As I write this, my new friend Mickey is cautiously peeking around the corner of the file cabinet, eyeing the popcorn trail that leads to the peanut butter treat I left for him. I thought he would eat the snacks hours ago. Maybe his little mouse brain is weighing the potential consequences, or maybe there is something a little suspicious about the sudden abundance of food available to him.

Mickey the house mouse appeared in the building last Friday, most likely in search of warmer living quarters. As temperatures continue to cool, Mickey’s family and friends will also be in search of new homes.

The best method to control mice is exclusion – eliminate any openings or opportunities that might allow mice to come inside. Avoid leaving garage doors open longer than necessary. Make sure all other doors and windows fit and close tightly. Inspect the exterior of your home for possible entry points – and remember, a mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a pencil. Steel wool is a good plug for any openings you find; avoid using latex, plastic, rubber or wood that a mouse can gnaw through.

If one of Mickey’s friends gets in your house, trapping is the most effective and least expensive method of control. There are several types of traps available. Snap traps are an old standby, and many newer styles allow you to catch the mouse without having to touch it or see it. If you use a live trap, make a plan of where to release the mouse somewhere other than your neighbor’s yard.

Glue traps are effective, but remember that you will have to remove the mouse from the bed of glue once it is caught. Glue boards can also catch children and pets – my dog proudly wore a spider sticky trap out from behind the couch a few weeks ago. The spider trap came off fairly easy, but glue boards for mice have thicker, stronger glue that I would hate to try to remove.

Toxic baits and fumigants are another option. These are best used with large mouse populations or if traps are ineffective. The baits especially are very effective in getting rid of the mice, but you will still have to locate the body/s to properly dispose of it.

Mickey has been hiding for awhile now. I hope he takes me up on the peanut butter by the time you read this.

– Jennifer Smith is the Douglas County Extension AgentHorticulture for K-State Research and Extension. Contact her or the Douglas County Master Gardeners with your gardening questions at 843-7058.