Humane mouse trap recommendation

[SonicHedgeHog]

Our cat keeps bringing in live wild life. I then spend a very stressful amount of time either taking it to the vet or catching it and releasing it somewhere safe. I would much rather leave a trap or traps out overnight to give the mice somewhere to hide before I release them. We have several shop bought traps and they’re next to useless. Does anyone have a trap or instructions to build a trap that mice actually want to climb into? Thanks

PS, lethal traps are not an option.

[Zirconia]

We used a tilt trap to catch a mouse. Use Nutella as bait. But we have had the chase and always wear gloves and keep an old tupperware container as a mouse house to relocate. Disinfect where mousy was as well.

Though the one living in the washing machine took a week to twig it was there and then turn the thing upside down.

[anonymous-user]

bought one of these as had a mouse in the 'ouse.

Caught it first night.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081Q1F9HB/ref...

[Mobile Chicane]

Keep the cats in at night (with a litter tray) will reduce the problem.

[SonicHedgeHog]

Thanks, will try Nutella in our tilt traps. Can’t keep both cats in overnight forever. Have put collars with bells on as a prevention measure but can’t help feeling there is a gap in the market here. I’d pay a small fortune for an effective trap. Might have to design and build some shelters for the mice to scurry into until I can rescue them in the morning.

[Gary C]

SonicHedgeHog said:

PS, lethal traps are not an option.

Yes they are, just that you dont want to use them

We solve that problem by not having a cat flap. He has to be let in (we do have a cat flap in the shed so he has a place to sleep if left out.

And is more than happy to stay in or out, and while he has a litter tray, its very rarely used.

[loskie]

you take what the cat brings in to the vet!!!!

FFS get a grip.

[anonymous-user]

Our cat is 20 now and too old to hunt, consequently we set traps in the house to see if anything was about, having heard the odd scratching.

We’re on mouse 27 in 3 weeks!

[Zirconia]

SonicHedgeHog said:

Thanks, will try Nutella in our tilt traps. Can’t keep both cats in overnight forever. Have put collars with bells on as a prevention measure but can’t help feeling there is a gap in the market here. I’d pay a small fortune for an effective trap. Might have to design and build some shelters for the mice to scurry into until I can rescue them in the morning.

Needed a solution with one mouse and it worked the once, someone said it worked so gave it a go, could be any chocolate I suppose. Might have been a fluke.

Bit of a sod, I tried it and don't like the stuff.

[anonymous-user]

Mouse 28 last night!

We use peanut butter or white chocolate.

[The Mad Monk]

SonicHedgeHog said:

PS, lethal traps are not an option.

Oh yes they are!

[anonymous-user]

The Mad Monk said:

Oh yes they are!

100% on that one!

[SonicHedgeHog]

I feared this thread would disintegrate the way it has. If my cat brings in a small bird with a broken wing it’s going to the local animal hospital to see if they can repair it. If they can’t it gets put to sleep. If you want to lay into me for my kindness then fill your boots.

Lethal traps are not an option for me. The issue is attracting the mouse into the trap, not whether the trap operates as it should. I am not going to needlessly poison a small animal. Neither am I going to try and break it’s neck only to find the trap didn’t work quite right and a living creature has suffered a long painful death.

FWIW the new collar with bell seems to be working. Amazing how the simplest solutions are sometimes the best.

[anonymous-user]

There’s enough argument about this on PH without your promoting one by judiciously saying that lethal traps are out of the question and then jumping at two brief posts that say otherwise.

I don’t do humane traps but respect your views so you won’t get your argument here.

[Joe5y]

You take a mouse to the vet?!

[HTP99]

Sounds like my wife, "you can't kill them", I told her they were set to stun and oddly she believed me!

[thebraketester]

The Mad Monk said:

Oh yes they are!

The only issue with lethal traps and cats is that if the cat gets to the trap before you do, you’ll have to keep buying traps as they will “vanish”.

[loskie]

surely if one was so against wildlife being hurt , killed, injured then one would choose not to keep a cat?

[Joe5y]

I'm pleased to report that owing to woodland out the back of our house we can actually go away on a 2 week holiday and our cats feed themselves from the vast buffet in the rear.

[SonicHedgeHog]

V6 Pushfit said:

There’s enough argument about this on PH without your promoting one by judiciously saying that lethal traps are out of the question and then jumping at two brief posts that say otherwise.

This is my thread. I started it. It began with me saying deadly traps are out of the question. Had I not made that statement a lot of people would have wasted their time making suggestions. Despite this subsequent posters waded in clearly spoiling for a fight. They added nothing to the thread other than to open up a needless debate that is wildly tangential to the original topic. So don’t lecture me about my principles. I asked a question on humane mouse traps. I didn’t ask for a debate on ethics.