The 10 Best Baits for Mice Traps and Stations

The 10 Best Baits for Mice Traps and Stations

Mice are among the most common domestic and commercial pests in the UK, with the house mouse population thought to be over 5.4 million. While mice pose no threat to us and are far less likely to cause the same amount of problems as rats, they are still pests and can multiply quickly if they become comfortable in your home. 

At Safeguard, we’ve been humanely removing and deterring mice from domestic and commercial properties for very 35 years and have trialled a variety of traps, deterrents and baits to qualify their usefulness. 

In this article, we will be looking at some of the best baits on the market that lure mice out of their nests so you are able to catch and remove them from your property. All baits are humane as well as all trapping methods we suggest.

The 7 Best Mouse Trap Baits

1. Peanut butter – ideal for both rats and mice, peanut butter is the perfect blend of high fat and sugar and mice are able to smell this from far away.

Seeds are the main part of a mouse’s natural diet, but this is not the best type of bait in homes. Instead, try using foods that are high in fat, sugar or both. This includes:

2. Cooked or raw meats – cut up bits of hot dog work well as mouse bait. If you’re using snap traps, you can push the soft meat onto the trap to ensure the mouse has to apply pressure to the food in order for it to move; in turn, releasing the trap.

3. Cheese – cheese has always worked well as mouse bait. If you are going to use cheese, try to choose one that smells, as it will have a further reach than other types.

4. Marshmallows/gum drops – sweets will always work well as mice bait due to their high sugar count. Sweets are inexpensive and one or two should do the trick.

5. Chocolate – in the same vein as sweets, mice also love chocolate. Small bits of chocolate attached to the trap or inside it (if it’s a live trap) will be enough to lure the mouse inside.

6. Pet food – wet dog or cat food has been proven to work on mice. As it’s often left out in the evening after feeding your pets, mice commonly snack on it under the cover of darkness

7. Nest materials – slightly more unorthodox but proven to be effective, instead of food, place nesting materials on/in the trap. Mice are always looking for materials to build their nest and the easier they are to source, the more likely the mice will approach. 

Examples are:

• Dental floss
• Cotton balls
• String
• Bits of carpet

Top tip: do not contaminate the bait with your hands! Mice have a good sense of smell and will be able to detect your scent on a trap or the bait on the trap. This will make them think twice about approaching the bait as they will link your scent to danger. To tackle this, wear gloves and ensure the trap is placed well away 

What to Do When Baits Don’t Work

There are scenarios where the bait you are using may be proving ineffective. There are a few reasons this may be happening, either the mouse simply doesn’t like that type of bait or they have grown used to that food source and are not interested in exploring it further.

Here are a few solutions to consider:

1. Switch the bait – simple, if the mouse doesn’t take the bait, replace it with something new.
2. Switch the trap – mice are intelligent creatures and some will be able to recognise a trap and therefore try to remove the bait without getting caught (this is more common in snap traps). If your trap has been out for a few days or a week with no results, try switching the trap. If you’re using snap traps, try using live traps, for example. 
3. Change the location of the trap – trap placement is essential when baiting mice, so be sure that it’s placed in an area of high activity or at entry points. If it’s not working, try moving the trap to another area where you believe the mouse has visited. We have an article on the best ways to identify rat presence which is just as helpful for spotting mice, take a look here.
4. The bait is gone but so is the mouse – this is not an uncommon problem, as stated previously, mice are fairly intelligent and can recognise traps and will try and dislodge the bait to avoid getting caught. If this has happened, try testing the trigger of the trap to ensure it works. If the bait does not fit securely on the lever, try switching the pait to something that the mouse will struggle to tear off, such as peanut butter, soft cheese or chocolate.
5. Buy a trap with sensitive sensors – some mice (especially babies) are very light and their weight may not be enough to trigger standard snap traps. In this case, you will need to buy a trap with a sensitive trigger to counteract the weight of smaller mice. Electric mouse traps are more sensitive than classic snap traps

Still Having Mouse Problems?

Mouse traps and bait work very well when you have a small number of mice in your house. However, if you are struggling with mice in a larger domestic property, traps may be harder to place due to the size of the area. Additionally, if you have a mouse infestation, it is likely you will require professional intervention. 

In this case, you can contact Safeguard for professional, humane and swift removal of mice in commercial properties.