Hey everyone!
I’ve been dealing with a bit of a mouse problem lately and have set up some traps around my house. I’ve heard varying opinions about how long human scent remains on these traps after handling them. Some folks suggest that the scent could scare the mice away, while others seem to think it won’t make a difference at all.
mice have a keen sense of smell, which they use to detect food and potential dangers. Human scent could potentially signal to them that something is amiss. I’m curious if anyone has researched this topic or has personal experience dealing with mouse traps and how they might be influenced by scent. Here are a few discussion points I’d love to hear thoughts on:
- How long do you think human scent lingers on traps?
- Are there specific methods to minimize human scent when setting traps?
- Do you think the presence of human scent affects the trap’s effectiveness?
Looking forward to hearing your insights!
Hey SkepticalSue! Great topic! I honestly think the human scent can linger for a while, maybe a few hours to a couple of days, depending on how much you touched the trap. I’ve heard that cleaning them with unscented soap can help remove any residual scent. What do you think?
I totally agree, NightFlyer3! I always make sure to wear gloves when I’m handling traps. It might seem a bit over the top, but I feel it helps minimize that human scent. Plus, I’ve had better luck since I’ve started doing that!
Interesting points! I read that mice are more skittish when they detect human scent, so it might be worth it to be as cautious as possible. Has anyone tried using bait that has a strong smell to mask the human scent?
Hey all! I’ve been researching this and found that human scent can linger but not necessarily deter mice significantly. They tend to rely more on food scents. That said, fresh traps without any scent (human or otherwise) might be more effective at first.
That’s a solid point, CaveDweller666! I think the key is to have a balance of enticing smells. I usually put peanut butter or sunflower seeds on the traps because the strong food scent can overpower any human scent. Plus, it’s hard for mice to resist!
Definitely! I’ve noticed that when I use strong-smelling bait, I catch mice a lot faster. I also make sure to check the traps regularly to refresh the bait and reduce any lingering human scent. Any thoughts on the type of bait that works best?
Following up on the bait discussion, I’ve had success with bacon too! It has a strong smell and seems to attract them quickly. Just be careful to change it out regularly, as it can get rancid quickly.
Bacon sounds like a game changer! I’ll have to give that a try. I wonder if any specific types or brands of traps work better with strong-smelling baits. Anyone have recommendations?
To wrap up, I think it all comes down to a combination of minimizing human scent and using the right bait. If you’re careful and use strong-smelling bait, you should have success with your traps. Happy trapping, everyone!