‘Easy’ DIY mouse trap to get rid of mice humanely

Gardening expert gives tips on deterring pets and pests

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The pitter-patter of tiny mouse feet can be a worrying sound when it echoes around the walls of your home. Although mice are considered to be pests by many people, humane traps can still be preferable to traditional ones which can cause harm and even kill mice.

Though there are plenty of humane traps, also known as live traps, available to buy, one man has revealed an easy way to make your own.

Posting to his TikTok page @rezbluez, the dad showed a video of making his DIY mouse trap, which he says is “cheap” and “works great” to catch and release mice.

The DIY trap uses a large, empty bucket, an empty water bottle and a wooden rod. In a comment, he said: “Build this trap. [It’s] pretty easy. [It] doesn’t have to be a big bucket, as long as [there is a] bit of water in [the] bucket they won’t be able to jump out.” [SIC]

In the video, he begins by using a power drill to form two holes on opposite sides of an empty bucket. The holes should be directly facing one another and just below the rim of the bucket.

@rezbluez live mouse trap #mousetrap #diy #easy #cheap #worksgreat #catchandrelease #indigenous #reuserecycle #fyp #rezlife #mousetok ♬ Blue Blood – Heinz Kiessling & Various Artists

Rez emphasises the importance of wearing safety gloves while drilling to protect your hands. Wearing gloves will also keep any human scent off the trap which might deter mice.

Next, he drills a hole directly through the bottom of an empty water bottle. The hole should be directly in the centre of the bottle.

He then threads a wooden rod through the hole in one side of the bucket, pushing it through the empty water bottle and out of the lid.

Finally, he threads the other side of the rod through the opposite hole in the bucket to create a spinning platform on which the mouse will stand on to get the bait.

Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the bucket, making sure it is only enough to cover the mouse’s feet and will not drown them. Then, slant a piece of wood against the bottle to create a walkway for the mouse to clamber up.

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The TikTok dad uses peanut butter as bait, spreading it all over the bottle balanced in the middle of the bucket. This should attract the mouse to the bottle.

In a comment, he added that although he had tried cheese as bait previously, peanut butter “seems to work better”.

Once they stand on the spinning surface, it will flip them into the bucket where they will be unable to clamber free due to their wet paws.

The man explained how he had great “success” with this trick, but it is important to check the bucket regularly to make sure the mouse isn’t left in there for too long once trapped.

Once captured, you can then set the mouse free outside, although you should make sure this isn’t too close to your property as they could easily make their way back inside.

Even with traps in place, the best way to deter mice is to ensure you aren’t welcoming them into your space. Mice will typically come inside and set up camp if there is good reason to do so.

This includes food for them to nibble and a cosy place for them to make into their home. Make sure to clean up any crumbs, seal away food cupboard items and don’t unknowingly leave out potential bedding materials for them.

Some experts suggest using peppermint oil to deter mice, although this will only work for a short time. The strong scent of the peppermint may attack the rodent’s sense of smell, but as with most gases and fumes, the peppermint oils scent will eventually dissipate and no longer affect the ground areas inhabited by mice.

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