Mice are not really scary, mean or ugly when they are seen in a controlled atmosphere, but a home is not a controlled atmosphere where we want them seen either. The unexpected scampering of mice can cause quite a scare, plus they are also known to carry bacterial and viral diseases. Mice can chew threw furniture, blankets, bags, and other personal items, and will leave excrement all along the way. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent these problem rodents from hanging out in your home, and Slug-A-Bug can help.

Bait Options

Whether using a spring trip, live trap, or poison, you will need to employ something to bait the rodent. There are several food items that will work for this purpose. Here are a few of the most suggested ones: •

- Vanilla flavoring

- Crunchy peanut butter

- Fried bacon

- Fruit

- Chewy candy

Spring Traps

This is probably the most well-known form of mouse trap. The springs are now more easily set than ever before. These are most effective when they can be placed in the paths most frequently travelled by the mice. Habits can be pretty easily discovered when spotting excrement and also by realizing that mice rarely cross a wide open area. They will generally remain close to walls and as hidden as possible. Place the traps in the suspected paths with the trigger side against the wall. It is often a good idea to place two traps very close together.

Live traps

These can be purchased at many home supply stores today and are a more humane way of handling mouse eviction, which is favored by many green pest control companies. The principle is generally very simple. The bait is placed at the end of a small platform, which the mouse walks across in order to get the treat. Once the platform tilts under the weight of the creature, a door springs closed, locking the mouse inside. Mice or other rodents caught in live traps should be released at least a mile from your home. It is important to consider the laws in your state of residence. It may be illegal to capture and transport wild animals – regardless of the reason. In the country, this might not be as much of an issue, but another concern is that mice that are released are going to immediately hunt out a new place to call home, which means that they will return to your house or another near the drop off point.

Poison

This is certainly not the most humane approach to pest control, but it can be very effective. A major flaw in the method, however, is that the mice will often hide away before dying from the poison, making it difficult to reach them. Also, be careful to keep the poison away from children and pets.

Clean Up

Please realize that rodents can carry disease that you don’t want to spread around your house. For this reason, the method of clean up when dealing with dead mice is very important. If the creature’s remains are just dumped in the yard, they could attract other problems, creating a need for outdoor pest control. Instead, using rubber gloves, a mixture of bleach and water should be sprayed over the remains, feces, and any affected surfaces. Then it can be removed, placed in a sealed bag and thrown in the trash. Get the job done correctly with Slug-A-Bug.

View all Steve Lum's articles

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