Tips on catching a mouse in the pantry

[blissful]

We have things in our downstairs pantry mostly in glass and thicker plastic 5 gallon buckets w/lids, BUT we also have bags that haven't been put in buckets. We had a mouse last week that nibbled on a bag of flour. We put in 10 spring loaded traps w/peanut butter and killed one today. We'll look for more tomorrow if there was more than one.

 

[FrankZ]

 

[caseydog]

It's less humane, but there are sticky traps. Personally, I would use the spring traps, but some oppose them. If you use a sticky trap, use the PB and get ready for family to shout, "HEY, there is a MICKEY on the STICKY!" It's code for you to come clear the trap.

Glue traps have an anesthetic in the glue that kills them somewhat more gently.

I live near a cattle and horse ranch, so I get rats in my garage, especially in the winter. Glue traps work. Put them against a wall, with something that will kind of force them to walk over a trap. They like to walk along walls, and undercover, instead of out in the open.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

and undercover, instead of out in the open.

Not in my chicken coop they didn't. I'd walk in during the middle of the day, the rats would look up from the feed hangers, shrug their shoulders and go back to munching.
I'd shoot two, Maya would catch 3. Great fun.... NOT! Even more difficult was convincing Maya to give up her prizes. Bless her, mysuper fast tree climbing ratting dog...

Relaxing at the end of the day....
Chatton: I caught two mice today, how'd you do?
Maya: I caught a large brown (rat). I figure 2 mice = 1 rat, no? Guess we're even.

 

[Badjak]

I miss my old boy Tots. He (Jack Russel, died of old age) was a great mouser/ratter....
He would find sniff them out, then come and get me.

The Jack I still got is more of a snaker and the pup (half Jack, half unknown) is sweet but useless so far

 

[jennyema]

When I was in law school long ago, my roommate and I had a very snoopy landlord who would go into our apartment on occasion without our permission. We objected to no avail...

When we gave a 2 month notice to leave, he started showing the apartment all the time to potential tenants, again with no notice. Underwear, dirty clothes, books and papers, jewelry all in public view.

So we went to the hardware store and bought 5 large rat traps and placed them at conspicuous places throughout.

He always called first after that.

 

[lastmanstanding]

Here's the easiest mouse trap. Lay a sharp knife cutting edge up, near the rat hole in the wall. Put two plates, in equal distance from the rat hole, one plate with burnt coconut, one with burnt dried fish. They love them equally.
The rat will come out, put his neck on the knife, obviously because that's where he stops to look out of the hole, and start looking at the two plates "coconut? or fish? coconut? fish? coconut? fish?" all the while rubbing his neck on the blade turning his head. And the neck will be cut, and the rat will die.

 

[pepperhead212]

I would be afraid the mouse wouldn't die instantly, but duck back into its "den" and die.

 

[lastmanstanding]

In case the rat didn't die as you said, and lived, it's even easier the next time. Set the knife only, no plates. The rat will come out, place his head on the blade like before, and start looking both ways again, "no coconut, no fish. No coconut, no fish..."

 

[caseydog]

View attachment 73296Here's the easiest mouse trap. Lay a sharp knife cutting edge up, near the rat hole in the wall. Put two plates, in equal distance from the rat hole, one plate with burnt coconut, one with burnt dried fish. They love them equally.
The rat will come out, put his neck on the knife, obviously because that's where he stops to look out of the hole, and start looking at the two plates "coconut? or fish? coconut? fish? coconut? fish?" all the while rubbing his neck on the blade turning his head. And the neck will be cut, and the rat will die.

See, this is why we need a facepalm emoji!

CD

 

[caseydog]

Rats are slow and stupid. I've killed one that was looking straight at me when I thumped it with a shovel in my yard.

Mice move like lightning.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

Not the rats in my chicken coop. They were extremely smart. They knew exactly when I had a gun and Maya with me, and

. When I didn't, they would just look at me, turn around and continue eating the chicken feed.

 

[caseydog]

When I didn't, they would just look at me, turn around and continue eating the chicken feed.

That's the stupid part. I've killed rats with a shovel, a piece of firewood, and piece of 2X4 while the rats were either sleeping, or looking right at me. Psychopoodle caught one and shook it to death. He got a lot of "Good Boy" from me, and good serving of steak scraps after that.

I later in his life went outside with him, and there was a rabbit, with about six bunnies in the yard. He grabbed a bunny, and I yelled "drop it," and he did. He didn't touch any of the others. That dog was so smart.

For those who don't already know, he's the dog I'm my avatar.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

I didn't really want Maya eating the rats that she'd get. It was hard to convince her to give them up.
LOL, once found a mouse in a feed bag being emptied into a barrel. Tipped the barrel over a bit to get it out (didn't want to leave it there!). Maya came by at that moment - dove head first into the barrel - a little squeak, and a swallow - gone.
I will say I could stop her with a 'no' or 'leave it' if the whatever was not in her mouth yet, but once in, very, very difficult.

 

[lastmanstanding]

My dad had a dog named Bear, a small dog but was very smart. Bear would chase the toque monkeys whenever they come, and always accompany him within the garden. He would hunt anything that comes within reach. Including rats but never ate them. Just catch and release only, but they die.

 

[caseydog]

I didn't really want Maya eating the rats that she'd get. It was hard to convince her to give them up.
LOL, once found a mouse in a feed bag being emptied into a barrel. Tipped the barrel over a bit to get it out (didn't want to leave it there!). Maya came by at that moment - dove head first into the barrel - a little squeak, and a swallow - gone.
I will say I could stop her with a 'no' or 'leave it' if the whatever was not in her mouth yet, but once in, very, very difficult.

I don't have major problem with the field rats where I live. Feral cats take care of most of that. Teddy was the backup plan. His attitude was, "You come into my yard, you have a problem."

CD