# Removing an Animal from a Glue Trap **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 14, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252 "2015-09-14T20:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/1 "2015-09-14T20:48:13Z")
My Google-fu has failed me. But I know this has come up several times in various discussions - How do you get an animal safely off a glue trap when you’ve caught the wrong one? This guy shows a simple answer: [Mineral Oil.](https://video-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfa1/v/t42.1790-2/11993598_10153204248236483_1974763961_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjU2MywicmxhIjo3MTF9&oh=6e96e27b555f7bdffc40a7362e2c9625&oe=55F75403) ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/2 "2015-09-14T20:57:08Z")
That’s what we used for Sis’ chihuahua when he got stuck to one. It works, but holding an agitated critter while you do it can be a pain. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/3 "2015-09-15T00:25:19Z")
Canola oil works within seconds and isn’t poisonous when the mouse licks it off. I’m not so sure about the stickum. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/4 "2015-09-15T00:41:05Z")
We used vegetable oil- really any of the cooking oils will do, and the critter lives through the process (if that’s something you want). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/5 "2015-09-15T01:40:16Z")
I used vegetable oil for our time-share cat. Worked fine. Although the look she gave me the entire time -------------- ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/6 "2015-09-15T03:43:12Z")
Man I wish I knew about this 18 years ago when I worked in a hospital cafeteria. Metal salad tongs are NOT, I repeat, NOT effective. At least when it comes to small mice. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/7 "2015-09-15T04:28:09Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Man I wish I knew about this 18 years ago when I worked in a hospital cafeteria. Metal salad tongs are NOT, I repeat, NOT effective. At least when it comes to small mice. How gauche. Salad forks and French dressing are de rigueur with small mice in salads. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/8 "2015-09-15T09:54:45Z")
Buckshot. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/9 "2015-09-15T17:49:16Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > We used vegetable oil- really any of the cooking oils will do, and the critter lives through the process (if that’s something you want). Thing is, with mice, not only are you dealing with an agitated critter, you’re dealing with one that may be carrying rabies and/or vermin. If you want a humane way to de-mousify, glue traps aren’t it. Something like this [https://www.vetdepot.com/advantek-catch-release-live-animal-trap-quick-set-5-5-18-in.html](https://www.vetdepot.com/advantek-catch-release-live-animal-trap-quick-set-5-5-18-in.html) is a much better bet. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-an-animal-from-a-glue-trap/731252/10 "2015-09-17T00:23:51Z")
Back in the 90’s, some mice made our home their home. I forbade my hapless husband from buying the traditional mouse traps because I insisted that the glue traps were more humane. Well, the glue traps worked really well. They caught two sweet little grey mice the first day we set them out. Then I called my husband to ask how I was supposed to get their little paws out of the glue? :eek: