7 Best Humane Mouse Traps

You’ve seen their droppings and the damage on your walls. Mice have made your home their home. While you don’t want to share your home with rodents, you don’t want to kill them either. Maybe you have a soft spot for animals, or maybe you just don’t want to deal with the hassle of having to clean up dead rodents. No matter your reasoning, you’ve decided that you want to use a humane trap to get rid of your mouse problem.

But what’s the best live mouse trap? We’re going to share our top picks, and help answer some questions you might have about humane traps.

OUR TOP PICK

CaptSure

CaptSureMade from durable plastic, CaptSure’s trap works quickly to trap mice. Just place the bait inside, and wait for an unsuspecting mouse to walk inside and onto the trigger plate. Once inside, the mouse will be trapped and ready to be released far away from your home.

Features

  • Comes with two traps
  • Designed with safety in mind
  • Has air holes and a bait compartment for easy trapping

FAQs About Live Mouse Traps

What is a Live Mouse Trap?

Have you ever wondered how to catch a mouse without killing it? Use a live mouse trap. Attractive bait is placed inside of the trap, which lures mice inside. Once the mouse steps inside, the door shuts and traps it inside.

The trap doesn’t kill the mouse, so you can set it free far away from your home.

Essentially, a live trap allows you to tackle your mouse problem without actually killing the rodents.

What Kind of Bait Should I Use in My Trap?

If you think cheese is the best bait for mice, think again. Because cheese is a dairy product, it spoils quickly.

Mice love sweets, but they also love proteins and fats. Their natural diet consists mainly of grains and seeds. You can play off of their natural taste preferences to successfully bait and trap the mice in your home. The best baits for mice include:

  • Peanut butter
  • Cherry pits
  • Beef jerky
  • Buttered bread
  • Small nuts
  • Marshmallows
  • Chocolate
  • Gum drops
  • Honey or maple syrup
  • Almond butter
  • Jelly beans
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Bacon

Of all the bait options on this list, most people have the best luck with peanut butter. It’s fatty, filled with protein and has a creamy texture that mice love.

But keep in mind that mice, like any other animal, have their own taste preferences. If one bait doesn’t work, try another. Keep trying until you find something that works. Give each bait option a few days before trying a new one.

Where Should I Put the Bait in the Trap?

If you want to actually catch and trap the mouse, you need to be strategic about where you place the bait. You can’t just put the bait at the entrance of the trap and hope that it will work – it won’t.

For your best chance of success, you should place the bait somewhere that will require the mouse to fully enter the trap and step onto the trigger plate to reach it.

The best places are:

  • At the back of the trap, just beyond the trigger plate.
  • At the center of the trap, luring the mouse directly to the trigger plate.

It’s crucial to place the bait in the right place. If you don’t put the bait in the right place, you’ll only be feeding the mice instead of trapping them.

Where Should I Place the Trap?

The goal is to make sure that the mice find the trap. You can’t just place it anywhere and hope that they’ll stumble upon it.

Ideally, you should place the trap in a place where there’s frequent mouse activity. Keep in mind that mice rarely travel outside of a small range (usually about 10 feet in diameter). It’s crucial to place the trap in this small range.

How do you determine the mouse’s range? Look for signs of mice activity, which includes:

  • Droppings
  • Gnaw marks on surfaces or food packages
  • Nests or signs of a nest
  • Smudge marks on wires and walls

Mice like to travel along walls, and they’ll use your walls as guides. Try placing your traps along walls that have evidence of mouse activity.

If you’re placing the trap outdoors, it may help to camouflage it by covering with sticks and leaves.

How Often Should I Check the Trap?

If you’re using a live trap, you obviously have the intention of release the mouse far away from your home. But if you leave the mouse in the trap for too long, it will panic, grow hungry and become dehydrated. The goal is to get the mouse out of the trap as soon as possible.

Some trap manufacturers recommend checking the trap every 30 minutes. That may not be a realistic option for many homeowners. Check the trap as often as you can, or at least two to three times per day.

The longer the mouse is left in the trap, the more anxious and hungry it will become. If left too long, the animal may harm itself while trying to escape or perish in the attempt.

The Trap is Empty and the Bait is Gone. What Happened?

Wild animals can be unpredictable, and mice can be crafty. Trapping them may require some patience and persistence. There are two main reasons why you’d find an empty trap:

  • If the door is closed, a larger animal probably took the bait and ran off. If the animal is too large for the trap, the door will just fall onto its back. It will still be able to escape and run off with its treat. If you’re having issues with other animals getting into your trap, you may need to try a different bait – one that only mice prefer.
  • If the door is still open, then the mouse did not get far enough into the trap to hit the trigger plate and close the door. The bait must be carefully placed in a spot that will force the rodent to step on the plate.
How Far Away Should I Release a Mouse to Keep it From Coming Back?

You may not want to harm the mice invading your home or yard, but you don’t want it to come back to your home either. You’ll need to release the mouse far enough away that it won’t find its way back to your property.

How far is far enough?

  • 3-5 miles away from your home
What Happens if I Catch the Wrong Animal?

Live mouse traps are usually too small to catch large animals, but it’s still possible that you’ll catch another small animal, such as a squirrel. What do you do in this situation?

Every region has its own rules and regulations regarding trapping. Call your local game commission or the Humane Society for their recommendation.

 

CaptSureThe Mouse Trap
  • FEATURES100% Humane
    Safe around kids and pets
    Easy to set and use
Authenzo Catch and Release TrapBest Catch & Release Trap
  • FEATURES Ease of Use
    Simple to Clean & Reuse
    Safe Proven Mouse trap
Kensizer Live CageBest Live Cage
  • FEATURESHumane Live Animal Trap
    Light Weight Aluminum Structure
    High sensitive trigger mechanism

The 7 Best Humane Mouse Traps – How to Trap a Mouse Without Killing It

1. CaptSure

CaptSure

CaptSure’s live mouse trap is easy to set, 100% humane and is a better option than cage-style traps. In fact, this trap has been endorsed by humane societies as well as animal rights organizations.

The trap is safe to use around kids and pets, and you can use it indoors or outdoors. It’s been carefully designed to prevent finger accidents, and it can be cleaned and reused as often as you’d like.

CaptSure comes in a two-pack, and you can choose between small and large sizes. We like that the trap is see-through, so you know right away that you’ve caught a mouse. The trigger plate is large, too, so it’s easier to close the door and trap the rodent.

With the right bait, many people have been able to catch mice within just an hour of placing the trap. The traps are big enough to catch more than one mouse at a time.

Releasing the mice is easy, and you won’t have to physically touch the rodents.

Pros
  • Easy to set up
  • Designed to prevent finger accidents
  • Large trigger plate for easy trapping
  • Endorsed by animal rights organizations
  • Can be cleaned and reused
Cons
  • May not work well with smaller mice

Smaller mice may be harder to catch with this trap because they aren’t heavy enough to push down the trigger plate. Most mice will be caught by this trap, but if you have small mice in your home, you may want to try another trap on our list.

CaptSure is our top pick because it’s endorsed by animal rights organizations, and the company designed them with safety in mind.

 

2. Authenzo Catch and Release Trap

Authenzo Catch and Release Trap

Authenzo’s Catch and Release trap is similar to the one from CaptSure, but it comes in slightly different sizes to better accommodate different species of mice.

Authenzo’s traps have air holes to prevent suffocation, and they’re made with highly durable ABS material. Because they’re made of strong plastic, the mice won’t be able to chew through them. You can also clean and reuse the traps.

The traps come in two sizes:

  • 7.8” x 2.9” x 2.9”
  • 6.7” x 2.4” x 2.5”

Here’s how the trap works:

  • Remove the compartment door
  • Place bait inside the compartment
  • Replace the compartment
  • Open the spring door, and wait for the mouse to arrive

When the mouse moves toward the bait at the back of the trap, he’ll walk on the trigger board which will close the door and trap him inside. Once you’ve caught the mouse, you can release it far from your home by opening the trap. There’s no need to worry about handling the mouse at any point in the catch-release process.

Pros
  • Easy to set and trap mice
  • Will not hurt the mice
  • Made of highly durable ABS plastic
  • Comes in two sizes
  • Washable and reusable
Cons
  • May not work with large mice

The Authenzo trap may be a little too small for some larger mouse breeds. There are other larger trap options on our list that may work better for bigger mice.

For most people, the Authenzo trap will work great for catching mice. The bait sits in a compartment, so mice can’t just run off with it before the board closes the door.

 

3. Catcha 2-Piece Live Trap

Catcha 2-Piece Live Trap

Safe, simple and effective, the Catcha live mouse trap is popular among animal-loving homeowners who want to get rid of their rodent roommates.

The two-piece trap works similarly to the Authenzo model. The bait is placed in a special compartment that is placed at the back of the trap. Just apply the bait, open the door, and wait for an unsuspecting mouse to walk through. Once inside, the mouse will walk across the trigger board to get to the bait, which will close the door.

If you’re worried about the mouse being hurt, don’t be. There are air holes to prevent suffocation, and the solid plastic keeps the mouse from injuring itself while trying to escape.

Once you’ve caught your mouse, you can take it far away from your home, open the vertical sliding door and let the mouse loose without ever having to touch it.

Catcha’s trap is made of heavy-duty plastic that can be washed and reused. If placed in the right area, you can easily catch a mouse in less than an hour.  

Pros
  • Durable trap that’s easy to set
  • Bait placement makes it easy to trap mice
  • Made of highly durable plastic
  • Comes with two traps
  • Washable and reusable
Cons
  • Mice can’t be left too long in the trap, or they may damage it

Mice should never be left for too long in the trap, or they may start trying to chew through it. They won’t get through, but they may damage the inside of the trap. The sharp edges from the chew marks may injure the rodent.

Catcha’s traps really work, especially if you use the right bait. And it’s easy to release the mice after you catch them without ever having to touch the rodent.

 

4. Kensizer Live Cage

Kensizer Live Cage

If you’re looking for a more traditional trap and hope to catch more than one mouse at a time, the Kensizer Live Cage may be a good option. It comes in two sizes (medium and large), and it’s designed not to harm any animals that enter it.

The dimensions of the two sizes are as follows:

  • Medium: 10.5” x 5.5” x 4.5”
  • Large: 12.5” x 6.5” x 5”

The Kensizer cage is non-toxic and made of lightweight aluminum. The fine metal mesh will keep mice from chewing through.

The trigger mechanism is highly sensitive. Once it’s touched, the door will close and lock immediately to keep the rodent inside. The trap has an exclusive patented design that’s efficient, innovative and easy to use.

If you want to catch a lot of mice at once, this trap may be a good option for you. One user was able to catch 22 mice using three of these traps. It’s large enough to trap multiple mice, but not so big that you have to worry about raccoons or large birds getting trapped inside.

Pros
  • Mesh aluminum prevents mice from chewing through the trap
  • Sensitive trigger for easy trapping
  • Durable and non-toxic
  • Comes in two sizes
Cons
  • Trap can be damaged by larger animals

Mice may not be able to chew their way out of this trap, but the mesh wiring may make it easy for other animals to damage it trying to get at the bait. If you place the trap in the right location, you should be able to avoid having other animals attack the trap. Camouflaging the trap can help, too.

If you need to catch multiple mice at once, the Kensizer Live Cage may be a good option for you.

 

5. Best Outdoor Mouse Trap: Luluhome Humane Trap

Luluhome Humane Trap

Luluhome’s humane trap comes in two different styles, but the green version is best for mice. Installation is quick (takes just 10 seconds), and the cage hook is extra sensitive for easy trapping. Once the hook (which is short and flat) touches the mechanism, the trap will fall off and the mouse will be caught inside.

Luluhome’s trap is durable, and it can be reused in the future if you have problems with mice again.

The green trap is 9.6” x 4.9” x 4.1,” making it the ideal size for catching mice. Thanks to the automatic locking device, the mice won’t be able to escape once they’re trapped inside.

It’s a simple trap with a classic design, but it’s extremely easy to set up and will trap mice very quickly.

Because of its green color and durable design, Luluhome’s trap is ideal for outdoor use. It will blend more easily into the foliage, and will be easier to hide outside of the house.

Pros
  • Durable metal design
  • Sets up in seconds
  • Sensitive hook and automatic locking mechanism
  • Easy to camouflage
Cons
  • Does not come with instructions

Luluhome’s live trap doesn’t come with instructions, but installation is pretty self-explanatory. There’s also a diagram on the product page to help you put everything together.

If you want to catch mice before they get into your home or stop them from trying to nest in your home for the winter, the Luluhome is a great option. It’s also great for trapping mice in the garage.

 

6. Best Mouse Trap for Garages: Rhino Tuff – Walk the Plank Trap

 Rhino Tuff – Walk the Plank Trap

What if traditional traps aren’t working for you? A bucket mouse trap may be the solution for your problem. Rhino Tuff Products makes a plank-style trap with a ramp that makes it easier for mice to get to the bait.

We’ve chosen this trap as the best for catching mice in the garage because it’s ideal for catching multiple rodents at once. It’s also easier to set up this type of trap in a garage compared to the house or outside.

Unlike regular traps, which have limited space, a bucket trap can catch a lot of mice at once. Once you’ve trapped all of the mice, you can relocate the bucket and set the mice free.

Rhino Tuff includes the wooden ramp and the ledge (or “diving board”) that sits on the edge of the bucket. The company recommends using a 13-gallon bucket for best results. Anything smaller or shorter will increase the risk of the mice escaping.

Pros
  • Easy to set up
  • Can trap multiple mice at once
  • Rhino Tuff includes the ramp
Cons
  • Luring the mice into the bucket can be a little tricky

You may need to experiment with baits and techniques to lure the mice into the bucket. Smearing some peanut butter on the interior of the bucket may get them to jump inside. It may be a little tricky to get the mice to fall for the trap, but it’s worth the effort.

Relocating the mice is easy, and this is a humane trap that you can use just about anywhere.

7. Kness Tip-Trap

Kness Tip-Trap

Kness’ Tip-Trap is a unique mouse solution, and it’s one that a lot of homeowners like. It’s not messy, and it’s so easy to set up.They’re inexpensive to buy, and you can purchase multiple traps at once to make your life easier.

Here’s how this trap works:

  • Remove the end cap
  • Place peanut butter (or your choice of bait) into the bait cup
  • Place the trap in an area where there’s mouse activity
  • Once the mouse moves inside the trap, it will tip over and trigger the trapped door

The mouse will be trapped inside and unable to escape. You can then release the mouse a safe distance from your home. The Tip-Trap is made of heavy-duty plastic, so mice won’t be able to chew through it easily.

Pros
  • Unique trapping method
  • Tipping the trap triggers the trapped door
  • Comes with multiple traps
Cons
  • Some mice may be too smart for this trap

Some mice may be just a little too smart for this trap. Some are crafty enough to grab the bait and run quickly before it has a chance to tip over. Others will scurry off before the trap has a chance to move. That’s not to say that this trap doesn’t work – it does. But some mice – especially city mice – may be too clever to get trapped.

Otherwise, we like this unique trap because it’s humane, easy to use and starts working quickly.

 

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