peanut butter? They do vary quite a lot so it’s worth a go. I used to run a food shop - we had mice - a food shop that says it doesn’t (even occasionally), is lying. Luckily we sold several brands of pb.

Ps - just seen your comment about relocating - nooo, not good idea. Remember mice are involuntarily incontinent - they’re constantly weeing on your stuff / feed - not so cute now, eh!?

 

[Gloi]

Remember technically it is illegal (and cruel) to release pest species post trapping.

I wish you'd told my cat that.

She was a devil for bringing live animals in and releasing them in the house.

 

[jofwigby]

Chocolate raisins

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I knew there were mice around when I noticed teeth marks in the soap.

 

[spacefaer]

Bacon fat has been successful in the past.
Chocolate. I found dark more effective than milk.
Peanut butter is good as it's hard to get off the pin of the snap trap.
I've also used a small pile of soaked Mash works (since that's what they were eating!)

 

[YourValentine]

Remember technically it is illegal (and cruel) to release pest species post trapping. A snap trap is actually at least a quick end.
As for bait, no idea I should think it’s the trap deterring them (wear gloves when handling it).

ETA actually with mice I’m not sure if it is illegal, but the chances of survival would be very low.

The ones I release survive as they come back in the house... I got to know one quite well

 

[YourValentine]

Pardon our interruption...

www.ebay.co.uk

This is what I use. I put a piece of cardboard underneath to capture any wee and poo after they've been caught.

I have wood mice that move in for winter, they are very clean and non smelly, and I only know I have them because I see them trotting about and they eat my stored potatoes.

 

[YourValentine]

I should take them further away from the house to release but it's too cold on a winter morning