# Should you kill-trap or live-trap mice?



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Hmm. Interesting topic Bud! 

Personally, my general approach to rodents has been slaughter, by any means necessary. 

Generally, I've observed that pests and diseases tend to be host-specific. Fleas that bite rats, don't usually bite people, same goes for cat fleas. I know the latter because I endured the Season of the Multitude of Fleas, which coincided with the Year of the Multitude of Kittens* who got fleas and were hard to treat and which got into the carpet, and which I was finally able to get rid of. (I'd sit nearby and the fleas jumped on me, but didn't bite. Still gross. Diatomaceous earth annihilated them.)

I've also fiddled with trapped rats and the fleas jumped all over, but, when they landed on me, they jumped off. Not that I mind. 

One of my kitties got a rat, and the fleas jumped off it, onto him and onto me, and decamped from both. Cats have their own suite of fleas, ticks, etc., which apparently lurk in my yard.

On the one hand, fleas, etc., have the ability to lurk and lie in wait for a suitable host for a long time if something happens to their present host. So your concern about them isn't wholly off base. Trap a rat, and the fleas will be out there, somewhere. 

On the other, again, the host specificity tends to help you. You won't be a suitable host, at least most of the time. You, or another person, come along and they say pass, and wait for a rat or other rodent. Which, in my experience happens soon enough.

Hope this helps.



* Which was ended by the Feast of the Multitude of Coyotes. :crying:


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

When young we had MANY cats and as I recall we never had trouble getting bit so you are correct. However it does seem the fleas would depart from a dead mouse and thus inhabit the house and that would not be acceptable to many people, me included.

So the basic question remains, is there an effective live trap for mice and rats?

Bud


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> Hmm. Interesting topic Bud!
> 
> Personally, my general approach to rodents has been slaughter, by any means necessary.
> 
> ...



Maybe it's you! They bite me! (cat fleas) but they prefer the warmer cats.


They prefer their hosts but will bite us. Don't hang around rat fleas, they carry Bubonic Plague & Typhus. Fleas will leave a dead animal as it cools.


Dooms - try Revolution for fleas, ticks & worms, except tapeworm.



https://www.who.int/docstore/water_sanitation_health/vectcontrol/ch24.htm


Sorry, Bud. I almost never have rats because of the cats and then the rat is dead & they're pretending it's alive. Unless, it's a mother cat who wants to teach her kitties to hunt.


Maybe there's a HavaHeart trap for rats.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Havahar...t-Squirrel-Chipmunk-and-Weasel-1025/100064103


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I'll go for the trap and release approach, even feed and water those little buggers as soon as someone develops a suitable mouse contraceptive i can add to their food and water. Until then it will be the same old approach and i've snap trapped them in just about every way and position possible.








Edit: Edit:


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

An antifreeze bucket trap would dispatch all the other issues in addition to the rodent. But perhaps not the most humane trap out there.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Nik333 said:


> Maybe it's you! They bite me! (cat fleas) but they prefer the warmer cats.
> 
> 
> They prefer their hosts but will bite us. Don't hang around rat fleas, they carry Bubonic Plague & Typhus. Fleas will leave a dead animal as it cools.
> ...


I do Revolution, oh, yes. With 5 cats I have to.

So far, all are flea-free. Say that six times fast . . . .


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> I do Revolution, oh, yes. With 5 cats I have to.
> 
> So far, all are flea-free. Say that six times fast . . . .



I know about you, but, they need the flea medicine. :devil3:


https://www.madriverdistillers.com/liquor-type/rye-whiskey/


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Senior, is the picture on your trap to show the mice what they’re suppose to do?
:vs_laugh:


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

No paint thinner for me!


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

I am a bit sensitive about the balance of nature so I live trap mice.
I use something called a Micecube which is just a plastic trap with a "trap door" that that you bait with something (peanut butter is the best) and place where they are likely to travel. If you have mice, you have them in the trap quickly.
After the critters are caught I pick up the trap, set it in a bucket and take a ride to a field 1/2 mile away. Flip the trap over and the door opens and off they go.

After a few seasons of mouse infiltration I took the time and checked all points of entry. I also try not to keep the garage doors open for any length of time since it is an attached garage. Every hole is a possible entry way so caulk, plug or nail up everything. If you feed the birds, pay attention to seed spills which will attract larger rodents. Keep piles of leaves away from the house. A den of mice can easily over-winter in a pile under your favorite shrub or next to the foundation.
I have seen mice tunnel under snow to get to a pile of leaves. Kind of cute and funny but winter doesn't kill them off.....at least not here in Missouri.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Wherever you release them the property is owned by someone. How about if I catch nuisance animals and release them on your property? I own farm land and released animals cause damage until I manage to kill them. Don’t live trap unless you own property to release them; no one wants your nuisance animals.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

LOL... Pictures of my snap traps look just like this... only with no mouse. When I use them the critters seem to be able to steal the peanut butter and make a clean escape 95% of the time. I have had luck with some enclosed traps. I can't recall the brand... but this can be hard to "unload" and use again, especially if Mr. mouse was left in there for awhile.




SeniorSitizen said:


> I'll go for the trap and release approach, even feed and water those little buggers as soon as someone develops a suitable mouse contraceptive i can add to their food and water. Until then it will be the same old approach and i've snap trapped them in just about every way and position possible.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@raylo32 touched on the problem if rodents evading the traps, and the traps become feeding stations.

Ohh yeah, Wilbur, been there done that. 

Get different sized traps. There's mice, larger mice, rats and smaller rats. I have all.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

raylo32 said:


> LOL... Pictures of my snap traps look just like this... only with no mouse. When I use them the critters seem to be able to steal the peanut butter and make a clean escape 95% of the time.


 For those interested in kill traps, i've probably mentioned this previously about snap traps, but Pissants can lick the platter clean of peanut butter and we often suspect a smart mouse. They can even clean the platter of Pecan which i use pressed into the Pan Well (that's the depression ). 



Speaking of Pecan as bait, a piece the size of a kitchen match head rolled within AL foil and pressed into the trap Pan Well will usually catch a whole bunch of mice without having to re-bait. 



To avoid ant problems, the trap mounted on a piece of 1 X has more than 1 advantage but 5% Seven powder applied to the 4 edges of the 1 X will stop Pissants from eating the bait. But that's not saying that trapping mice within the house using this Seven dust deterrent will prevent ants entering the house attempting to locate the peanut butter. 








If you have more questions about trapping with snap traps check back often as i may have a new technique developed in my mouse trapping lab. Although Missy, Starbright, Goldylox, Butterbutt has made mice mighty scarce here at SandburRanch.




Edit: Edit:


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

raylo32 said:


> When I use them the critters seem to be able to steal the peanut butter and make a clean escape 95% of the time.


same here. just have to keep at it. either they will slip up, and/or, you/i finally get the trigger just right. in the mean time, they get used to feeding off the trap, and that may make them relaxed, then slip up.


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## prairiewind (Jan 26, 2019)

Good point about fleas. A scared mouse in a live trap will tend to urinate everywhere, though, which can also spread hantavirus (if it's a deer mouse, that is).


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I kill them. If it is during the heating season, I cremate their little bodies in the wood furnace. Good for a couple of BTUs.


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