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7 Mistakes to Avoid When Setting Mousetraps

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Finding an unwanted furry creature in your Las Vegas home is likely something you want to avoid. However, mice are one of the most common pests found in the Las Vegas area. If you suspect you have a mouse problem on your hands, it’s essential to act fast to avoid a possible infestation in your home or business. If you’ve already tried setting up mousetraps with no success, you may be making one of these seven mistakes:

1. Using Too Much Bait

You may think that the more bait you use, the better your chances are of attracting the mice. However, this is simply not the case. When your mousetrap has a large amount of bait, it might allow the mice to feed without setting off the trap’s mechanism and prevent you from catching them. Depending on the kind of trap you’re using, the general recommendation for bait is a pea-sized amount. You want the amount of bait to be big enough to entice them but small enough to force them to trigger the trap.

2. Using The Wrong Bait At The Wrong Time

If you expect to catch the mice, you must understand their regular habits. For example, some mice are less active in the cold winter months and tend to scavenge for nesting supplies during this time. This means you could use items like cotton balls or yarn in the mousetraps to catch them. In the warmer months, food as bait is your ideal choice. If you’re not using feed specifically designed for a mousetrap, try using foods high in carbohydrates, such as bread, peanut butter, or chocolate. Contrary to popular belief, cheese isn’t a great baiting material for mice.

3. Not Using An Assortment Of Traps

Most people visualize the traditional snap trap when they think of a mousetrap. However, there are multiple kinds of traps, including glue traps and poison bait traps. You shouldn’t limit yourself to just one type of trap. Instead, try various kinds of traps to see which one is most successful for your situation. In addition, conventional snap traps only allow you to catch one mouse at a time. Other trap styles, like glue traps, can allow you to catch multiple rodents at once and may provide a more efficient solution.

4. Not Using Enough Traps

You may think it’s just one mouse running around in your home, but the reality is that there are likely many more of them. That’s why it’s best to set multiple traps to ensure a greater chance of success. If there are parts of your home where you’ve spotted mice or their droppings, consider placing traps every two to three feet apart in that area. If not enough traps are set, you run the risk of the mice simply avoiding that part of the house, so be sure to also place traps throughout your home.

5. Not Using Gloves

Many non-professionals make the mistake of not wearing gloves when setting their traps. This mistake hinders the ability to catch the mice because they can smell the human scent. Anything you touch without gloves will alert the mice to avoid the trap for their own safety. Also, you put yourself and family at risk of germs and diseases carried by rodents if you don’t wear gloves. Consider employing the use of gloves for handling and resetting your trap alongside disposing of dead mice. You should never touch your trap or bait with ungloved hands.

6. Wrong Trap Placement

This mistake is one that seems so obvious, but so many homeowners end up making it without even realizing it. Mice will travel along walls or in ceilings where they can safely hide. They very rarely will venture out to open spaces where they can be clearly seen. For this reason, you must place your mouse traps along walls, in ceilings, attics, basements, and other hidden areas in your home. This will yield much better results than placing traps in open areas.

7. Not Having an Aggressive Start

Mice are smarter than you might think. They quickly become aware of traps and will avoid them once they realize what they are. For this reason, it’s crucial that you come out of the gates strong. Get your various traps ready by determining how many you need and where you’re going to be placing them. Then, set all your traps the first night to try and catch them off guard. You’re going to have the most success in the first few nights of setting up your traps than you will in the weeks that follow.

Mousetraps may seem like an easy enough thing to set up. However, many homeowners end up making critical mistakes that make their attempts at catching the rodents unsuccessful. If you’ve tried everything and avoided these mousetrap mistakes but are still facing a rodent infestation in your home, it’s time to contact a professional Las Vegas pest control company. Mousetraps can only take you so far, and a more in-depth strategy may be needed to rid your home of mice for good. To learn about the pest control services offered at Fischer’s Pest Control, contact our team today.

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