How to catch a mouse without a mousetrap

I had a little friend visit my apartment the other week, and for a while there I was ready to make peace with him and co-exist. But after I cleaned up the place and ordered pizza one night, and it crawled up the side of my chair onto the sleeve of my shirt, I knew it was time to bid farewell.

Here's how I caught the critter:

1. Get a toilet paper tube and crease two lines to form a flat sided tunnel.
2. Put a treat on one end of the tube: A cracker and dab of peanut butter works great.
3. Get a tall (at least 20 inches) bucket. A trash can works well.
4. Balance the tube precariously on the edge of a table or counter with the treat hanging directly over the tall sided receptacle.
5. The mouse will scurry to the treat (they like tunnels) and fall into the trap.

Set the fella loose at least a mile away from your abode.

Postnote: It worked within the hour.

Also, folks have asked how this could work if you don't have a counter or table. Simple: get a piece of cardboard and crease it to make a ramp up to a small trashcan.

Another solution:

Another solution:

This humane mouse trap has no moving parts, does not need to be set, can be made in 10 minutes or less, using inexpensive and readily available materials that you probably already have, and best of all-

IT WON'T HURT THE MOUSE

How To Use The Mouse Trap

This trap design is different than most in that the mouse enters from the top of the trap. Most designs have the entrance close to the ground. A question I get a lot with this design is "How does the mouse get in there? It is 8" tall!" The answer is this- Mice are avid jumpers. The average house mouse can (and will) jump at least 12" high.

If you set the trap out and you know the mouse has been near the trap but cannot seem to find his way in, you may have a handicapped or especially lazy mouse. No big deal, just place something right next to the trap to give the rodent a little help. The "step stool" should be half the height of the trap (like an empty coke can- with some rocks in it for weight). So far, I have not seen the need for this little addition. But I figured this was a possible scenario that I should cover.

The trap should be checked often, as a zealous mouse will chew it's way out if given enough time to do so. You may have a separate container ready, something sturdy you can transfer the rodents to until you find a place for them. To get the mouse out of the trap, you simply untwist the wire and remove the "bowl" on top.

NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY -

This is a very important part of what makes this trap work so well. A couple of squirts of non-stick cooking spray in the bowl will make the bowl and spout slippery, making it easy for the rodents to get in, but more importantly keeping them from being able to get back out through the spout.

It is best to smear the spray all around the bowl and the spout. Then wipe off the excess- it's kind of like "buff waxing" the bowl and spout.

BAITING THE TRAP -

You can experiment with whatever bait you so desire. I recommend using a whole grain cereal like corn Chex or Cheerios, coupled with a cracker smeared with peanut butter.
Picture

Pour the cereal into the trap (do not fill past the first row of holes in the base). I figure when a mouse sees all of that cereal through the clear plastic, he supposes he hit the jackpot. The peanut butter helps attract the mouse because peanut butter has a smell that carries farther than the cereal.

The cereal is for the up close visual attraction, while the peanut better gets the mouse to the trap because of it's stronger smell.

TRAP PLACEMENT -

It is best to put the trap along a wall, somewhere in the rodents path. Mice tend to stick close to the wall since they cannot see too well. They rarely go into the open unless they are dashing across the floor, and they are not likely to stop to eat if they are dashing.

If you need to put the trap in-between 2 objects such as a washer and dryer or between the counter and refrigerator, simply remove the base and squeeze the trap into the space. As long as the trap does not tip over, it will work fine.

I read that mice will generally stay within a 30' area, and will very rarely travel out of that area. So place your trap in the area you have seen the mouse or signs of a mouse (droppings, torn bags of food, etc).