mouse traps

[andygo]

We had a few mice lurking about the house a couple of months ago and set some of the 'Little Nipper' traps down. I eventually caught about 12 of the little pests. Anyway, after I came back from hols, i sea couple of traps again and to my horror caught another one.

I have since set the 2 traps about 6 times and not caught any at all. The problem is, the cheese keeps on disapearing overnight but the traps remain unsprung? Is something else nicking the cheese or am I plagued by a family of smart meeces?

[Austin.J]

Could just stay up all night with a big hammer and a block of chedder?

[toxgobbler]

The Cheese isn't eating itself. try some of the full enclosure live traps as they can't get to the bait without committing themselves fully to the trap (http://www.amazon.co.uk/5-Trip-Trap-Mouse-Traps/dp/B002YCKNPE/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1278516059&sr=1-17) I found bits of Jaffa cake worked well for bait.

[Nick_F]

Chocolate makes good bait - and you can cram it on so that the effort needed to get it off is bound to spring the trap.

Backing the traps into a corner or a narrow gap so that the bait can't be reached from the side is also sensible.

[Trevelyan]

andygo said:

The problem is, the cheese keeps on disapearing overnight but the traps remain unsprung? Is something else nicking the cheese or am I plagued by a family of smart meeces?

You remember the scene from Mission Impossible when Ethan Hunt comes down from the ceiling on a rope? It's that. But with mice.

HTH

[Bonefish Blues]

Rentokil "trap ease" baited with chocolate spread worked a treat for us after trying another more elaborate but unsuccessful design.

[ClassicMercs]

Mars bar.
My mum caught 400 on the Little Nippers before she started laying bait. Luckily only in her shed and garage.
Probably due to the pub behind and their wheelie bin.

[SAGgy chef]

I've always used a couple of sunflower seeds on the spike, never had a trap activated without a result (seeds without husks, they go on a lot better). Good luck in your quest!