If you’ve decided to buy a mousetrap to help tackle a rodent infestation, then the next choice is what to use for mouse bait. There is a wide range of options, especially since many experts have different opinions on what makes the best bait.

Instead of simply mirroring the discussions, we thought we would try something different.

As such, we’ll look at the factors that decide what is excellent bait and provide a few examples. In that way, we hope you will have the knowledge you need to choose the best bait for your mousetrap.

---

Factors in Choosing What to Use for Mouse Bait :

Smell

The smell is among the most critical factors when considering foodstuffs suitable for bait. The mouse, after all, relies on its sense of smell to find food. If mice have taken up residence on your property, they have already found a food source.

Hence, whatever food you put down as bait needs to compete and defeat whatever food source the mouse is already used to eating in your home. After all, if you can’t get that mouse into the trap, then you won’t be catching it.

• Cheese: Yep, it’s not just in cartoons that cheese makes excellent bait for mousetraps. It also has a great aroma that can overcome other food items, drawing that mouse into your trap.
  
• Peanut Butter: Mice love peanut butter, and part of the attraction is the smell. Again, like cheese, it has a powerful and rich scent that can overpower whatever drew the mouse to your property. Here are some examples of baits with a good smell profile:
  
• Dog Food: This product appeals to dogs and mice because it has a powerful smell. It’s so strong that you should only put a minimal amount as bait.

---

Lifespan

Lifespan is also a significant factor. By lifespan, we mean the time the bait can be left in the trap before it smells terrible or loses its ability to attract the mice. A long lifespan is helpful as it prevents you from regularly re-
stocking the web with fresh bait.

Baits with a good lifespan include:

• Seeds:
  
  Pumpkin and sunflower seeds appeal to mice as they mimic their natural diet. What is better is that they have a very long lifespan. They can sit there for days without needing to be changed, though you shouldn’t leave them forever, as even a mouse isn’t going to go crazy about stale seeds.
  
• Peanut Butter:
  
  This classic sandwich spread has a pretty long lifespan and is very sticky, which means that if a mouse goes for the bait, it can’t grab it and run off. One small part of butter can surely last quite a long time.
  
• Sugar:
  
  Sugar in any form is food that makes for great, long-lasting bait. Sugar cubes, for example, are perfect as they both have a pleasant, sweet aroma and can also last for a considerable time without going stale. Sugar cereal can be a good bait too, and is easy to measure out; usually, just a couple of frosted flakes will be enough to bait a trap. Candy is also an excellent option for sweet bait with a long life.

---

Price

The final consideration is price because you don’t want to be laying out a gourmet meal for your unwelcome guests! Also, fresh food is often not the best bait as it goes off faster, while cheaper, more processed food usually contains preservatives that keep it fresher for longer.

---

• Bird Seed:
  
  The advantage of going for birdseed is to keep the overall price down. As a foodstuff that is not designed for humans, it is not subject to the same high standards, meaning you get a lot more for your buck; in fact, you can buy a massive bag from the pet store for a few dollars. Look above the entry for seeds to see why they are a good choice.
  
• Peanut Butter:
  
  It’s back again! Peanut butter is affordable, and any large store will have a range of brands available, including some generic brands that will give you a considerable amount of product for a small amount of money.
  
• Dog or Cat Food:
  
  We’ve seen it already, but it’s also a good value option. When feeding your pet, take a little extra and top up the mousetrap simultaneously.
  

---