I think if you've already trapped, you will be ok. If he is still there, he'll be caught. But like you said, he may be long gone.

I personally would not do the poison, due to the risk that the little guy will go off in an inaccessible area of the house and die, which would be an even worse problem.

If you do trap him, a simple but useful tip I heard. Take a garbage bag, put your hand in it, and pick up the dead mouse that way. Then turn the bag inside out and Voila, he's bagged and you haven't had to touch him!

Don't use poison. There is nothing worse than a dead mouse that you can't locate. Also, with traps you'll know if you got him.

Go to hardware store, buy six pack of mouse traps. Use peanut butter as bait. Put them facing wall as opposed to along with wall. Short side to wall. Bait side towards wall.

I had mice that would eat the bait (peanut butter) and not trip the trap. I got some live catch traps. They worked. Released some really freaked out mice into a field far away from home.

I found a mouse living in my SUV! Still haven't figured out how he got in but I found his little trail in my cup holder (YUK!!!) I immediately went to CVS and bought an enclosed trap (I can't stand the sight if these guys) put PB in it and got him over night. I since put the trap in the garage where we have a lot of boxes stored and have caught one other.

Just feel secure that if you have mice, that means you don't have snakes... (I still trap them though)
Val

I'm always glad when i see the black snakes that live in my yard--because it means I don't have mice! Though I wish they'd eat the chipmunks as well. I'd MUCH rather hae a 6ft blacksnake (and I do!) living in my yard than a mouse in my cupboards...

Viva la difference!

melanie

Bait the traps with chocolate instead of peanut butter. If the chocolate is hard, they won't be able to lick it off. This is what professional exterminators use. I've used it too, and it seems irresistable to mice. It must be an attractive presentation, however, or else they may not be interested.

I don't mind snakes outside, but when they hide in the silverware drawer, I draw the line.

Lars

Blue cheese is the best mouse trap bait......the odor travels far! LOL!
Linda C

All of a sudden it seems we have a ton of mice around our place. We live in the woods and they have invaded our shed, built a nest in our gas grill and now they are beginning to come into the house!!
I don't use poison because I read somewhere that if they eat it and run outside to die and a hawk or owl eat them, the hawk or owl can be poisoned as well. (We are bird-lovers). I have set traps, but we have two dogs and I don't want to "trap" them. I don't like cats, but have considered getting one, however we have several bird feeders, and I really don't want the cat to get the birds. What do I do?

doucanoe,
have you considered that your bird feeders are attracting the mice?

Buster,
I have had the occasional mouse. Not sure how they get in but the most I've had at a time was one or two. I got a mouse cube from Walmart which is a live mouse trap. I put peanutbutter on a cracker and stuck it against the wall opposite the trap door. Then smear the trap door to get the smell on it. Worked very quickly for me. The first mouse was caught within an hour of putting it down. Then I drive it to the nearby woods and release them. Need to put the trap inside a box while transporting so it won't get out. And be careful not to tip the door open while getting rid of it. Now I leave the trap out all the time, knowing how the mice travel within my house. One good spot was the utility sink in my basement as it provides water and they eat the soap. The other is under my stove as that seems to be how they get upstairs. By leaving them out, I have caught the occasional invader before I even knew they were there. Haven't caught one in a year now but probably just jinxed myself.

We once had a mouse who couldn't resist Swiss Fudge Cookies. Alas, his older relatives weren't so easily suckered.