Caught Mouse – Humane Wildlife Removal

What to do after you catch a mouse

When you caught mouse, you have two courses of action. Once is to mercifully kill it and the second is to relocate it. It’s still an on-going debate as to which option is best. What you should know is that when you remove a mouse from its natural habitat, it will find it hard to adjust to new surroundings. More often than not, a relocated mouse will die almost immediately-probably slowly and painfully.

If you want to get rid of your mouse problem but at the same time, you want to do it in the most humane way possible, giving it a painless death is the best course of action. After this, there are important steps you should follow. Here are five things you should do after you catch a mouse.

1) Kill it mercifully

Asphyxiation is the only way to kill a mouse approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It involves CO2 by using vinegar and baking soda. While this method is the most humane way to do it, it is complex and takes an advanced set of skills.

An easier alternative is by giving the mouse a blunt force trauma to the head by aiming for the brain. Whatever you do, do not put the mouse in a plastic bag and throw it around until it passes out like what many people do. This is not humane. Try to do it in one blow to keep the mouse from suffering.

Another option is to use a sturdy mouse trap that will instantly kill the mouse. To do this, you have to choose a good trap that can get the job done.

2) Dispose of the body properly

Before you touch the mouse or even come near it, make sure you have proper personal protective gear. Put on a mask and gloves. Wear a pair of goggles to protect your eyes.

Spray the dead mouse with a disinfectant solution. Place it in sealed plastic. Do not push out the air from the bag when sealing it as it may spread bacteria. Place the sealed plastic inside another sealed bag and throw it in the trash. Make sure to empty your garbage can on the same day.

3) Disinfect the scene

Using a new pair of gloves, spray down the scene with some powerful disinfectant. Be sure to include any surfaces that may have been touched by the mouse during the process. Do not forget to also disinfect whatever tools you used.

It is highly recommended that you do house-wide disinfection to make sure your home is free from germs and viruses transmitted by the mouse and its wastes.

4) Disinfect yourself

Once you cleaned up the scene, it’s time to disinfect yourself. This is an important step that should not be overlooked. Dispose of the gloves and the masks you used by using a sealed plastic and throwing it in the garbage.

Disinfect your hands and everything you were wearing. Separately wash the clothes that you wore and do not mix it with the rest of your laundry. Wash your hands with soap for at least one minute and use a sanitizer afterwards.