Do you have mice in your home?
If so, you’re probably considering trapping them and wondering what the best bait or food lure may be.
Don’t worry – we’re here to help.
At The Pest Dude, we’ve been helping California homeowners learn to do their own pest control for more than 20 years, and we’ve compiled our top mouse bait recommendations into this blog.
Key Takeaways
- Natural mice baits like peanut butter, chocolate, nuts, and shredded paper or cotton balls will work to attract mice, as will chemical mouse baits and lures that use smells to attract mice.
- Before you start a mouse-trapping program in your home, prioritize safety and take a moment to learn about mouse behavior, including their neophobia or fear of new things.
- If you need additional help, hire a skilled pest management professional.
Before You Get Started
Safety First
Whenever you use mouse traps, you’ve got to think about how to keep everyone (four-legged and two-legged) safe around them.
- Place traps in hidden spots like behind appliances or cabinets.
- Wear gloves when handling the traps to avoid contaminating them with your scent,
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how to set up and dispose of the traps.
- Securely place the bait so other animals can’t accidentally get to it.
Understand Mouse Behavior
To trap mice effectively, you must understand their behavior.
- Mice are primarily nocturnal and tend to be most active at night. When they need to move from one place to another, they tend to stick to the same paths along walls and dark corners since they prefer to stay hidden, so these “mouse highways” are great places to place your traps.
- Although they don’t see very well, they have an excellent sense of smell, which helps them locate food.
- Mice have high metabolisms and need to eat frequently, so they’re especially attracted to high-calorie foods like peanut butter and chocolate.
- Finally, mice are naturally curious, though they can be cautious about new things in their environments —a behavior known as neophobia. To make your traps as effective as possible, leave them unset for a few days to allow mice to acclimate.
Avoid Common Mouse-Trapping Mistakes
If you want to boost your success with mouse traps, there are a few common mistakes to avoid.
- Always wear gloves when you’re handling traps and bait. This keeps your scent off the traps, which makes them more attractive to mice.
- When it comes to food lures, skip the cheese and go for something like peanut butter or chocolate. These high-scent, high-calorie foods are much more tempting for rodents.
- Be careful not to overdo the bait; too much can allow mice to snatch it away without triggering the trap.
- Remember to be patient! It might take a few days to see any action, so don’t get frustrated if things don’t happen immediately.
- Make sure your traps are set up correctly—place them along walls and in spots where you’ve seen signs of mice. Check out this article here on how to trap mice effectively.
The Best Natural Mouse Baits
1. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a high-fat, high-scent food that attracts mice. Plus, it’s sticky enough that it’s tough for mice to steal this bait without triggering the trap.
Pros:
- Strong scent and flavor
- Easy to spread on traps.
Cons:
- Peanut butter can become stale and attract dust and debris if left out too long.
Best For: General use; effective in most trapping scenarios.
Baiting Tip: Opt for chunky peanut butter to add texture and stickiness. This makes it harder for mice to grab the food lure and run.
Where to Find: Jif Crunchy Peanut Butter on Amazon
2. Chocolate
Like peanut butter, chocolate is a high-scent, high-calorie food that appeals to a mouse’s taste for sweet foods.
Pros: It is highly attractive thanks to its sweet aroma.
Cons: It may melt if exposed to heat.
Best For: Use in cooler environments where the food lure won’t melt right away.
Baiting Tip: Use small pieces of dark chocolate, which have a more intense aroma than milk chocolate.
Where to Find: Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Squares on Amazon
3. Nuts
Nuts are a high-protein, high-energy food lure that mice can’t resist!
Pros:
- High in calories and protein.
- Strong aroma.
Cons:
- Can go rancid and become less appealing for mice if exposed to air for too long.
Best For: Situations that require an easy-to-use, long-lasting bait.
Baiting Tip: Crush nuts like almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts slightly to release more aroma and make them easier for mice to bite into.
Where to Find: Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts on Amazon
4. Cotton Balls/Shredded Paper
Though not a food source, these materials provide desirable nesting materials for mice and are an excellent complimentary bait to add to your trapping program.
Pros:
- Non food based – won’t spoil
Cons:
- Best used as a complementary bait, not a standalone.
Best For: Pairing with food bait to increase trap appeal.
Baiting Tip: Sprinkle or place near food bait for a dual attraction mechanism.
Where to Find: Amazon Basics Cotton Balls
Best Chemical Mouse Baits
1. Provoke Professional Mouse Attractant
A non-toxic, hypoallergenic food-based gel bait designed to be irresistible to mice, Provoke Professional Mouse Attractant is specifically formulated to appeal to a rodent’s sense of smell.
Pros:
- Non-toxic.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Safe for use around pets and children.
- Water-soluble and won’t stain carpet or clothes.
Cons:
- This bait works best if you remove all other food sources from the area.
Best For: Households with children and pets due to its non-toxic formulation.
Baiting Tip: Apply a small amount to multiple-catch traps, glue boards, or snap traps. Check out our top mouse traps here.
Where to Find: Provoke Professional Gel for Mouse Traps on Amazon
2. Tomcat Rodent Attractant Gel
This gel is designed to work effectively with any mechanical mouse trap, eliminating the need for traditional bait with an easy-to-use syringe applicator.
Pros:
- Easy application.
- Works with all types of traps.
Cons:
- May dry out if not protected in traps.
Best For: Quick application in traps where solid baits are impractical.
Baiting Tip: Renew the application every few days to ensure consistent effectiveness.
Where to Find: Tomcat Rodent Attractant Gel on Amazon
Baits That Don’t Work
When it comes to trap attractants or lures, mice are less attracted to meat than rats.
Mice prefer carbohydrates and sweets, while rats may be drawn to peanut butter, Slim Jims, and beef jerky.
Mice are also more likely to look for nesting materials like shredded paper or fabric.
Need a Professional to Help You Trap Mice? Our Network can Help!
If your DIY methods aren’t working or you need more help, it may be time to hire a professional rodent control company.
At Pest Dude, we work with a nationwide network of skilled, reliable pest control professionals.
If you want to connect with one of the pros in The Pest Dude network, call us at (844) 532-0076.
We’ll connect you with an expert in your area who can help you get rid of mice permanently!
FAQs
Exterminators often rely on a variety of baits to effectively target mice.
Common choices include professionally formulated gels and scented pastes, which feature potent scents and flavors that mice can’t resist.
These products often outperform everyday food lures for catching mice since they’re tailored to attract rodents.
We recommend changing or refreshing your bait every 2-3 days.
Here’s why:
Fresh bait is more enticing to mice, so replacing the bait frequently ensures its effectiveness and helps your traps work as well as possible.
If mice aren’t interested in your food lures or baits, try switching to a different variety.
Consider using foods like peanut butter, chocolate, or store-bought gel lures, which may be appealing.
Additionally, check the placement of the traps. Since mice prefer to travel along walls and dark corners, your traps will be more effective if set up in those areas.
Yes – bait stations can attract more mice than a trap set on its own.
Bait stations are designed to hold bait securely, providing a sheltered area for mice to enter and consume the bait.
While bait stations may help you attract and tarp more rodents, monitoring them carefully is critical. After all – you don’t want to run out of bait or let it go stale.
If your bait is disappearing without catching a mouse, it could be due to placement issues or partially set traps.
Smaller rodents may be able to nibble the bait without triggering the trap.
With this in mind, make sure the trap is sensitive enough to trigger and trap rodents and that it’s positioned correctly in a high-traffic area, like along a wall or behind an appliance.
