It got him squarely across the neck and I’m sure it snapped his spine. I think he probably died in about 3 seconds.
Through some trial and error, I have learned a very effective way of catching/killing mice with a mousetrap.
The first method is using the old style “Metal Pedal” mousetrap.
Take an almond and wedge it lengthways into the teeth of the “Pedal”. Make sure the almond is really stuck on there(otherwise the mouse could just take off with it), and put a small coating of peanut butter on the almond. Then set and place the trap.
For the newer style “Easy Set” mousetrap.
This one isn’t quite as simple because of the “Plastic Cheese Pedal”. With this trap, I tape an almond to the “pedal”, because there’s no place to wedge it on.
I’ve included an example picture below. The oval is the almond, and the lines represent the outlines of the piece of tape. The oval on the right with pieces missing is what the almond should look like from the side. Wrap the tape all the way around the bottom of the “pedal”, or the tape won’t stick all that well.
There will be a small ledge underneath the almond, I find it works best to cut/shave small pieces off of the almond to make it fit perfectly flat on the ledge/pedal. Just like with the other mousetrap, make sure the almond doesn’t move whatsoever, you’re going to want to make it as snug as possible. It might take a couple tries. Then apply a coating of peanut butter, set and place the trap.
The mouse will lick off the peanut butter, then try to take the almond and that’s what sets off the trap.
At least he got to enjoy the chocolate chip!
I had one get in the tailpipe of my car. It’s a little sportscar and I guess the exhaust got hot really fast. All I knew is there was stinking smoke pouring from the tailpipe, so I took it to my mechanic’s shop. Boy, did they get a good laugh!
Doesn’t work. Mouse in my basement found a stick of Crisco in a bag, burrowed into the wrapper and ate the whole thing. Now I have a lot of fat glossy mice.
And my cats are worthless.
My experience with glue traps was about as bad. I was horrified by the results, and tried to pry the poor little bugger free.
Just ended up killing him. Mice are very, very fragile.
As you say, that’s probably the less horrible of the likely outcomes, but it bummed me terribly. I promptly added my signature to a petition requesting the banning of that kind of trap, and bought a “Tin Cat.”
Which works just fine! (Oh, raisins are a good form of bait. Mice lurve them raisins.)
Glad to hear your trap worked!! 
I agree with Shodan, there is probably more than one.
I tried to catch an extra-smart mouse one time. It took several days to get that one, and I was about to break by the end of it. I tried every trick in the book, but I finally triumphed over an animal with a brain the size of a hazelnut. :smack:
I have this live trap. I’ve used a couple of others, but I do like this one. It’s easy to use. With some of the other kinds, the mice gnaw on them and try to get out, and it’s very noisy, so you catch the mouse at about 11 pm and it keeps you up all night. They don’t really have any good place to chew on this one, so it’s much quieter.
mice tend to follow the wall line. Put traps in empty cereal boxes and set them against the wall. makes cleanup easier.
Peanut butter and/or peanuts are superb for trapping varmints.
Last night I was shopping in the garden center of a big box store and got the feeling of being watched. I looked down and there was a mouse head peeking out from the base of a shelf, beady little black eyes fixed on me.
If only I’d had peanut butter and a trap.
Well, I just got another one under the sink where my garbage is. A single chocolate chip pressed into the classic Victor trap.
Damned. How many are in here?
That’s like 2 days in mouse seconds.
You might want to get drunk with MeanOldLady. It’s a proven method.
Well, I murdered mouse number three last night.
Keep going for awhile. Sounds like you have a bigger problem than you realized.
How do you feel about cats, or a terrier?
Another thought - my mom swears by those electronic rodent repellers.
She says it completely stopped the mice that were coming up through her cabinets and nesting in the drawers where she keeps her potholders. There’s a fun surprise. Try and grab something for a hot pot and find holes chewed through them and some turds for bonus points.:mad:
Get that Tin Cat!
You must never try to re-use mousetraps, as they can smell Dead Mouse on them.
Since you need new ones, go Tin Cast.
They are re-usable, if you drown the mice in soapy water, or release them elsewhere.
I believe you’re supposed to pour vegetable oil on them if you want to release them from the glue.
If I’d been participating in the SDMB back then, I’d have asked, and someone would surely have known that. Dang!
(The collective knowledge here is beyond astonishing!)
My animal-loving 17 year old daughter is with me for the weekend, as usual.
She would be appalled if she knew I was killing mice; I’m not kidding. So, I have to take a moratorium on trap-setting for now, although I saw a few turds under the sink this morning and know I’ve got more work to do.
Tomorrow night, the slaughter continues. I’m amazed that I’ve gotten three and there’s at least one more to go. This is a 25 year old bungalow, not a 100 year old farm house. (Although I am out in the country.)
But it’s not really murder, is it? The offending mice have been duly sentenced to execution under the “Little Mousies In My Home Go To Heaven NOW!” bill passed by the Legislature of You, signed by President You and vetted by the Supreme Court of You. I feel, as a longtime Law & Order fan, like you’re on some pretty solid legal ground here.
Well, number 4 was last night.
Overnight the traps didn’t get touched. Maybe I got them all now. The traps are still set for tonight.