Disposing of Rodents Caught in Sticky Traps

M
I quit using those sticky scraps because, while I have no issue with killing rats around my home, I have no wish to inflict suffering on any creature, even vermin. And I can't imagine that it's any fun to be stuck alive to the trap for hours before I find them.

But to answer your question, I shot the stuck rats through the head with a pellet gun, then disposed of both trap and rat in the garbage.
I just found one of the sticky traps missing. Couldn't figure it out. So started searching but couldn't find it. Then I stupidly decided to search for it under the refrigerator. I saw the tip of it and stuck my hand under the fridge to pull it out. As I did, I saw a mouse squirming on it. Yikes! I barely missed getting my hand stuck next to, or directly on that mouse. How it moved that trap under the fridge is the question.
 
As with live rats in "sticky traps" (message 2 above) I killed them with a pellet gun shot to the head.
Good idea instead of dropping a dumbbell on them. Cover them and shoot them. No license needed for pellet guns I assume.
 
My now deceased Alpha cat was a master hunter who would kill and eat any mice outside, who never then got a chance to invade the house. Unfortunately, he sometimes would leave "body parts" strewn about for me to clean up. His successor cat kills mice or perhaps scares them to death by playing with them, but leaves the carcasses intact and unbloodied, which makes for less gut-wrenching disposal...
🐁
 
Vermin can carry disease and while I don't want to inflict suffering on living things, I hate them and want them gone.
Rats can sometimes emerge from the toilet bowl. In the Miami Gibson Hotel, circa 1975, during a thunderstorm, one was just few inches from my family Jewels and I only found out after I finished, just how nearly I had come to getting castrated.

 
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At my former house, I had intermittent guest mice. I developed a "walk the plank" style humane trap. I had a tall trash bin (needs to be tall - anything under 3 feet, the mouse can jump out). Then I made a plank out of a styrofoam meat tray. This also needs to have a cover at the end that hangs over the counter or the mouse will jump away. Place a dab of peanut butter on a small square of wax paper and place on the end that hangs over the counter. Place plank on the edge of the counter just over the trash bin, carefully balancing it so it doesn't fall into the trash can.

I had fairly good success with it, although a few times the mice managed to escape. One time I caught two at once (see photo) . Once the mouse is in the trash container, we go for a nice ride out into the country and I release it in an isolated area. Then it's its own business what happens to it.

BTW - This works only if the mice are on the counter - it won't work on the floor. If the plank falls into the bin with the mice, you might have to make another one since they chew it up.

In my new house, I have not seen any mice inside the house, although there is evidence in the garage that they make camp there.

mouse trap.jpgmice 3-31-19.jpg
 
My now deceased Alpha cat was a master hunter who would kill and eat any mice outside, who never then got a chance to invade the house. Unfortunately, he sometimes would leave "body parts" strewn about for me to clean up. His successor cat kills mice or perhaps scares them to death by playing with them, but leaves the carcasses intact and unbloodied, which makes for less gut-wrenching disposal...
🐁
I once heard of a cat that only ate the mouse or rat's head and left the headless body untouched. Is that common for cats?
 
Well, call it Karma if you like. But yesterday evening as I arrived from the local grocery store after fetching some vittles, I finally got myself entangled in the sticky mousetraps that I had placed on the kitchen entrance floor. You see, as I entered with the heavy grocery bags, I mindlessly stepped on two them. Suddenly I found that I couldn't walk properly, and began tripping and then started toppling over. with my face headed strait towards the floor.

Now, in reference to falls, I am no novice. You see, from, a previous experience four years ago, I knew the drill, and it wasn't good. So in fearful desperation, I flung the heavy grocery bags into the air. Then I jutted out my elbows, forearms and hands to break the fall. True, the impact hurt like hell, and I almost broke a finger, but my front teeth and maybe another broken nose were spared.

I lay there for approx. a minute recovering from the pain and struggling to get to my feet. During that time, I thought I had merely been clumsy, or else was suffering from balance problems. But then I noticed that I had the sticky mouse traps stuck to the soles of my shoes and to my trousers. Big struggle getting them off! No wonder those poor mice can't get free.
 

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