Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. , 7 i @ 18 ae : me =a r - n an = at Li . 7 yy i i > Oe a iy : - = . a) 7 2 ) : . " i 7 o = oo - cA 7 hs : ' = ’ = to 7 - 7] ~ 1 ven - | 2 aren ey rt Bs : a" United States Department of the Interior “ Fish and Wailclife Service Wiildiite Teafiet 234 Chicago, Jill. Prepared in the Division of Predator and Rodent Control House mice in the home, on a small farm, or in a business establish- ment may often be kept under control by trapping. The small wooden base snap traps and a small all-metal snap tran now on the market give good ROSULUS. — Lheir Low cost aes iG, WiReerUcablle/ oO, Seta dozen Cm smores So use plenty. Rebait and reset ail. trans each evening and place them in ' such manner that the mice sana pass ever the trigger in, following t natural runways along walls, behind objeds, or wherever partial ewe ment is afforded. Traps are most effective when set near the garbage Paw) am whe. pantry, kitchen, or cellar, or wherever a mouse 1s likely to be attracted by food. Fresh bait is essential and preferably. should be tied to the trigger of the trap. Fresh bread, cake, and doughnuts are dependable baits, but these should be varied with others, as peanut butter, chocolate candy, cheese, fried bacon, sardines, apple parings, nut meats, or bananas. Roiliigc oats, flour, or other cereal may be Sorinieled lightly over the trap as an additional attraction. It is frequently possible to use the small wooden base trap without any food bait by making a "trail set". To do this, the first procedure is to enlarge the snali trigger by cutting a piece of corrugated boxing cardboard the size to fit inside the square wire loop of the trap and then slipping this cardboard section onto the trigzer. ‘The resulting platform prevides a much larger trigger surface. This oS Crapy aS placed in a mouse runway with cher veikecer ay might angles, to the wallaliy@r other solid object. An inspection every dav or so to remove any dead mice and to keep the trap set is sufficient. POTSONING oning is sometimes pencing on the ned bait that will ther is a fresh For the control of mice on a larger Scale, pois necessary. Two kinds of lethal baits may be used, de location and local goer ten One is a stable pois remain effective for a long period of time, and the bait to be prepared with a poison and used at once. Stable baits. -— The use of lethal baits is often desired for the protection of property in homes or camps that are used periodically and shut up for part cf the year; also in certain other kinds of buildings. Three lethal baits are suggested: (1) A simple method of preparation is to mix one-eighth ounce of powdered strychnine alkaloid with an equal quantity of baking soda and stir thoroughly in i quart of rolled cats or corn meal, For use on a small scale. (2) Mix 1 tablespoonful of gloss starch in one-fourth teacupful of cold water aud Stir into three-fourths pint of boiling water to make a thin Clear paste. klix 1 ounce of rovdered strychnine alkaloid with 1 ounce of oe soda and stir int« the starch to a smooth creamy mass free of lumps. Stir in one-half pint of neavy corn syrup and 1 tabie= SpPoontul (ol slyiceran orkpobreie Ling. rae to 10 vounds of milo maize or canary seed and mix thercugnly to cost each kernel. Spread on paper to dry. The canary seed, or bird seed (P ris canariensis), can usually be obtained from bird dealers or seed stores and the maize from feed stores. For use on an extensive ‘scale. Lethal baits thus prepared will last indefinitely when kept in a dry place. They may be placed in small, covered boxes that have one or two holes in each sade. sila ghichy ee. than 25-cent pieces. These holesval= low the mice to enter the box but should be cut high enough from:the floor to prevent the scattering of the bait material outside the box. The boxes are effective when left in pleces frequented by the rodents. They prowade a permanent poison Supoly thal as availeble.vo the micewab; ills cjamese Without some of the cungers cf scattered mouse bait. Such contaaners Care should be taken e persons, or domesuac ae should be washe shoulda be marked plaznly with ‘red paant, “PO SON" TOMNaKe “chem anaceessauple Lo chaldren, “aac animals. All utensiis used in nrevaring lethal be thoroughly or destroyed. Fresn baits. — For immediate use there are some fresh bait materials With which certain poisons may be mxed. A few formulas are given. (1) Dice apples or sweet potatoes into one-half inch cubes. Dust 20 ounces of either bait material, while stirring gently, with one-eighth ounce of powdered strychnine alkaloid. Other poisons may be substituted for the strychnine. Powdered zinc phosphide may be used in the same pro- portion and manner. (2) If there are no household pets (dogs or cats) to be endangered, hamburger, or a mixture of 2 parts ground bacon and 6 parts of a blend of ground dried bread crumbs and cake erunbs, may be used as bait materials. One ounce of zine phosphide, or 2 ounces of arsenic trioxide, may be vmmed with.10 pounds of one of these bait materials. Fresh baits prepared with zine phosphide do not remain effective very long, varying from 2 cays to a week, but generally as long as the baits remain acceptable. In dry or oily baits the zinc phosphide re- tains its toxicity for several months if kept in a dry place and in tight containers. Fresh baits should be exposed in places readily accessible to mice for quick detection of the bait is desired. CATS AS MOUSERS House cats are sometimes effective in removing mice and may be stimulated to increased effort by reducing their supply of other food. However, good mousers may be destructive of bird life if allowed free- dom, and should be kept shut up during the birdneSting season. REPHLLING MICE Certain odors and substances are obnoxious to mice and are of value, NeKenOne nm cepelline them from sitored products. Pilake maphithalene i's one of the most effective of the deterrents and when scattered over and around bags On ‘seeds, overstutiec furniture, books, clothing, and other articles may protect them effectively from mouse depredations. Inasmuch as naphthalene becomes dissipated in the air with time, repeated applica-— tions are often necessary. Because of its odor it is not advisable to use naphthalene to repel mice from foodstuffs. “Powdered sulphur and also lime have been used successfully in protecting such stored grain as corn and sheaf oats. Where foodstufis are not involved and it would be suitable to use certain materials as sprays, there are severel compounds that may be suggested, such as kerosene, creosote, blackleaf 40 or nicotine sulphate, and also spray emulsions containing copper oleate, or copper carbonate, or lime-sulphur. Oils of pepvermint and of wintergreen, also tung oil, are repellents to mice. Insulating materials such as sawdust, ground paper and the like, may be protected from mice by the addition of ammonium sulphate. 1269 eth eseminy