What do you use in your mouse traps?

Buy cheaper peanut butter. You have to pay extra for the healthy, all natural "no-preservative" stuff.
But even the health stuff should last a month after opening, or maybe only a couple of weeks in a hot, humid hangar, but as has been said, if you aren't catching anything in that time frame, you don't really have a problem.

But mice and rats are smart. You should probably vary you bait occasionally anyway to confuse them. Perhaps a piece of banana (won't last long) or cheese. Who cares if cheese molds; its made from mold anyway.
 
If using antifreeze, be careful that your pets dog (or pets belonging to others dogs) can't get to it.
 
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If using antifreeze, be careful that your dog (or other dogs) can't get to it.
And cats. Don't forget cats.
But if you have cats you probably don't need mouse traps.
 
And cats. Don't forget cats.
But if you have cats you probably don't need mouse traps.
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I knew dogs were attracted to antifreeze but didn’t know about any others
 
I keep any food including dog food in a container with snap on lid in a refrigerator in the hangar when I am not there. I make sure there is no pieces of dog food laying around when I leave.
Sorry but I use decon for many years, in my work shop, home garage, storage garage and hangar. I have never found a dead mouse except once in my workshop at work. I understand they go looking for water after and I make sure there is no water like the dog dish sitting around when I leave. It is in those square plastic boxes so pets can't get to it.
My MIL had mice under her sink in her kitchen. There was mice droppings in all the drawers too. Gross! They ate a box and a half in a weeks time but we never found one dead mouse in her house and basement because I looked several times in the weeks afterwards. It sure works and we never saw or had to handle any dead mice.
Don't leave any food crums and you will reduce your mice attraction. imo
 
 
D-Con contains warfarin. It is a blood thinner and makes them bleed internally. It also makes them thirsty, so they go to water. And that keeps them from dying inside your walls or in your airplane.

The BEST thing to control mice is a black snake. We used to free feed our dogs (left dry food out for them). LOTS of mice. Then a lot less mice, but we were seeing two snake skins a week in the wires over our electrical panel. But no more mice.
 
Even if you do not have a mouse problem, Shawn Woods (above) videos are endlessly entertaining--Mouse Trap Mondays!
Warning! Potential Rabbit, ah, Mouse hole!
 
If using antifreeze, be careful that your pets dog (or pets belonging to others dogs) can't get to it.
I use non toxic antifreeze intended for RV water systems, it doesn't taste good to dogs or cats.. Cheaper than glycol, too.
And cats. Don't forget cats.
But if you have cats you probably don't need mouse traps.
Hah! We have indoor/outdoor cats (cat door). The cats bring in as many mice from outside (and then lose them) as they catch inside.
Sorry but I use decon for many years, in my work shop, home garage, storage garage and hangar. I have never found a dead mouse except once in my workshop at work. I understand they go looking for water after
So they say, but my wife puts out mouse poison blocks and I'm always opening up walls to find where the smell is coming from.

At one point we had a black snake living under the cabin, no mice that summer. But in winter when the snakes are hibernating...
 
I use non toxic antifreeze intended for RV water systems, it doesn't taste good to dogs or cats.. Cheaper than glycol, too.

Hah! We have indoor/outdoor cats (cat door). The cats bring in as many mice from outside (and then lose them) as they catch inside.

So they say, but my wife puts out mouse poison blocks and I'm always opening up walls to find where the smell is coming from.

At one point we had a black snake living under the cabin, no mice that summer. But in winter when the snakes are hibernating...
Luckily we have never had mice in our house, so far. So no wall removal looking for the smell.
Now the shops, are shops are concrete or metal walls like in the hangars so no where for them to get into.
By the time I found the dead mouse in my work shop it was dried up and no smell that I noticed.

Now my MIL house is a home with drywall and wood studs. Still she never noticed or complained about smell and I never found any or smelled them. She already had locks on her cabinet doors to keeps her young grand daughters out so the open de con boxes were protected from her dog and grand kids. They ate it within a couple 3 days, under a week and then it stopped disappearing, the bait. Like I said it worked.
 
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That's why you use antifreeze even if it's not freezing temperatures; it seems to pickle them so there's no smell. We use the bucket traps when we leave our cabin closed up for a couple of months during the off season.
In my bucket traps, I use laundry detergent in the water to help avoid smell. Antifreeze is too likely to be consumed by one of the dumber animals who live in my house.
 
With bait, I normally find the dead mice in the toilet. They are trying to get to water, but fall in and drown.
 
With bait, I normally find the dead mice in the toilet. They are trying to get to water, but fall in and drown.

I suppose that would be another reason why women might want to look at the toilet before sitting down...
 
That, and it prevents catching hell for not putting the seat down.
It's also way more hygienic. Closing the lid while flushing prevents all the aerosols from leaving the toilet and spraying all over you and the surrounding area.
 
It's also way more hygienic. Closing the lid while flushing prevents all the aerosols from leaving the toilet and spraying all over you and the surrounding area.
aarrgghh Too many details ...lol
I got a soft close lid months ago, lot's easier now to tip the lid closed without it slamming down.
Is that too many details?
 
A load of salt in the bucket traps will prevent freezing, cheaper than antifreeze, no disposal problem, and will also tend to 'pickle' the mouse.

We used bucket traps in electronic buildings, air conditioned to a very low humidity. No water in the bucket, they died and desiccated quickly. The buildings are well insulated, and the AC runs all winter to eject the heat from the equipment.
 
I've had good luck with dog food in electronic mouse/rat traps. When I use 5 gallon bucket traps, I use antifreeze instead of water.
 
I've had good luck with dog food in electronic mouse/rat traps. When I use 5 gallon bucket traps, I use antifreeze instead of water.
Yup that is why I pick up any dog food pieces and snap the lid on the dog food bowl put it in the fridge before I leave at night. And my dog seems to like cold dog food? Empty the trash can also and toss it in the dumpster on my way out of the airport so not to attract mice.
IMG_4771.HEIC
 
Some dog foods contain vitiamin K1 which is an antidote for the anticoagulant in rodenticide (depending on which is used). If you are using rodent baits to kill the pests and the rodents have access to dog food with vitiamin k1 then the rodenticide may not be effective. Rats, especially, love dog food ...
 
We have pest control and since we have a dog and chickens (sometimes free ranging) I keep documentation of the specific bait, what it contains, and the antidote, readily available.
Our pest control uses Contrac Blox and they provide the necessary info.
Example: CONTRAC BLOX is a single-feeding anticoagulant rodenticide containing the active ingredient, Bromadiolone. CONTRAC is also less toxic to non-target animals, in both primary and secondary poisoning situations, than other single-feeding anticoagulants. The antidote, Vitamin K1, is readily available and there is a time factor for treatment.
 
Last year was getting the plane ready for Florida. Dad rents hangar space to a southwest captain to store his corvettes. He's a bit paranoid about mice and left a few bait blocks out randomly. I brought the pup to the hangar not knowing this. When she gets bored she chews. Usually on a piece of lumber. This time she found a bait block. Only problem was the guy had both bromadialone (anticoagulant) and bromethalin (neurotoxin that causes brain to swell)

Heinous crap. Last summer mom says there's an owl by the pond.....uhhhmmmm it's 1pm. Probably sick. Called dnr. Next day they called and said it died. Did a necropsy, poisoned. Not the first owl we've found poisoned. Thinking about it, I don't think I've heard an owl all summer.
 
Sigh. Hot glued sunflower seeds to my traps. The mice seem to have enjoyed them. Zero kills. Back to peanut butter I guess. How the eff can they chew open the seeds without tripping the trap?

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I’m in trapping mode now (we live in the woods). 10 snap traps in various locations. 2 locations have been successful, focused on them - total of 6 the last 3 days.

May be time to pull out the bucket trap for efficiency since I don’t have to reset or refill the duds. I hate the bucket, it’s gross and cruel, but I you gotta do what ya gotta do.

Cheap peanut butter for the win.
 
I’m in trapping mode now (we live in the woods). 10 snap traps in various locations. 2 locations have been successful, focused on them - total of 6 the last 3 days.

May be time to pull out the bucket trap for efficiency since I don’t have to reset or refill the duds. I hate the bucket, it’s gross and cruel, but I you gotta do what ya gotta do.

Cheap peanut butter for the win.
I bought some commercial attractant gel. I haven't used it yet, as my hangar is sadly quite empty, with the exception of my recliners. Which I'm sure the mice are enjoying.
 
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