If you’re wondering whether peanut butter is effective for catching mice, then you’ve found the right article. In this article, not only will you find out just how effective using peanut butter for mice is. You’ll also learn why they love it so much, how to use it, and other great foods you can try as well!
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
Why Do Mice Like Peanut Butter So Much
Mice LOVE nuts of any variety, so it’s no wonder that they’re going to love peanut butter. The smell is powerful and attracts mice from all over. Not only this, but due to the high protein and fat content, peanut butter is going to provide mice with the energy they need for a long time. And lastly, they also LOVE the taste of peanut butter as well!
Why Is Peanut Butter Good For Catching Mice?
The good news for you is that peanut butter is also a great choice when you’re trying to catch mice as well. Here’s why it’s such an effective choice!
- Because peanut butter is sticky, it’s a lot harder for mice to remove it from traps.
- It’s effective on all types of mousetraps. In fact, peanut butter is one of the best choices for bucket traps, because when the trap deploys, the peanut butter will stay stuck.
- And of course, peanut butter is so readily available to most people and it’s also incredibly cheap.
It should be noted, that if you’re trying to catch mice humanely, there is a risk of peanut butter blocking their airways and choking them.
How To Use Peanut Butter To Catch Mice
If you want to use peanut butter to catch mice in your home, then here’s a step-by-step guide on what you need to do!
Wear Rubber Gloves
When you’re preparing your mouse trap, make sure you’re wearing rubber gloves. If mice catch your scent in their food, then they may just avoid it altogether. So ensuring that you don’t sabotage the trap by accident is the first thing you need to do.
Placing The Bait
When you place the bait, make sure you’re placing it in the right place. Live traps need the peanut butter to be as far back as possible, to really make sure the mice enter. If you plan on using snap traps, then make sure the peanut butter is only on the trigger. Bucket traps will need the bait placed on the bait block.
There are also some people that recommend using glue traps. However, these are inhumane and cruel, and also illegal in most places in the US.
Avoid Using Too Much Peanut Butter
When you’re using peanut butter as bait, make sure you’re not using too much. A peasized amount will be enough to attract mice, while not being too much that they can eat without triggering the trap.
Use Lots Of Traps
You should also make sure you’re using enough traps. The more traps you place, the more likely you are to catch mice.
Correct Placement
And lastly, you should also make sure you’re placing traps in the correct place. Traps should be placed in the areas you notice the most mouse activity. As well as this, you should avoid placing them out in the open as it’s much less likely that mice will venture there.
When you do place mouse traps, make sure that you’re placing them against walls, with the trigger end facing the wall. This way you make it easier for the mice to get to the bait.
Change The Placement Every Week
If your traps haven’t caught any mice after a week, then you may need to change the placement of the traps as well.
What Other Food Attracts Mice?
Mice are pretty much attracted to everything edible (and even some things that aren’t). Some of the most common food that mice love include:
- Seeds
- Grains
- Pet Food
- Chocolate
- Fruit Jams
Check out this article for a full list of foods that will attract mice, as well as the best food to use for your traps as well!
How To Get Rid Of Mice Humanely
Getting rid of mice humanely can be just as effective as using traps that kill. And in fact, trying to get rid of mice humanely is also about removing the causes, so by following the steps below, you’ll also reduce the chances of mice coming back!
So if you want to try and get rid of mice humanely, you should try the following:
Seal All Your Trash
Make certain that all of the trash in your home is sealed. If you don’t seal the trash, mice will feast on it at night. Consider purchasing bins that seal once closed to deter mice if you haven’t already.
Store Food Securely
Additionally, ensure that food is kept in secure containers that mice cannot access. Airtight containers are your best bet because they keep mice out while also keeping the scent in.
Thoroughly Clean Your Home
Mice look for warm, pleasant places to build nests to protect themselves and their offspring. They can also live on 3-5 grams of food per day. So if you want to permanently stop mice from invading your home, keep it clean.
A mouse can survive on crumbs on the floor and thrive in an unoccupied attic, garage, wardrobe, or even any drawer in your house. As a result, by keeping your home clean, you can keep mice away in the future.
Block Entrances To Your Home
While traps will get rid of any mice that are already in your home, they will return if you don’t find long-term measures to keep them out. Remember that mice can fit through spaces as small as a centimeter, so be extra careful when looking for entrances.
If you find any of these holes, simply fill them with aluminum foil or steel wool because mice won’t be able to chew through them.
Bucket Traps
Bucket traps are incredibly effective and easy to make. You can buy them online, and all you have to do is lure mice onto a rotating platform smeared in peanut butter.
When they reach the platform, it will rotate and they will drop into the bucket. Then, in the morning, you only need to take the bucket a mile or so from your house to let the mice go.
Live Traps
In addition to bucket traps, live traps can be used to catch mice. Live traps catch mice by drawing them in and then trapping them once inside. Just make sure you don’t leave the mice in the traps for too long.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions that people often have about mice and peanut butter.
Do Mice Like Peanut Butter Or Cheese Better?
Mice favor peanut butter over cheese, however, you can still have a lot of success using soft smelly cheeses on mouse traps. Likewise, a combination of peanut butter and cheese can also be highly effective.
How Far Away Can Mice Smell Peanut Butter?
Mice are able to smell food from 10-50 feet away. This, of course, depends on the mouse and the type of food in question.
Recap
As you can see, mice absolutely love peanut butter, and if you’re planning on using it for a mouse trap, there are few things better for attracting them!
If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website! Otherwise, have a great day!
