Mice, Rats and Infestations, Oh My: Why Snap Traps Aren’t Solving Your Problem

It’s the middle of the night. You rouse from your sleep to pad down the hall and innocently open the kitchen cabinet for a midnight Chips Ahoy… but instead of finding the bag of cookies you are seeking, you are greeted by an impromptu family of mice who proceed to scare the nature out of you.

It’s a scenario that repeats itself in millions of homes every day. Mice move in – shave years off your life by hiding in the least expected of places and seem to be almost impossible to get rid of.

If you have an infestation of mice in your home and snap traps aren’t solving the problem you aren’t alone. Notoriously difficult to control, there’s a reason those snap traps aren’t working.

Mice Multiply… QUICK

If you keep seeing mice the problem is likely that the mice have begun to reproduce. The gestation period of a mouse is only 20 days. After giving birth, the mouse can become pregnant again after only 12 hours. The average size of a litter is between 2 and 10 new mice. This means that the new mice can remain hidden for quite some time before they become active in your home.

One at a Time Doesn’t Always Cut It

Snap traps are designed for ridding the home of a few mice but the truth is if you have a few… you probably have many. Mice do not stray far from their nest. This means that if you are seeing mice in your home they probably have a nest somewhere within your cozy abode.

Snap Traps Can Have an Ick Factor

Snap traps are the most humane choice for ridding your home of mice except of course for live traps. However, snap traps can have a real “ick” factor that leaves you dealing with the removal of the mouse. No one likes dealing with the aftermath of a snap trap. Not only is it disgusting – it can also be sad. Especially if you catch a little mouse that reminds you of the little varmint in “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. This often leads to not setting as many traps as you probably should.

Just remember – you are doing this for your family. You wouldn’t get rid of mice for fun. You aren’t a mean kid with a magnifying glass pointed at an ant hill. Mice carry diseases. Rest assured if you invaded their nest… they’d come after you too.

Solving the Problem

When the humane ways of riding yourself of mice have all failed, rodent baits could be an option. If you use rodent baits with pets or children in the home you need to be absolutely positive it is in a place that neither can reach it. Another solution is skip the baits rodent and call in the professionals.

When snap traps fail consider the reasons that you’re coming away with less than stellar results. Be sure to seal up entry areas like under sinks with steel wool and to tidy up. Out smarting mice is never easy… just ask Tom. Jerry often got away but it sure did make his life a whole heck of a lot more interesting.