Best ways to catch a mouse - Not!

'Twas 6:00 am Christmas morning, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...........skreech, stop, well at least it isn't now. Falling asleep just three hours before; Santa's head elf was pooped out; she had waited until Christmas eve to wrap gifts for five kids. All bleery eyed, she headed to the pantry for the Folgers, her tired lids fighting to stay open. Just before opening the pantry door, she thought she heard a light grating, scooting, tapping, plastic kinda noise somewhere near; the noise set the weiner dogs off whining and barking. "Shusshing" the dogs, still sort of oblivious the noise, she stepped one foot into the pantry. Simultaneously reaching for the coffee can, her foot came down on something sticky, furry, cold yet warm. With gravity already in force, the arch of her foot felt a pop and a squish as the coffee can fell to the floor. A blood curdelling scream woke up everyone in the stretched out two story house, you'd think Freddy Kristmas Krueger jumped out of the pantry. With bare foot stuck in trap, and an unmoving squishy mouse (That will teach her to wear slippers), she realizes the corner of her plush fluffy robe was now attached as well as the coffee grounds that hit to the floor with a bang.. GEEERRROOOOOSSSSS!

Definitely not one the best ways to catch a mouse, a month earlier I shoved that stupid sticky trap in the corner of the pantry with bait hoping to trap the mouse. Poor little fella must have got stuck and inched the trap forward trying to escape. I ended his agony with a crushing squish - mouse misery Merry Morning; besides being grossed out, I felt really bad and now grouchy as the Grinch with no coffee.

Sticky glue mouse traps, glue boards, sticky traps, what ever you want to call them - I call them gruesome grim glue. One of the worst ways to catch a mouse, these mouse traps are made of cardboard or plastic, coated with a sticky adhesive that attracts dust, bugs, cats, and dogs, and in my experience, rarely mice. Really, by the time my mice find them, there is a coating of bugs, dirt and dust and the dang critter just walks across it like Criss Angel on water. But, in that rare chance Mr. Blind Mouse walks on the fresh gunky glue board and sinks in the glue like quicksand, well then thats where it gets gross.

For some reason, maybe its because the name is "Mom", it "appears" I was always the first one to find the mousetraps, and half the time that dang mouse was still alive. Now, let me just say, there is no way one of my 5 kids didn't come accross it first! But, you parents out there in Hubpage land knows how that goes. Watching Freddy field mouse, dying, a prolonged and painful death by shock, suffication, dehydration, or a self induced injury while trying to get free is purely evil.

I stopped using those nasty things years ago, but for some reason a few professionals didn't get the memo. Even after the Center for Disease Control issued many statements in reference to Hantavirus and sticky glue trap use. Now, I'm not one to jump on any band wagons, and I rarely agree with PETA; but I was glad they made an effort to get rid of these traps. If anyone can make a stink like a skunk they can; and Walmart caved in and pulled those sticky traps from the shelves, after 2 song birds were found stuck. That happened May of 2011, here where I live glue boards are sold along side all the other traps. Personally, I have a big problem with PETA, because depending on thier agenda, they don't always mention the sixty diseaases, house fires, property damage and death that occur due to rodents, but I digress.

Thirty years ago - sooo not as mellow as I am now; I failed to understand why people couldn't see the dangers of touching mice, nor comprehending the hazards to humans, pets and our food supply. When I was in my tree hugging, vegan stage of life, I became really intolerant of stupidity, really, it angered me. Please, no one take offense I'm not putting that healthy life style down, just describing myself. But after having half a dozen kids - husband included; motherhood kicked in and compassion, patience, and understanding became a part of me. Thank goodness, I'd can't imagine what I might have been without that change.

That said, I have read some very bad advice on yahoo answers that recommend prying a live angry, injured mouse free from a glue board. This is not a great idea. Mice can and will chew their own legs off to get loose, if you think Im kidding take a cruise around Youtube. Add urine and feces, and a human with an open wound, or worse, getting bit by the freaked out mouse; that is just an infectious hazard waiting to happen. Mice carry ticks and other parasites too, they will be looking for a new host, you!

Besides, glue traps are helter skelter, they are real good at capturing birds, lizards, kittens, and puppies, including other small creatures we weren't trying to eliminate. The sticky glue box instructs the buyer to toss the caught rodent in the trash. And if its still alive, that might be hard to do for some of us. I believe in Karma,that's all I have to say.

Learn more about the best ways to get rid of mice or the dangers mice cause. Saving a mouse from a glue trap and releasing it requires more thought, consider the implications of infecting others; possibly, when releasing the mice away from your home. How far away is safe? Will the mouse return? Will it bring more furry friends with him. Can mice enter someone else’s home and do damage there? Disposing of the mouse in the woods in not the answer either, chances are it will find some place warm to invade where humans or pets live. And if you really think about it, it has little chance to survive, as it was most likely raised in a cushy home environment with plenty of food-your food.

If you live in the city, where would be a good place to release the mouse? Is there any realistic answer? I don't like snap traps either, they are pretty barbaric, but if that's all you have access to, that can do the job with the right bait. Seems like every one has their own best mouse trap tricks, but we all seem to agree that finding the best bait is the most important. That sometimes depends on what the mouse has been eating.

A poll I saw on another site revealed that most people think peanut butter is the best mouse trap bait; so does "America's leader in mouse control solutions," Victor Mouse traps, so does Ortho max, Tomcat, and others.

Mouse or rat poison can work in certain situations, but it can be another bad idea if you aren't careful. d-Con's, "America's #1 Mouse Killer," provides a Rodents 101 extermination tips at their site.

Electronic traps are the best humane traps, not to be confused with no kill humane trap or cages. There are several kinds of electronic humane mouse traps that eliminate the mouse in less than 3-5 seconds; in some models the mouse is easily disposed without even looking at it. The best mouse trap solution is an electronic mouse trap, it will get 'er done.

Mice are known to escape all kinds of traps; older and more experienced mice learn what to avoid, they sense the human smell or they simply don't take the cheese. To brighten your day after all these disturbing videos (I apologize for driving it home), you have to watch this video, it will put a smile on your face and make you laugh. It looks grim at the start, but keep watching. I couldn't show it here at hub pages, because it is restricted to youtube. Go on now, go check it out. (I'm not selling anything, nor am I affiliated; its just so cute and funny).

Mouse and Rat Facts