Mice, mouse, or rats are the same pest problems that give you enough headache while trying to get rid of them. You’ve placed several mouse traps at the corner of the room and some area that you think the mouse might run past it. However, the bait was gone but no mouse caught. 
Well, it’s not always the fault of the traps, maybe because of simple user errors or you use the wrong trap. For knowing the reason why your Mouse Trap Not Working and what you can do, you can check the guide below.
Quick Navigation
Why the Mouse Trap Not Working?
Here are some mouse trap mistakes that might be happened to you and what is the solution to resolve the mistakes.
Use the Wrong Baits
There are various kinds of baits to lure mouse into traps including cheese, peanut butter, marshmallows, beef jerky, and so on. However, not all of them work the same. After watching Tom and Jerry, you think cheese is a no-fail solution bait. But, don’t expect too much. Some certain types of rodents don’t even eat cheese. Although the smell of cheese is enticing enough to them, but they might primarily prefer to eat nut and seed. Yet, sometimes peanut butter mouse trap not working too.
Solution: You should try a variety of baits until you find which one can lure the mouse into the trap. Or, you can set different kinds of baits at the same time to look the most effective one. When the temperature is colder outside, it is the time when mouse might come inside to build nests. The reason the mouse doesn’t take the baits might be because they are looking for nesting materials instead. So, you can change food baits to nesting materials such as twine, yarn, cotton balls, and dental floss.
You Ruin the Baits
The mouse has sensitive smell sense that can detect your scent on the baits and traps. It will make them stay away from and won’t even dare to take a close to the traps. Moreover, sometimes you load up too much bait for a trap. If you put too much, the mouse can steal only some of them easily without getting caught in the trap.
Solution: You should keep your hands off from the baits. While handling the baits and setting the traps, ensure to wear gloves. Only load a pea-size amount of bait on the mouse trap. You can place a nut or other tidbit in the middle of the peanut butter. It is already enough to attract mouse so they have to step on the platform while trying to remove the nut. It will apply more pressure to the trigger to release the kill bar.
Not Setting Up the Trap Properly
Some cases happened when you have already put the right bait and it is gone, but the trap doesn’t snap. Well, it must be something wrong with the trap. Whether you are not setting up the trap properly or the trap itself may not be sensitive enough. For first-timers, setting a mouse trap can be a little bit confusing. You think already set it properly, but actually, the traps set with not enough sensitivity. So, when the mouse takes the baits, the trap won’t snap the mouse in the process.
Solution: You should know how to set a mouse trap properly. First, you need to release the staple to able moving the armbar to hang over the back of the trap. Put the pre-bait on the pedal with a scent such as a peanut butter. Pull back the kill bar and use your thumbs to hold it securely. You should place the arm bar over the kill bar. Secure the arm bar under the plastic pedal. Be careful to set the trap on the sensitive side, so the bar will trip very easily.
Put the Trap in the Wrong Place
Maybe you put the traps in the wrong location. Remember that rodents’ family is cautious animals. They like to move from a quiet place to others with cover to hide them. So, they tend to stick close to places like walls, under cabinets, behind appliances, corners, bushes, fences, and so on. If you put the traps in the open or next to the high traffic areas, the mouse won’t be there to take the baits.
Solution: You should place the mouse traps in the area where the mouse primarily traveling. The ideal distance the traps should be placed is about 2 to 10 feet apart in the area where they are the most active. If you find their infestation in the attic, you should place the traps along the walls and in the corners of the room. Place the traps facing the wall so they will lure the mouse to explore them rather than walk around them. If the infestation is in the livable areas of your house, for example under the box in the garage, you place the traps under the table, back of cabinets, behind appliances, or in the corners of the room. But if they are active mostly in outdoors, you can put the traps near bushes and fences line.
Use the Wrong Type of Traps
There a different type of mouse traps including snap traps, glue traps, electronic traps, gallon traps, and so on. However, not all of them work well. Certain mouse traps might work effectively than others. The type of rodents that invade your house also influence the type of trap you should use.
Solution: Know what kind of rodents that pestering around your house. For example, if you have a mice problem, the snap trap will work well. But, for rats problem, maybe you should use mouse bucket or gallon mouse trap instead that claimed to work very effectively. But, if the gallon mouse trap not working, maybe something wrong with your set up or the baits.
Only Set A Few Traps
Rodents can make a colony fast and furiously. They can produce 6-7 babies every 21 days or so. So, you can’t only place only 1-2 traps to fight them all.
Solution: You should place a mouse trap in every 2-3 feet along the walls where you see their activity. In the area near their infestation or their highest-trafficked area, you can set the traps in pairs as close as an inch apart.
Final Words
You can check out those mistakes above and look up which one is related to your case. After knowing the actual reason, you can know how to resolve the mice problem.
