Mice (Mus musculus) constitute a significant portion of rodent problems experienced around the world. There are numerous reasons why mice have to be controlled; They carry a wide variety of diseases such as leptospirosis and Salmonella. Mice can also cause extensive damage to personal property and can ruin stored food. While there are numerous ways of dealing with mice, many of those methods can also potentially harm non-target organisms such as pets. Thus, it is important for pet owners to be familiar with ways to remove mice pests without harming their pets.

There are a few ways to effectively remove mice without potentially harming pets. Numerous sources cite that the first action is to mouse-proof the house. Mouse-proofing the house can prevent mice infestations from occurring in the first place. However, if mice are already present, then the safest way to get rid of them is through the use of natural repellents – substances that can irritate or repel mice from an area. Many of these natural repellents are made from plant-based substances such as natural oils. However, predator urine (synthetic) has also shown considerable effectiveness.

The Dangers of Certain Pest Control Methods to Pets

Pets are beloved members of the household. However, they can inadvertently be harmed by pest control methods that were targeted for mice instead. This is a common problem, especially with pest control methods that aim to attract attention.

While this can be harmful to some pets, some methods can even be lethal. This is particularly true for cases of using poisonous pellets that can appear to be a snack to a dog or cat (1). Aside from being designed to look like snacks, some poisonous pellets are even designed to be somewhat palatable. This is not only dangerous to pets but also to small children as well.

Even if the poisons are placed out of reach of pets, the mice that die from the poisons (primary poisoning) can still harm pets through secondary poisoning. This is when a pet eats a mouse that has also ingested the poison. This is especially problematic as the poison is slow acting which means that the mouse can still live about a day or two after ingesting the poison. While the poisoned mouse is still moving around the house, a pet cat can unknowingly prey on this mouse.

Even the traditional spring-loaded mousetrap cannot be considered safe to use around pets because curious pets can get their snouts or paws injured by the mechanism of the trap. This methods is also not a humane means of pest control.

Another common type of pest control used to remove mice is the use of mouse trap glue. This type of control comes in the form of glue paper and glue boards. This is also not considered a safe option in a household with pets (2). Larger pets may be able to free themselves while losing some amount of fur. However, smaller pets may need professional assistance from a veterinarian to be freed from a glue trap. Again, this method is also not humane.

It may seem difficult to find pest control methods that can specifically target mice without harming pets. However, there are some methods that can be used.

Mouse-Proofing

One of the best ways to control mice infestations is to prevent them from happening in the first place. As the common adage goes, “prevention is better than cure.” Mouse-proofing the house is the best way to prevent mice pests from arriving and to protect pets from them as well.

The first objective when it comes to mouse-proofing is to check the food stores. Mice only infest houses that serve as a food source. Without a food source, the mice will be deprived and will have to find a different place to go.

Once the food stores are secured, the next step to prevent mice from entering the home is to identify potential entry points into the living space. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) suggests looking for holes and gaps both inside and outside the home (3). These include around kitchen cabinets, refrigerators, and stoves, around doors, around fireplaces, around the pipes under sinks and washing machines, around vents, inside attics, in the basement, around windows, and around holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines.

Mice can enter holes as small as the size of nickels. With the potential entry points identified, the holes should be covered up. Large holes might need materials such as lath screens, lath metal, metal sheeting, cement, or hardware cloth. On the other hand, smaller holes can be dealt with by filling them with steel wool and fixing the steel wool in place with caulking.

Natural Repellents

If a mouse infestation is currently present, alternative methods would have to be considered. One of the best ways to control mice without potentially harming pets is by using natural repellents. These are natural substances that contain certain scents that can irritate mice, causing them to leave the premises.

There are several natural substances that have been observed to have repellent properties against mice.

A 2016 systematic review published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology looked at several papers published on plant-based repellents on rodent pests (4). It specifically discusses certain plant substances that have been found to have an effect on mice such as capsaicin, bergamot oil, buchu oil, and fennel oil.

These substances can be made into a liquid solution that can simply be sprayed into an area that is infested with mice. The solution can also be sprayed at potential points of entry to prevent re-entry.

Other sources also cite other substances such as peppermint oil, pepper, and cloves. After mixing all the different substances into one solution, others also suggest using the liquid to saturate cotton balls that can be left around areas in the house that are prone to mice infestations such as cabinets and cupboards.

Another repellent that has been suggested to work on mice is urine – specifically urine that comes from common predators - or has been synthetically manufactured. There are several sources for purchasing predator urine online and studies to back up the science behind it (5, 6).

These studies show that mice are highly receptive to the scent of urine from predators such as cats and wolves. Upon detecting the scent, scientists were able to observe fear-associated behaviors in mice such as freezing and avoidance. It was even found that mice instinctively respond to these scents since the experiments used mice that were bred in labs without ever encountering these predators in real life.

References

1. https://www.vets-now.com/

2. https://www.humanesociety.org/

3. https://www.cdc.gov/

4. https://link.springer.com/

5. https://www.sciencemag.org/

6. https://journals.plos.org/

Pest control is a necessary form of mitigation that can help protect people, their pets, and their homes. Pests can come in all forms, and several of them are capable of carrying diseases and hurting people and pets. While there are effective forms of lethal pest control, there are different situations where people would prefer humane pest control options; Either for personal ideologies (veganism for example) or practical reasons.

Fortunately, there are humane pest control options for those who do not wish harm against pests. A common way to control pests is through the use of repellents – substances that can actively deter target pests. There are several types of plant-based substances such as capsaicin and essential oils. However, other repellents include urine from predators and ultrasonic devices. Pests can also be removed from the premises by a professional and be relocated somewhere else. Lastly, physical barriers can be a straightforward approach in preventing pests from entering the property.

The Need for Humane Methods

There are several reasons why pests need to be controlled as quickly as possible. Aside from possibly damaging personal property; Certain pests act as vectors for certain diseases. Thus, it is in the best interest of homeowners to make sure their homes are pest-free.

There are numerous ways to deal with pests. However, many of the options available in the market cannot be considered humane.

A common type of pest control is the use of poisons. Different poisons are used such as acute toxins (e.g., cyanide, phosphorus, rotenone, etc.), anticoagulants (e.g., brodifacoum, flocoumafen, diphacinone, etc.), and fumigants (e.g., aluminum and magnesium phosphide, chloropicrin, methyl bromide, carbon dioxide, etc.).

However, these poisons cannot be considered humane due to the excruciating experience they inflict on the target pests. Many types of poison are slow-acting to ensure that the pests are able to consume large amounts of these poisons, thus prolonging their suffering.

Mechanical or spring-loaded traps are also commonly used against vertebrate pests such as rodents, squirrels, and raccoons. Although many of these products promise a quick death, there are instances where the trapped pests are able to survive the mechanism and simply die due to blood loss or starvation. This is also the case for many glue traps where the target pests simply die from starvation or thirst as they are restrained due to the glue.

While pests have to be removed from an area to maintain public health and protect property, there is no need to deal with the pests unethically. The use of humane methods is also considered to be a safer pest control approach for non-target organisms. This is especially important for households with pets or small children. Since many pest control methods are designed to be attractive or palatable, there are many cases where these control methods inadvertently harm pets or children instead.

Humane Pest Control Methods

The Use of Repellents

Repellents are substances that can cause certain adverse behavioral responses to target organisms, typically the pests in question. Repellents are also particularly humane because they only serve to repel and deter pests, not harm them. There are different types of repellents, many of which are effective against mammalian pests such as rodents, squirrels, and raccoons.

The most common types of natural repellents are plant-based substances. These are substances that plants produce that is also suggested to play a role in their defense against grazing as well.

To illustrate, X-Pest notes that garlic, capsaicin, and ammonia are effective at getting rid of voles. Capsaicin is one of the most common, plant-based substances for repelling pests – the active component that makes chilies and hot peppers spicy.

Belonging to plants under the genus Capsicum, capsaicin produces a burning sensation in mammals. The distinction in the effect of capsaicin is why it is commonly used as a way to protect bird seeds in birdfeeders from squirrels (1). While the capsaicin in the bird seeds can irritate and deter squirrels, birds are not affected by its presence.

Capsaicin is a common active ingredient used in natural repellents against rodent infestation. Rodents such as rats, mice, and voles can destroy private property and carry a number of diseases. It is important that residential homes are free from these pests from a public health perspective. Fortunately, numerous studies have found capsaicin to work effectively against these animals. Due to the pungency of capsaicin, aversive behavior has been detected from rodent test subjects (2).

Other natural substances known to have repellent properties include black pepper oil, bergamot oil, buchu oil, fennel oil, grass-tree oil, neem oil, white pepper, garlic, cloves, camphor white oil, eucalyptus oil, and so on (3). All these ingredients can be made into a liquid solution that can be sprayed in areas to prevent entry to rodent pests. Many also suggest using the liquid solution to saturate cotton balls that can be placed in common entry points.

Aside from plant-based substances, urine obtained from common predators has also been found to be highly effective against rodents. Numerous studies have found that urine from predators such as wolves, domestic cats, and wildcats has been found to evoke fear-associated behaviors in rodents such as freezing and aversion (4, 5).

Another common type of repellent used in pest control is electronic ultrasonic devices. These are devices that claim to use a wide acoustic range that specifically targets certain pests, causing irritation without affecting non-target organisms such as humans. These ultrasonic devices typically employ sounds above 18,000 Hz and are targeted towards mammalian and insect pests (e.g., spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, etc.).

However, it should be noted that a significant number of these devices have been tested in scientific studies without success (6). While there are some devices that have been found to work, the technology is still yet being developed.

Professional Removal

One common method for pest control that does not hurt the animals is through professional removal. Professional removal, or wildlife removal, is when the pests (typically mammalian pests such as raccoons, skunks, possums, etc.) are captured and safely relocated by wildlife professionals.

However, it is important to make sure that the animal caught is not a mother. Mothers can often be found exploring and scavenging for food as a way to bring food back home to their offspring. If a mother is relocated without the offspring, the offspring will probably perish.

Professional removal is also suggested to be a humane pest control method for bee nest removal. Although bees significantly contribute to the environment, many people are not keen on bees forming nests in their private property. Aggressive or agitated bees can be inclined to sting humans or pets, possibly causing an anaphylactic reaction to those who are allergic. Thus, for safety reasons, bee nests near residential homes should be addressed.

Physical Barriers

Adding physical barriers that hinder movement or entry can also be a humane pest control method. The physical barriers are specifically catered towards a group of target organisms. It is a straightforward method that either blocks entry or causes aversion in one way or another.

For example, fencing can be an effective way to prevent wild rabbits from entering the backyard garden. While the whole garden can be rabbit fenced, a cost-effective method would be to simply rabbit fence the garden bed that attracts these animals in the first place.

Another form of physical barrier that can be employed is using fishing wire against birds. Installing fishing wires in a crisscross pattern across a certain area can deter birds from moving about in the area as the translucent fishing wire can impede flight. This is an excellent method as the fishing wire control does not affect the aesthetics of the area while functionally deterring birds from the area.

To prevent rodents from entering the household, a great way to make sure all potential entry points are sealed up. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends identifying potential entry points around kitchen cabinets, doors, fireplaces, pipes, vents, and so on (7). Mice and rats can squeeze through holes which is why the holes have to be sealed correctly. Larger holes might require metal sheeting, cement, or hardware cloth. However, smaller holes can be filled with steel wool and caulk.

References

1. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/

2. http://www.connectjournals.com/

3. https://link.springer.com/

4. https://www.sciencemag.org/

5. https://journals.plos.org/

6. https://repository.arizona.edu/

7. https://www.cdc.gov/