Sticky Glue Mouse Traps - An Inhumane Method of Pest Control

Many homeowners have heard of sticky glue mouse traps. In an effort to figure out how to get rid of house mice, homeowners may turn to these traps because they're well-known, easy to find, relatively cheap, and yes, they do catch mice. However, they are also extremely cruel and a terrible thing to do to any animal, whether that animal is considered a 'pest' or not.

What Is A Glue Trap Or A Glue Board?

Glue traps are very simple: a sticky adhesive is applied to a board. The manufacturer of the board may add a scent to the middle of the board, or bait can be placed in the center.

How Is It Used?

These traps are meant for indoor use only. Traps are placed in areas where the mice frequent. The mouse is enticed to the board by the scent or food in the center of the board. Once it crawls onto the board it becomes stuck.

Placing these traps outside can put other types of wildlife at risk. For example, birds and other small wildlife may become stuck to the boards and die of stress, predation, hunger/thirst, or exposure.

What Happens to the Mouse That's Caught in the Trap?

Getting stuck to the trap does not kill the mouse. Instead, it becomes distressed and suffers greatly. Homeowners may kill the mice once it's been found, but sometimes traps are simply tossed into the garbage while the rodent is still alive.

The mouse, with its high metabolism, can slowly die of starvation or dehydration... or it may suffocate to death if its face gets stuck to the glue, a slow and agonizing death. In the meantime, it may struggle to free itself, breaking or chewing off limbs or pulling out chunks of hair/flesh.

One study on glue traps (the one that observed the animals these taking desperate measures to free themselves) also showed that their eyes also become badly irritated and scarred. After just 3 to 5 hours in the trap, the mice would defecate and urinate heavily due to stress and fear, lying in their own waste. It can take several days for the animal to finally die.

If you come across a mouse caught in a glue trap and it is still alive, you can free it. Take the trap outside, along with some vegetable oil or baby oil (do not use synthetic oils or lubricants!). Dribble a small amount of oil onto the areas where the mouse is stuck to the trap. Be careful not to get oil into its mouth or nose. Use a Q-tip to gently work the oil into the glue to release the mouse.

There are many alternative humane pest control methods available so that sticky glue mouse traps need not be used (live traps, snap traps, rodent zappers). Pest or not, please be kind - these traps cause unnecessary pain and tremendous suffering to the animal caught. Once the mice in the house have been removed, take preventive pest control steps to discourage them from taking residence in your home again. It's the most humane way to control pests!