Mice In The House: Catch Them Live, Or Make Them Explode?
There are about four different approaches to mice extermination. Some of them are very humane, if you are an animal lover, while others are a little more gruesome. When you are trying to decide which exterminator's services to use, like PermaTreat Pest & Termite Control, and which approach you want to use, it helps to know what these approaches/methods are so that you can feel good about your decisions.
The Live Trap
A live trap is just that; it invites mice and other rodents into the trap, and then prevents them from exiting and escaping. You can catch them alive, and then choose to take them far out of town to release them, or you can let them slowly die of dehydration and starvation in the trap. Some people also choose to sell them to people who own snakes, since snakes prefer a live meal to a frozen one.
Natural Predators
An all-natural extermination service often uses natural predators as a means of controlling mice. In this instance, you may have a cat, snake, or bird of prey prowling your property until the mice are gone. If a bird of prey is used, the handler will sit outside most of the night, releasing the bird on a long lunge line to get the mice that have been plaguing you. If you feel more comfortable with this natural approach to extermination, that is what you should expect.
Neck-Snapping Traps
Old-school mouse and rat traps snap the necks of too-curious rodents. Unfortunately, many mice have become quite clever and know how to spring the traps without getting hurt. If your mice are not that smart, and you want something quick and reasonably humane, traditional neck-snapping traps are the way to go. Your exterminator may have to set out several around the foundation of your home, so make sure pets and children do not go near them.
Poison
Many rat and mouse poisons deliver a violent death. Their stomachs, hearts, lungs and intestines all explode internally, or they bleed to death, depending on the type of poison used. It is pretty gruesome, but if you have dozens to hundreds of mice infesting your home, attic, and yard, this is the fastest route to eliminating them all. The poison boxes can also be set in inconspicuous places so that you do not have to see or hear the rodents consuming it. Hopefully, they will also choose to die outside the house, and not in your walls.