What is the best bait for a mouse trap?

Question

My 2 cats are very very old, either they're senile or just aren't able to hunt & kill mice like when they were younger.

Just the other day I found one of my cats curled up in a ball, with two little grey mice snuggling together.

Lately there are more mice around than I'd like.

I used to have 3 cats, but I had to retire her because of her extreme age. I plan to get a new younger cat from the shelter, but I'm concerned that my two older cats will teach it to tolerate mice instead of kill them.

My mom used to use dried shrimp, but since I'm in California (not Hawaii) its very very difficult to get dried shrimp in any retail store.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

anything solid will do, they ate my whole  wooden cabinet  

Answer 2

My father told me peanut butter as well.  

Answer 3

Cheese or peanut butter

Answer 4

Peanut Butter, my mom's been using it for YEARS

Answer 5

you can buy the traps that don't need bait at all I use these when necessary. They have a piece of plastic cheese on them and They work better for me than the ones that you have to bait yourself.

I don't want to handle the traps anymore than I have to.

http://www.victorpest.com/mouse_instruct...

Answer 6

Take the old fashioned "snap trap" and get a pecan or walnut.  Take some unscented dental floss and tie it on the trigger pad.  Set your traps along a baseboard area or in an area where your pets cannot get to them. Mice prefer clean and fresh food, so cheese typically doesn't work unless you really have a mouse problem.  Store any cereals, rice, or grains in a rubbermaid container to prevent food competition and let your traps do the work your cat has become non interested with.  My cat is 16 and could care less about the mice...lol

Answer 7

peanut butter

Answer 8

Cheese  

Answer 9

Cut a tiny strip of raw bacon that will fit on the trigger, and secure it with thread.  It will take a few days, but the mice will nibble on it, guaranteed.  My great-grandma's trick.

You can also put 1 drop of olive oil onto the spring latch, where it meets the trigger.  It will slide easier, and make the trap more sensitive.

Answer 10

Red Swedish Fish work like a charm.  Good Luck!

Answer 11

When peanut butter doesn't seem to be working (must be a mutant mouse), I stick a few crumbs of bacon in the peanut butter before I put it on the trap.