Ask someone about trapping mice and they will tell you about their experiences trapping the vermin. Mice are so common that everyone has likely encountered them. The problem with this sort of familiarity is that people overlook how easy it is to make mistake with mouse control. This blog posts lists the common mistakes with mouse control. I do this in the hopes that you won’t make these mistakes yourself.
Mistakes with Mouse Control
The following mistakes are not in any particular order. All of them are important. Have a look and see how many you have made.
- Failure to confirm the problem is mice. Mice often make their presence known by scratching sounds on the ceiling or in the walls. Pets spending close attention to walls or heating vents is another common sign of mice. The problem is that sometimes these noises are caused by flying squirrels. So if you didn’t confirm that the problem was mice, you may have poisoned flying squirrels which is an illegal use of poison. In addition, some states have legal protections for flying squirrels. So before you control, be sure the problem is actually caused by mice.
- Failure to thoroughly inspect. Cutting corners on inspecting structures for the presence of mice is a significant error. Too many pest control operators assume scratches on the ceiling must be mice. While the sounds could be mice, they could also be caused by flying squirrels, a species protected in some states and a species for which no toxicants may be legally used.
- Failure to use enough traps. I suggest using 24 traps for a 1,200 square foot home. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But you have to use enough traps or you end up harvesting mice rather than controlling them.
- Failure to pre-bait. Don’t set traps immediately. Instead, place them unset but baited. Condition the mice to interact with the trap. Then when you have you good action at the traps, then set them with the goal to catch all the mice at once.
- Reliance on glueboards. Do glueboards catch mice? Yes. But they often catch juvenile mice. Glueboards should only be used when other techniques are not working.
- Failure to perform exclusion. You must close holes and gaps in a home to prevent and reduce the likelihood of mouse entry.
- Failure to modify the habitat at the structure. This requires modifying bird feeders, removing cover, and removing food sources.
