Best Glue Traps for Mice
Glue traps are an economical and effective solution for rodents in and around your home. The main downside of glue traps is they aren't humane, although it is possible to release trapped mice from the glue if you wish to release them far away from your home.
The best way to use glue traps is as a second line of defense to protect an RV or wires in your home from mice that escape other trap methods like electronic and snap traps.
Here's everything you should know about using glue traps and a look at the four best mouse glue traps on the market:
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- Veler Mouse & Rat Glue Boards – very large surface area
How Do Mouse Glue Boards Work?
Adhesive glue boards are just one of many options for dealing with a rodent problem. This type of trap is very simple: it's no more than a board or plastic tray coated with incredibly sticky glue. Some traps are pre-baited with scented glue but others require you to place your own bait in the center. When the rodent steps onto the trap, they are unable to lift their body off the glue.
It's important to understand just how glue traps work. There's a misconception that the trap somehow kills the mice but it won't. Once trapped, mice and rats typically die a slow death from shock, suffocation if their nose gets stuck in the glue, starvation, or dehydration. When you discover a mouse on the trap, you can choose to throw the trap directly in the garbage or you can give the rodent a faster death by submerging the trap in a bucket of water. If you are squeamish or concerned about the humane treatment of rodents, a glue trap isn't the best choice.
How to Use Mouse Glue Traps
Placing the glue trap in a good location is the best thing you can do to successfully trap mice. You can start by inspecting your home to look for signs of rodent activity like droppings. Place traps in areas of activity which may include behind appliances, in dark corners, under kitchen sinks, in the attic, and inside pantries. Remember that rodents run along straight lines and walls. Place traps against the walls so the rodent will cross the trap on their way to their nest or food source.
A common mistake is using too few traps. Don't underestimate the size of a rodent problem. If you see one or two mice or rats, you can be sure there are more. Always use multiple traps set fairly close together, or about 2-8 feet apart for mice. In areas of high activity, use two glue traps placed just one inch apart. This will catch mice that attempt to jump over a trap which isn't uncommon.
Place bait in the middle of the glue trap to entice rodents. Rodents aren't big fans of cheese, despite the cartoons. The best baits include seeds, dry dog kibble, dry oatmeal, and peanut butter. Before winter or in areas with abundant food, nesting materials can be an even better lure for rodents. Add cotton, string, or soft material to the center of the bait instead.
These tips can increase your chances of success:
- Eliminate other food sources in the area if possible. This will make the rodent more likely to turn to the bait on the trap.
- It may take a few days to catch a rodent, especially rats because they are more intelligent than mice and suspicious of new items and food sources.
- Handle the trap and bait with gloves to avoid transferring your scent.
Which Is Better: Snap Traps or Mouse Glue Boards?
The right type of mouse trap will depend on your goals. Snap traps usually kill rodents instantly although these traps don't always land on their mark. Glue traps do not kill rodents directly. Instead, mice and rats may die from shock, dehydration, or starvation if left on the trap. You will either need to throw the rodent and trap it away and allow the mouse to die slowly in the trash, kill the rodent directly by submerging it in water, or releasing it from the trap. Snap traps may produce some mess but not always. Glue traps may also create a gory mess because some rodents will thrash on the glue and rip their skin. Both options require seeing the rodent in the trap.
Snap traps are a better option if you want a more instant death for the rodent and a reusable trap. Glue traps can be a better choice if you don't check traps as often, want to catch multiple mice at once, or plan to release the rodents once they're caught. Still, we recommend using snap traps or electronic traps over glue traps for a more humane solution to catching rodents in your home.
How Long Do They Last?
A glue trap will remain effective and sticky as long as the glue doesn't get covered by insects, dirt, or dust. As a general rule, you can expect an out-of-sight trap to stay sticky for up to 30 days in most cases. Glue traps even work in the cold but only to a certain threshold. Most traps use glue that has a freezing point of 18.5 degrees F. If you use glue traps in an unheated area colder than this, the glue will become solid and non-sticky.
How to Remove Glue from a Mouse Trap
If your pet accidentally touches a glue trap and gets glue on their fur or skin, you can easily remove the glue with a dish towel and some type of oil such as regular cooking oil or baby oil. Massage the oil into the glue until it dissolves then bathe your pet to remove the oil.
This trick can also be used to free mice and rats from glue traps if you wish to release them away from your home. Drive at least a mile from your home and pour a few drops of oil onto the area where the rodent is stuck. Use gloved fingers to massage the oil into the animal's skin, taking care to avoid damage to delicate limbs.
Pros and Cons of Glue Traps
Glue traps aren't the perfect solution to a mouse problem. They are affordable and come with many benefits but be aware of the drawbacks before buying glue boards.
Benefits:
- The most affordable rodent trap available
- Can be used for a variety of household pests including spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, and ants
- Pesticide-free glue traps are safe for humans and pets
- The glue can be dissolved with oil to remove it from fur and skin
- Rodents can be released from the trap with oil to free in the wild away from the home. This isn't guaranteed to work, however, as the animal may have gone into shock or hurt itself while stuck to the trap by the time you find it.
- Good option if other rodent control measures haven't worked such as snap traps and humane mouse cages
Drawbacks:
- Not humane. Rodents trapped on a glue trap can suffer for days, especially if you don't find the trap or kill the rodent yourself when discovered. Rodents have even been known to rip their own skin or chew their limbs off attempting to get free from a glue trap.
- Rodents may drag the trap away if it isn't heavy enough, potentially even getting the glue stuck to furniture, flooring, or the inside of a cabinet
- When used outdoors, glue traps can target the wrong animal. Snakes, birds, lizards, and frogs can all be caught on a glue trap.
Recommended: 6 Humane Traps for Mice and Rats
Best Glue Traps for Rats and Mice
There are plenty of glue traps on the market. Despite a similar design, they aren't all the same. Glue boards can vary in terms of sturdiness, glue stickiness, and general design. Here are the four best glue traps for rats and mice ranked by reviews and price.
Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#1. T Box Mouse Glue Traps
The T Box glue traps for rats and mice have everything you're looking for: affordable, scented glue to better attract rodents, a foldable design, and an extremely sticky glue that is virtually impossible to get free from. T Box traps have a unique design with a pedal and wave textured pattern on the surface that makes it harder for rodents to detect the trap as they run. This shape also promotes a stronger hold.
The foldable design allows you to set the trap in corners or directly against the wall where it's most likely to catch a scampering mouse. Once trapped, the rodent will move and attempt to free themselves from the glue which causes the trap to fold down onto the rodent's upper body as well. While odorless to humans, the glue has a peanut butter scent to attract mice and rats.
Pros:
- Foldable design to place against walls and increase the chances of a successful trap
- Unique textured pattern increases hold and helps the trap blend in with the environment
- Peanut butter scented glue helps attract rodents
- Thick cardboard offers hardiness and keeps even rats from dragging or moving the trap
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
- Large glue pad size to trap mice and rats
- 40 grams of high-quality, strong glue
Cons:
- Not the most affordable glue trap
- Tomcat Glue Traps effectively capture mice and other household pests like cockroaches, spiders, or scorpions without the use of bait
- Our sticky traps utilize a professional-strength glue formulation that is pre-scented and has immediate grip and stretchable hold
- Place these pest control traps along the walls of rooms or cupboards where rodent activity is suspected, such as kitchens, basements, or garages
- These rodent traps are both and non-toxic and come ready to use right out of the box
- Each package of Tomcat Glue Traps contains four disposable mouse-sized traps
Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#2. Tomcat Mouse Glue Trap
If you need to catch mice, not rats, and you want to place traps in an enclosed area like under the sink, the Tomcat mouse glue boards are your best bet. This is the best-selling glue trap brand for a reason: it uses strong glue with eugenol for extra stickiness with a ready-to-use design and a very low cost.
These glue traps are also effective at catching other small pests in your homes like cockroaches and insects but the main downside is the traps are fairly small and not designed to catch rats. Many people swear on Tomcat mouse glue traps when other glue boards fail to hold.
Pros:
- Professional-grade glue strength with eugenol, the active ingredient in clove oil, to boost stickiness
- Smaller size for tight areas. The foldable glue traps are great but they are far from ideal if you have a mouse problem in a small area like under a kitchen sink or appliance. These traps are about 3″ x 4.5.”
- Long track record of use and popularity
- The most affordable glue board you can buy
Cons:
- Too small for rats and larger rodents. Tomcat makes a larger size of this trap called the Tomcat Rat Glue Trap capable of trapping rats.
- Not pre-baited
- 【SUPER STICKY】Catch mice and rats more effectively with this stickiest, strongest mouse trap. Easier to catch the mice, unlike other mouse and rat glue traps that allow pests to escape. Catch it in one second!
- 【FOLDABLE&THICKER CARDBOARD】Unlike other mouse glue trap board, we enhance this cardboard; it looks thicker and harder, which can prevent being dragged away by rats. Also, Foldable design makes the mouse glue traps easier to catch the rats, especially suitable for the placement in narrow space.
- 【EASY TO CLEAN UP】Doon't have to touch the mouse to get it out of the trap - just opened it over the garbage can into a bag - DONE!
- 【MORE SAFE&PROFESSIONAL】 Poison free odourless. Natural materials are safe for your family and pets, no chemicals, and toxic compounds, super environmentally friendly. Great for use in homes, yard, restaurants, bars, offices, etc.
- 【OUR GUARANTEE】We love our customers and are obsessed with your satisfaction.100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! If you're not completely satisfied, we'll make it right or your money back. Click "Add to Cart" now. Keep Your Home and Garden Healthy.
Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#3. Garsum 10 Pack Mouse Glue Boards
The Garsum glue boards are most similar to the Veler traps with a smooth glue surface and foldable design. These large traps are sticky enough to catch even rats with a surface area that can potentially trap multiple rodents in a single night.
The foldable design can be used in several ways to fit the trap into a corner, along the wall, or flat on the ground. Garsum traps are very affordable and easy to use but they are not pre-baited like some traps.
Pros:
- Simple but effective folding design makes it easy to adapt the trap to the area with rodent activity and increase the chances of a catch
- Uses a strong adhesive that can trap rats
- Thick cardboard with a sturdy design prevents the trap from being flipped over or dragged away
- One of the most affordable traps and it comes in a 10-pack
Cons:
- Doesn't come pre-baited
#4. Veler Mouse & Rat Glue Boards
The Veler mouse glue traps have a similar design to the T Box traps but the surface is smooth without the textured waves. Like the T Box traps, the Veler traps have a very large surface area and the trap can be folded in different ways for use in different areas like corners.
Using a Veler trap is as easy as unfolding the glue trap and placing it. This trap isn't pre-baited, however, so you will need to use some type of bait such as seeds or peanut butter in the center. Thanks to its large size, it can catch mice along with rats.
Pros:
- Folding design allows the trap to be set against walls and corners or flat against the floor.
- 30 grams of strong adhesive can catch mice, rats, and other indoor pests
- Thick cardboard prevents rodents from dragging or flipping the trap
Cons:
- More expensive than other glue traps
- Not pre-baited
Bottom Line
The T Box trap is the best glue board you can buy for your money. It uses a greater amount of very strong glue than other traps with a textured glue board pattern and foldable design that maximizes its efficiency. It can be used in corners, against walls, or flat and it's even pre-baited to help lure rodents to the trap. It's large enough for mice and rats and comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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