A live trap is placed on a shelf in the pantry, where a few mouse droppings were found earlier.
In an inconspicuous location, this trap is placed between the wall and the bathroom vanity, with the spring-loaded door facing the wall.
Now that the temperatures have plummeted, an annual vigilance kicks into high gear. While scouring the nooks and crannies of the house on a daily basis, telltale signs that we are no longer alone begin to reveal themselves; tiny little droppings, partly chewed wrappers, and of course small areas of tightly wound exposed insulation (in the basement) clearly indicate the intruder has once again infiltrated our abode — the dreaded house mouse.
On Christmas Eve, we were fortunate to host a family gathering and sleepover for the kids, and grandchild. Shortly after everyone had arrived, and while sitting in the dining room, my wife shrieked. It was a familiar sound, and only happens when a mouse is spotted. I quickly put on some gloves, intending to wrangle the little sucker and set it free. Cornered and breathing heavily, the little mouse remained motionless. As I approached, it began to pace back and forth quickly until it performed the feats of all feats — this creature, no bigger than my toe, scaled the brick wall in a series of vertical jumps, defying gravity and apparently all laws of physics. Dumbfounded at what I had just witnessed, I froze and ultimately missed my chance to nab the little guy as it vanished under the couch during its great escape.
Although the mouse had gotten away (for now), the evening unfolded beautifully, as did Christmas morning and night. However, the thought of that mouse on the loose remained on my frontal lobe.
In the past, these elusive critters roaming freely in the attic and basement would eventually seek out strategically placed cubes of poison, that once ingested, would kill the mouse — this was a horrible solution with which I never felt comfortable. In my opinion, the only method that is worse than poison is the use of glue pads — once subdued, a mouse would be incapacitated and left to starve. Don’t get me wrong, it is clearly unhealthy and potentially dangerous to allow vermin to fester in the home. However, adopting a “live and let live” attitude has become a necessity in my life. As such, shortly after Christmas, I began researching the options for live traps, small enough to entice mice.
After an exhaustive search, a product on Amazon.ca made by Carose really caught my eye. Listed as a humane mouse trap, the design boasts that a small removable bait compartment lures a mouse into the six-inch tunnel, and a highly sensitive pedal trips and inward opening door shut, without harming the creature. The trap features several air holes, which allows the mouse to breathe easy, until released. I ordered two sets of four, to place strategically throughout the house in areas that showed signs of mouse visitation. After loading the bait compartments with small amounts of peanut butter, the spring-loaded doors were set, and the wait began. Beyond the humane aspect of these traps, the results would be clear, unlike a half-eaten cube of poison with no mouse in sight.
Low and behold, the very next morning a little mouse had found its way into one of the eight traps. Defeated, it stared at me through the semi-clear plastic casing, as if to say “OK, you won this round — now what?” This was the start of our newly adopted “catch and release” program at Boss Ranch. Instead of trying to fix the problem using lethal tactics, I now simply walk to the back wood pile, and gently release the mouse into the nooks and crannies of the lumber stacked in the yard. Having observed many mouse nests while moving boards each spring, I’m quite certain any newly introduced mouse to the backyard clan will be welcomed. As expected, after opening the tiny door of the live trap, and tilted it downward, the furry little rodent dropped out, and quickly waddled into the space between the boards — free, once again.
Every morning, I check all eight live traps. A second mouse was caught in a different trap a few days later, released to the same wood pile. There is something soothing about this “catch and release, live and let live” attitude — not only is there tangible and visible proof that mice are being evicted one by one, in doing so humanely ultimately feels so much better than the alternative. After all, a mouse’s purpose isn’t to scare or hurt you, its simply trying to live its life. And every animal, large and small deserves that chance.
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