Peanut butter – ideal for both rats and mice, peanut butter is the perfect blend of high fat and sugar and mice are able to smell this from far away.
Seeds are the main part of a mouse’s natural diet, but this is not the best style of bait in homes. Instead, try using foods that are high in fat, sugar or both. This includes:
Cooked or raw meats – cut up bits of hot dog work well as mouse bait. If you’re using snap traps, you can push the soft meat onto the trap to ensure the mouse has to apply pressure to the food in order for it to move; in turn, releasing the trap.
Cheese – cheese has always worked well as mouse bait. If you are going to use cheese, try to choose one that smells, as it will have a further reach than other types.
Marshmallows/gum drops – sweets will always work well as mice bait due to their high sugar count. Sweets are inexpensive and one or two should do the trick.
Chocolate – in the same vein as sweets, mice also love chocolate. Small bits of chocolate attached to the trap or inside it (if it’s a live trap) will be enough to lure the mouse inside.
Pet food – wet dog or cat food has been proven to work on mice. As it’s often left out in the evening after feeding your pets, mice commonly snack on it under the cover of darkness
Nest materials – slightly more unorthodox but proven to be effective, instead of food, place nesting materials on/in the trap. Mice are always looking for materials to build their nest and the easier they are to source, the more likely the mice will approach.
Examples are:
Dental floss
Cotton balls
String
Bits of carpet
Top tip: do not contaminate the bait with your hands! Mice have a good sense of smell and will be able to detect your scent on a trap or the bait on the trap. This will make them think twice about approaching the bait as they will link your scent to danger. To tackle this, wear gloves and ensure the trap is placed well away