What makes the best mousetrap bait? Are mice and other rodents smart enough to avoid traps? Find out more about this guide.
Mice are known to be very resilient. A lot of damage and diseases are caused by their feeding habits. This makes rodents some of the most despised pests. There are lots of control measures that can be used.
One of these is the use of traps.
To use traps, baits are necessary, which is why we will consider the best mouse trap baits to use.
A major reason for the successful use of baits is the feeding habits of mice. They feed on almost everything.
Classes of Mouse Trap Baits
What works best for mouse trap bait? In trying to understand the best mouse trap baits, it is also important to understand the categories of baits. Each of these best serves a specific purpose.
Mousetrap bait products sold in the market come in three major forms. These include;
WHAT TO PUT ON MOUSETRAPS
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Blocks
Mousetrap bait blocks give you value for money. This is because you do not need to frequently replace them. This can last for a long time as mice continually pick on these blocks. It is a very effective way to lure mice to traps.
An example of this is Tomcat All-Weather Bait Chun. This is the bait to use no matter the severity of the infestation you face.
A good thing about this mouse trap bait is that it can be used indoors as well as outdoors. It has proven to be effective in controlling mice populations too.
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Gel Bait
This mouse trap bait comes in gel form. An added advantage of using gel baits is that they are effective and can be used in all weather conditions. The aroma given off by gel baits makes them one of the best remedies for trapping or getting rid of mice.
Tomcat Mouse Bait Attractant Gel is an excellent example of gel-based mouse trap baits. It comes pre-mixed and ready for use with traps.
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Pellets
This mouse bait comes in pellet form. You can use these in different ways. However, you need to be wary of the safety of your kids and pets. This is because mice can burrow through these containers. This exposes the pellets to kids and pets.
Motomco 00832345 Tomcat Rat and Mouse Bait come in pellet form and will attract mice from their hiding points.
It is best for treating severe mouse infestations.
Best Mouse Trap Baits Ever
What’s the best bait to put on a mousetrap?
Under this section, we will consider some of the best baits you can use to capture mice. These consist of specifically manufactured bait products as well as common foods which also serve the purpose.
Some of the most effective mice trap baits include the following;
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d-CON Refillable Corner Fit Mouse Bait
This mouse bait is made from 99% food-grade ingredients. This bait is irresistible to mice. While it can be used on your trap, it also contains a highly effective poison.
For mice that can feed on the bait without setting off the trigger, the poison contained in the bait will get the job done.
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Mouse Zero Bait Pellets
This sells for $15.98 and is non-toxic and a natural bait that comes in pellet form. No matter the infestation level, all you need to do is pour out the pellets on your trap. It will get the job done in no time at all.
Mouse Zero Bait Pellets are ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
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Chocolate
Mice are omnivores and feed on anything you can think of. Chocolate is one such food. Chocolate-covered peanuts are likely to lure mice to your trap. Chocolate in itself can be poisonous to rats.
This makes it one of the best baits to be used with traps.
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Cheese
Cheese is a great and effective mouse bait. Mice are attracted by the smell. They locate their food through their sense of smell. Cheese provides an abundance of aroma to draw them in. A mouse can pick up the smell from a good distance.
You need to have your trap waiting at the destination for this bait to serve its purpose.
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Nest Materials (Yarn, Cotton Balls)
During the winter, temperatures drop and mice move indoors for warmth. While indoors, they need to build nests especially for their litter.
Yarns and cotton balls serve as some of the ready materials for building such nests. These can also be used as baits in traps.
If you lay this well, a mouse will trigger the trap when it reaches for any of these.
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Sources of Protein
There are different sources of protein. These include hot dogs, fish, and other similar foods. These can either be raw or cooked.
When using any of these baits on your trap(s), you should place the trap(s) in strategic areas of your home.
Burrowed holes are excellent. Their usual paths are also great places to place traps. Mice are bound to follow the smell and get caught.
Proteins are some of the best foods to put on mousetraps.
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Hazel Nut with Peanut Butter
Mice love to gnaw on nuts. To make this mouse trap bait more effective, you should use it with peanut butter. A combination of both will get the job done.
By placing your hazelnut on a dollop of peanut butter, gnawing on the nuts will need increased effort. This triggers the trap and the mouse is caught in the act!
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Sugary Substances
Do you need a common homemade mouse trap bait? Here is one. Mice are attracted to anything sweet. You can apply sugar or any sweetened food like candies or chocolate on the trigger plate.
Mice will find their way to your trap.
You must check periodically to remove trapped or dead mice. This allows the reuse of the trap. Also, multiple traps can be placed in different areas of your property.
The number of traps depends on the size of your property.
Other Mouse Trap Baits for Homes and Yards
The essence of using baits is to attract mice to your trap. The best baits consist of both natural and chemical substances. Some of these have been mentioned above.
Other mouse trap baits include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, preserved meat, jelly beans, pet food consisting of dog and cat food, and maple syrup.
Others include bacon and sausage, cookies, molasses, breakfast cereal, and gumdrops.
It is a well-known fact that mice will feed on almost everything. A little observation will reveal a lot about what food items will best serve as baits. However, the above-listed baits are among the best you can find.
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Poison Bait
Poison baits are also effective and can be used with traps too. Sometimes, mice may evade snapping snap traps by carefully picking on the bait. This does not trigger the trap. In such a situation, poison baits can be effective. With this set of baits, once the mice ingest the bait, it acts fast and kills them.
What if your Mouse Trap Bait Doesn’t Work?
There are times when mouse trap baits begin to become less effective. Under such circumstances, a better strategy needs to be adopted.
Rodents are smart creatures and likely to sense danger especially if the trap has been successful in the past.
In a situation where the mouse keeps eating bait off the trap, you can do any of the following;
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When the Bait is Gone Without Trapping the Mouse
This is bound to happen in some circumstances. To get around this problem, you need to change your bait. Sticky substances like peanut butter mixed with nuts should be used.
Mice will need to apply more effort to get to the bait. This gets more mice trapped.
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Trying Other Traps
A particular mousetrap can be very effective for some time. However, its level of efficiency may decrease with time.
Under such circumstances, you need to try other mouse traps.
Trying out more than one mouse trap increases the chances of getting rid of these rodents in and around your property.
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Change Trap Locations Frequently
A better way to eliminate mice is by changing the location of your traps. At some point, mice tend to get more familiar with danger zones within your property.
Changing the position of your traps frequently increases efficiency of your traps.
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Using Multiple Traps
If your property is large, you will need more traps to keep mice at bay. Therefore you need to get more traps. Baits make these traps more effective by attracting mice to them.
Traps can be used indoors and outdoors too.
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Location Counts When Setting a Trap
Usually, mice will have a path or passageway. There could be several such paths.
A little observation is required to understand these routes. Your snap or humane traps should be concentrated along such routes as well as their entry points.
The more you target such areas, the greater your level of success.
The best mouse trap baits have been the focus of our discussion. For many property owners, controlling mice infestation can be a daunting challenge.
However, if the right procedure is followed, you are sure to obtain positive results. As we have seen, there are lots of baits you can use for your traps.
However, baits are not enough. This is because mice may avoid your traps altogether.
The remedy for this is by adopting better strategies such as changing the position of these traps frequently.
Others include placing these traps at routes most used by mice, trying other types of mouse traps, and using a sufficient number of traps among others.
These coupled with the best mouse trap baits will eliminate mice from your property.
Hello! My name is Oluwasegun, and I am the founder of SafeandSanitaryHomes.org.
As a young boy who grew up in the suburbs, my family had a green lawn. I actively cared for this and maintained hedges and trees.
I’ve also grown into a DIY enthusiast for cleaning tasks and home improvements. As an expert animal healthcare provider, I also discuss tips to help you combat pests.
I’m happy to share my experience and hope you find it helpful.