The best bait for mouse traps typically includes highly aromatic foods that mice find irresistible. Rodent control company Victor explained that mice usually eat seeds but when they invade homes, they are attracted to very sweet and fatty foods. Some popular options include peanut butter, chocolate, bacon or dried fruit. These foods have strong scents that attract mice and are sticky enough to stay on the trap.

Peanut butter, in particular, is often recommended because it’s easy to spread and doesn’t easily spoil. However, you might need to experiment a bit to see what works best in your specific situation, as mice preferences can vary. Remember to refresh the bait regularly to ensure its effectiveness, but only add small amounts of bait so the mice cannot easily take it and escape.

Victor provided useful tips on how to more efficiently capture rodents. One of these tips includes using gloves to handle traps as mice can pick up on your scent and therefore avoid the trap. Another tip the company gave was to set multiple traps at once and place them against a wall. This helps as mice reproduce very quickly, so you never know how many you could be dealing with. Additionally, these rodents are usually afraid of open rooms, so a trap against a wall, in a corner or in a concealed area is more enticing to them.

Best Bait for Mouse Traps

Peanut Butter

Mice are attracted to the high protein and fat content of peanut butter. It has a strong scent they can smell from far away.

Chocolate

The sweet smell of chocolate is very enticing for mice. Use a small piece or smear some chocolate hazelnut spread like Nutella, as mice will be especially attracted to the mix of nuts and sugar.

Bacon/Meat

The smell of fried bacon or other greasy meat bits can lure mice in. You can use cooked bacon pieces or even grated parmesan cheese which has a nutty aroma. Make sure to use very small pieces so the mice are not able to easily escape with the bait.

Seeds/Nuts

Things like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and peanuts work well since mice love to gnaw and eat seeds and nuts. Consider adding a small amount of chocolate or peanut butter on them to make them more enticing.

Gum/Candy

The sugary flavors of bubble gum or fruit candy can attract mice. Just be sure to attach it securely to the trap. Small, sticky candies like gumdrops work well.

Pet Food

Dry cat or dog food, especially fish-flavored varieties, make for some of the best bait for mouse traps. The kibble can resemble nuts or seeds that they are used to eating while the scent of meat can lure them in.

Nesting Materials

According to Victor, female mice gather nesting materials in fall and winter, so you could potentially bait them in with materials they can use to build their nests. These materials usually include thin string materials like yarn, dental floss, twine and more.