So, you want to know how to catch a mouse alive? Luckily, I have caught many mice alive before! This post will let you know exactly how I did it and what I used. If you are looking to live-catch a mouse, then make sure you know how to dispose of it too!
There are tons of reasons you would want to catch a mouse alive. My experience suggests that the following reasons are the most common. PS – these are genuine reasons given to me by folks in the past:
- You want to catch it alive to release the mouse back in the wild (well done to you)
- You want to keep it as a pet in a cage
- Food for a snake
- Food for a bird of prey
The reasons above are the most common reasons you want to catch a mouse alive. The last two are genuine!
Let’s take a look to see how you can do it.
5 Ways You Can Catch A Mouse Alive
1. Catch The Mouse In A Bucket
This is a classic technique and one that I have used to catch live mice in the past.
It is simple to set up and use. Here is the trap:
The ‘roller’ is placed on top of the bucket.
The idea is simple – you apply some mouse bait to the middle of the roller. The mouse will take a walk up to the top of the bucket, sniff out the bait, walk along the roller, or try to, at least.
As the mouse walks over the roller, it will begin to roll and the mouse will lose balance and end up in the bucket.
You have caught yourself a live mouse!
2. Victor Tin Cat Mouse Trap
If you want to know how to catch a live mouse, then the Victor Tin Cat Trap is probably the easiest method.
It is easy. You need to apply the mouse bait and place the mouse trap down in your preferred location.
I have used the trap so many times with great success, I have 2 of them in my yard, ready to catch mice if they dare get near my home!
These traps can catch up to 30 mice, which is incredible.
You can see more details in the Victor Tin Cat Mouse Trap review.
3. Tip Trap
Here is another trap that will allow you to live-catch a mouse.
It is similar to the Tin Cat mouse trap above, but it is much smaller.
The Tin Cat trap is an excellent multi-catch mouse trap, and a humane mouse trap is more significant than a standard mouse trap. Sometimes, you need to place mouse traps in a restricted area to increase the chances of catching mice. For example, a Tip Trap mouse trap can be added in small mouse runs, giving the mice only one place to go!
4. Toilet Roll And Bucket
This is a cheap and easy way to catch a live mouse, and it is one that you can probably set up ASAP as you are likely to have all the necessary parts.
What do you need?
- 1 x empty toilet roll
- 1 x bucket
- Mouse trap bait
- Adhesive putty
All you need to do is:
- Apply mouse bait to one end of the empty roll
- Add a small amount of adhesive putty onto the bottom of the empty roll and stick it to a ledge so it balances. You must be very selective about where you put the ‘trap’ as it must be where you know mice have been or can get to. Mice can climb most items very quickly, so bear that in mind.
- Place the bucket under the ‘trap.’
The idea is that the mouse will sniff out the bait and will walk into the empty toilet roll to get it. Then, as the mouse shifts its weight into the second half of the toilet roll, the roll and the mouse will tumble into the bucket.
5. Other Humane Mouse Traps
I put together a list of humane mouse traps for those who prefer to be humane when catching mice. I’ve already talked about the Victor Tin Cat in this post, so feel free to look at the other options to see if you are happy using any of those.
Humane live-catch traps are the best way to catch a mouse alive – the clue is in the title!
Frequently Asked Questions
What bait do you use for catching mice alive?
Peanut butter is the most successful bait I have used to catch mice in the past. There are many other foods you can use to bait mice with, too, such as meat, nuts, fruit, and candy! Anything that a mouse will eat in the wild.
How do I dispose of a live mouse?
If you have caught a live mouse, you will need to dispose of it. I drive at least 2 miles before letting the mouse go. I always dispose of it in an area where it will thrive. A woodland area is a perfect place, for instance.
How do I get a mouse out of my house without killing it?
Simple, you need to use a live-catch mouse trap. I have given you 5 ways I have caught live mice in the past in this post. First, feel free to use any of these techniques; they have worked for me in the past! Once you have caught the live mouse, you need to dispose of it.
Conclusion
You should use one of the 5 ideas on this page to know how to catch a live mouse.
You must remember that catching a live mouse also means you will need to dispose of a live mouse! I urge you to act responsibly when doing this. Always ensure that you dispose of the mouse at least 2 miles away from your home in an area where the mouse can thrive.
Catching a live mouse is a challenge for some people, but I find it a fun challenge!
Good luck!
