I am often asked what is the best bait to use for mice and rats. Here is a list of what I have used and some tips on how to catch the bait stealing mice and that last smart rat you been chasing after.
MICE
1. The cure for “stealth mice” is dry cat food. Friskies or meow mix, or anything else with an X or O shape, or anything like that.
You tie the cat food to the trigger of the mouse trap, with heavy duty sewing thread or something similar. Then, when the mouse comes along and tries to grab it, he can’t help but disturb the trigger.
2. The peanut butter failed, because the mouse could lick it off gently enough to avoid springing the trap.
This works, smash up a 1/2 slice of bacon with some peanut butter. They will lick the peanut butter off but… then try to Bite the bacon and SNAP.
As it gets cold, they are looking for a place to hide. Make sure you also put your traps along a wall to where their head will be at the bait without having to walk around it.
Tried peanut butter and they licked it off without tripping the trap?
3. Tie some yarn or a piece of cotton swab or ball around the trigger and cut the ends close, then put the peanut butter on the yarn.
4. Marshmallows, Hubba Bubba bubble gum, cotton ball with a couple of drops of vanilla extract
5. Mice love cotton, drop some vanilla extract on the cotton tie with floss too.
6. Bedding with a drop of vanilla, maple or chocolate syrup is good bait so try a tissue or a little cotton ball (use a rubber band to anchor it to a snap trap bait holder). Caramels, jelly beans and tootsie rolls (chewed first) are successful as well as snickers bars and Slim Jim meat sticks.
Roof Rats
Rat bait suggestions, such as nuts, peanut butter, orange slice candy, dried apricots, and tootsie rolls (chewed first). Tie the rat bait to a trigger to prevent that tricky rodent from stealing the bait without setting off the trap. For baits that cannot be tied (peanut butter, e.g.), use only small amounts of bait for best results.
Norway Rats
Do you have a rat trap and need to know what the best rat bait options are? Victor® Rat Control recommends the following rat baits to attract Norway Rats. Thin slice of hot dog, bacon, peanut butter, dried fruit, gumdrops, chocolate, a Reese’s cup, or Tootsie Rolls (chewed first), and nesting materials such as dental floss or cotton
Tying the rat bait to the trigger will prevent the rodent from licking or nibbling the bait and stealing it without setting off the trap. For rat baits that cannot be tied (e.g. peanut butter), it’s best to use small amounts.
Remember, some rats are harder to catch and are Neophobic or “extra cautious” of new objects that suddenly appear in their environment. For these cases, rat traps should be placed out, but left unset and baited for a couple days prior to setting the traps. This will give the rats a chance to become accustomed to it.