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LastOutlaw
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 18:57
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I went to my cabin Thursday and stayed overnight. I always set mouse traps when I leave and almost always find one or two in the traps when I return. This time however there were NO MICE in my traps. At first I was pretty happy then I started thinking...why are there no mice? I haven't been here in almost a month and even when it is only a week or so I catch a couple.
I considered that maybe I have a couple large snakes under my cabin. I kept a close eye out while I was there just in case. ( A couple of years ago I had a rattler in my outdoor shower..that will make you step out quick.) I have noticed some raccoons that seem to have moved into the area on my game cams and a possum or two. These won't run off mice will they?
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 20:35
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Some mice will run off coons and possums.
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spoofer
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 21:29
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Mice learn to avoid some traps after seeing their kin in them, I have read.
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LastOutlaw
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 21:53
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I'm more suspect that I have a big snake in the area or more than one. The mice enter my cabin from below the floor and up through the walls and a snake or two curled up below my cabin would explain the lack of the little bastages better then the mice got smart.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 21:54 - Edited by: Steve_S
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Well if you haven't found mouse trails or nesting evidence and none in your traps, possibly one or more mouse predators took up residence. Well Hopefully anyways... Which likely candidates, depends on your local critter populations... Owls, Hawks, Falcons and such really do a number on mice, as do many others.
If it's some sort of predator, might be prudent to determine what it is and if it's a problem for kids & pets (critters that go after mice don't go for big humans or big pets)... just a thought on safety anyways, too many years of being a dad  you know it's bad when you kids used to tease with "Mr Safety or Safety Dad".
EDIT just saw you posted while I was writing... Snakes can indeed be a good thing as long as they don't consider you & yours a potential target.
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Greenland South
Member
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# Posted: 28 Apr 2017 21:59
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What do you use for bait in your traps? I use peanut butter, they have to get in there and lick hard.
We did a Reno on our house about 10 years ago. It was the type of Reno where the windows, doors and pretty much everything else that wasn't framing was gone. Anyway we had about 20 traps set up, and about 830 every night they would start to go off. We were getting about 30 mice a night. It was maddening.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2017 12:07 - Edited by: NorthRick
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I've had mice wise up to traps. I knew they were still around but the only ones I would ever catch were young ones. Sometimes you have to switch tactics.
A couple years ago one of our neighbors got a cat. We haven't had problems with mice since.
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Asher
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2017 12:13
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heat up the bait arm with a lighter and melt a piece of chocolate on there... it works every time..
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2017 21:38
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A bucket trap, as discussed a few times on here works well . Water or anti freeze in the pail. deep enough they have to swim. Peanut butter on a foam plate balanced on the top, on a wire. A ramp for them to climb up. One drawback is the smell if you are not at the cabin regularly . old243
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2017 22:54
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Our mice have wised up a bit
The traps are tripped
The food is gone
....I seem to be missing a 9/16 socket
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Malamute
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2017 23:54 - Edited by: Malamute
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I once accidentally bought those stupid traps with the large plastic trigger bars that look like cheese. I went ahead and used them since it was so far to town and it would be a week or so until I went again. They caught mice. The thing I noticed though, I was catching at LEAST as many that were just walking across the traps and ignoring the peanut butter bait. I always set the traps with the trigger end against a wall. That huge plastic trigger bar was nailing the ones that were just walking by. There isn't enough room for them to get between the trigger and the wall, so they step on it. I eventually stopped baiting them altogether, unless in the truck (not much walls for them to walk around like in a building). Other than in the truck, I don't think Ive bothered to bait a mouse trap in 15 years or more. The Victors nail them if theyre around though.
They truly are a better mouse trap.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81lRuU70vaL._SL1500_.jpg
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 3 May 2017 17:14
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I've got smart mice. I'm goinna try that melted chocolate thing.
I had 5 traps completely cleaned of peanut butter. Not a mouse. Finally got him. Dried the peanut butter out on the trap before setting it out.
Now I'm wondering if he didn't just wander across it. And I got him by luck.
At the farm I've got a weasel under one of the buildings. Nope. Not a mouse to be seen. Or a squirrel. Or a chipmunk.
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old243
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# Posted: 4 May 2017 09:02
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Creeky , We had a weasel at our hunt camp . our building wasn't weasel proof . You never new where he would pop his head up. Certainly no mouse problem. old243
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tverga
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# Posted: 5 May 2017 15:03
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I have always taken the large sticky traps with a large dollop of peanut butter. Can catch 2-3 at a time. I also set up a few under the house to catch them before they find a way in.
If you can get under the house plug every hole with steel wool or mouse foam. It's easier to fight them outside than inside.
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