Tips on Catching Mice in the Backyard

Mice -- even when just living in your backyard -- can be serious pests. They can destroy gardens and eventually gain access to your home. Because mice tend to reproduce quickly and in large numbers, gaining control of the population can be difficult. Trapping mice while they are alive reduces the chances that you will find them dead in your backyard or in your home.

  1. The bait

    • Mice are typically attracted to smelly cheese, peanut butter, bits of banana and chunks of bread. Anticoagulant will cause the mouse to bleed internally and die, so if you want to trap a live mouse, avoid these chemical-based baits.

    Traps

    • You can use a picnic table or other piece of furniture in your backyard to set up a "tipping bottle" trap. Cut off the top of a plastic bottle. Place the bottle on its side. The bottom of the bottle should hang over the edge of the table so that the bottle is barely balanced. Some bait should be placed inside the bottle toward the bottom. Tie a string to the open end of the bottle and the other end of the string to the table. When the mouse enters the bottle, it will tip off the table and remain hanging upright -- suspended by the string. The open end of the bottle is hopefully out of the mouse's reach, so it can't crawl out. Other trap options include snap, multi-catch and glue board. To trap multiple mice, place traps 2 to 3 feet apart. You can place these traps along the sides of your home or garage, picnic tables, outdoor furniture and gardens.

    Release

    • Once you have trapped the mice from your backyard, take them out to a field or wooded area to release them. Beware that sometimes mice will return to the original location. Traps are sometimes ineffective against very large infestations of mice.

    Other Options

    • Remove vegetation close to your house to prevent mice from hiding there and thus eating their way into your home. Another way to trap mice in the backyard is to get a cat. Unfortunately, it is likely that the mouse will be killed -- depending on how skilled of a hunter your cat is. Hardware stores and grocery stores typically sell numerous types of mousetraps.

    Warning

    • Use caution when you are handling a trapped rodent or otherwise approaching one because it will often bite. Always wear gloves when handling mice.