Comments on: Sticky, inhumane killers

By: SRW

SRW — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:02:47 +0000

Sticky traps seem to be the only way I have of actually catching mice in my house. I feel bad but I don’t let it suffer. I put the sticky with mouse still attached in a plastic bag and take it outside and hit it with a hammer. Yes, that sounds cruel but not as cruel as letting it sit in my garbage can stuck for 3-4 days and dying a slow death. For those of you saying take it outside and let it go, don’t you think it will find its way back into your house. Yes, you could take it far away but it’s winter time and sure to die outside in this cold anyway.

By: Rat killer

Rat killer — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:15:23 +0000

I couldn’t DISAGREE more. If you like living with your rats and mice have fun getting strange diseases and cleaning up rat sh!t. Your all twisted in the head. They are rodents and can make YOU and YOUR Children sick. And devalue your home significantly. So enjoy your rat infested homes sicko’s

By: mackenzie stead

mackenzie stead — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 02:00:07 +0000

hey i was reading the comments on sticky mouse traps and was wondering if the glue on those pads are harmful if ingested? i live in an appartment building and maintenance had placed down sticky pads to get rid of a roach problem…but my cat thought it was a toy and decided to play with it getting it stuck to his paw i managed to pull it off with some minor howling from the cat as i didnt know you could get it off with oil …. he then proceded to clean his paw….should i be concerned ???

By: Mark M.

Mark M. — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:32:35 +0000

Gary, how can we be active in eliminating these kind of traps without legal issues? I don’t forsee a letter to the local official or senator having any profound effect. What’s your take?

By: Len in Michigan

Len in Michigan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:41:53 +0000

Gary,
A quick thank-you for your web site. I searched & searched for a way to remove the sticky gel used in roach traps from a kitty’s tail, without success. I’m watching my girlfriend’s cat while she nurses a new batch of kitties. (The cat, not my g/f!) I’m keeping mom & yes, she’ll be neutered immediately! In fact, I’m going to have the kitties done, too. At the same time, I’ve had an on-going problem with roaches. Not an infestation, just the occasional roach here & there. I’ve tried boric acid, fog bombs, you name it. All failures. I don’t like killing innocent animals, but when it’s my house, I’ll make an exception with roaches! Having 5 rambunctious 6-wk old kittens in the kitchen, I had to hide the roach traps in the cupboards. Leave it to kittens (what’s that about curiosity?), they knocked over the totes I had in front of the door. I heard some unusual clattering from the kitchen & when I went to investigate, I found a kitten slapping around a roach trap cover. Oh no! That meant the black bottom, with the dark gel, was gone! With 5 kittens, why is it the black trap was stuck to the black kitten’s tail??? I freaked, thinking it would take turpentine or something caustic to get it off. Having failed at finding something, I ended up reading the humorous posts on your web site about sticky traps. I enjoy cute little mice & have even taken a rat out into the country to let it go. Imagine my surprise to read down & find you & some of your guests talking about vegetable oil! The black kitty (who my g/f is going to keep) got her first trip to the Kitty Salon – my sink! After an oil bath & thorough rinsing, I also had the problem of a chilly house amidst one of the worst cold snaps we’ve had in years. So she also got her first exposure to the blow dryer! She was such a trooper, not afraid of the water or the blow dryer! I told my g/f that she could do what I did with my very first cat – train her to climb in the tub & take a bath with her! Thought I’d share my story – and say thanks!

By: Gary Bogue

Gary Bogue — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:31:32 +0000

Jamie: those stick traps are diabolical, inhumane contraptions. Please don’t ever use them again. Thanks./Gary

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:01:29 +0000

I made a huge mistake by buying the sticky traps. At the store it sounded great. The Snap traps that I got last time broke my finger. I caught 2 mice the first night. But, I didn’t know what to do with the mouse after it was stuck. I put the trap and mouse in a large plastic bag and put it up to the muffler of our car and it went to sleep. That was the only thing I could think of.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:35:03 +0000

I normally use humane traps – including a home made bucket variety. Recently, I caught the same mouse twice but it jumped out of the bucket before I could cover the top with wire mesh.

We are due to go away in two days time so the mouse had to be caught for its own welfare – and to avoid fire risk.

I had never considered a sticky mouse trap before but when I read that a mouse could be freed by vegetable oil I decided to try it. It was my last resort. I cut the pad in half (I only wanted to immobilize it not torture it) stuck it to the floor by sellotape so that the mouse would not be able to tip it over its coat causing further suffering.

In preparation for its recuperation, I put food, water (in a shallow lid) and bedding – made out of bits of kitchen towel stuffed into the toe part of a sock (you can pick the mouse up easily in the cut up sock when you transfer it into a box or a jar for the journey to freedom) in a metal bin.

Within one hour it was caught. I immediately oiled the entire surface (so that the mouse would not re-stick while trying to set itself free) of the trap with a cotton pad dipped in cooking oil – gently working it under the mouse. Once it was nearly free I placed it in the bin. Within seconds it was free and apart from looking a little greasy, it seemed fine.

An hour on, I’ve just been to check it. Its fur appears to have fluffed up a bit and it’s been eating. It was trying to jump out of the bin – which is a very good sign! I will release it tomorrow.

Although these traps are potentially cruel it was just the right thing for this intelligent super-mouse who defied every other kind of humane traps over eight weeks.

If you use these sticky traps please make sure you check them every 15-20 minutes and have your bin ‘hotel’ ready for an overnight’s rest before releasing them back into the wild.

Mice are beautiful and intelligent creatures. You do not have to kill them.

By: SM

SM — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:53:50 +0000

I think I’ll remove mine from my basement tonight. I caught a mouse yesterday and feel terrible about it, as I noticed it was still moving slightly when I picked it up.

By: Gary Bogue

Gary Bogue — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:22:50 +0000

Sarah B.:
Take the trap and mouse out to a field away from your house. Bring a bottle of vegetable oil with you. Pour some vegetable oil around the part of the mouse that is stuck to the trap. The oil will neutralize the stickiness and release the mouse from the trap. Release the mouse into nearby bushes. Put the trap into a plastic bag, tie the bag shut and dispose of it in your garbage./Gary