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Is your mouse, gerbil, hamster, or other furry pet on the loose? Or maybe you need to catch a wild mouse that's scuttling around the house, either to keep as a pet or to deposit back outside when you just don't want to deal with the little corpses left behind by traditional trapping methods. The method outlined in the following steps provides a fantastic solution for catching your mice in a way that doesn't involve death and takes just a few minutes to assemble.



  1. 1
    Find a finished cardboard roll. A kitchen paper towel or toilet tissue roll is ideal for this purpose.
  2. 2
    Squash the cardboard tube so that the tube is flattened down one side. This creates a flat surface at the base of the tube, while leaving a small tunnel for the mouse to scuttle through. The end result will appear like a "D" shape, as pictured.
  3. 3
    Place bait into one end of the tube. Something like peanut butter is ideal.
  4. 4
    Place the tube over the edge of a countertop or table so that it balances precariously. Make sure that the end with the bait is hanging into the air.
  5. 5
    Place a tall trash can under the lip of the countertop or table over which you've balanced the tube. The trash can should be lined or clean so that you're not introducing additional germs to the creature.
    • Leave this set up overnight.
    • You may also wish to crumple up some paper towel or newspaper to create a soft layer in the bottom of the trash can. Make it a shallow layer – too high and the mouse may use it to climb to a height that it can use to jump out of the trash can.
  6. 6
    Wait. The mouse (or other furry creature) should be attracted by the bait and run into the tube trap. The trap will tip the mouse into the trash can; you'll know that it worked if the cardboard tube is in the trash can in the morning.
    • Wear gloves when handling the creature, or gently prod it into a smaller container using something like a shoehorn. Another alternative is to carry the entire trash can outside and tip it on its side and let the mouse run free.
  7. 7
    If you have no suitable surface for a mouse to fall into the trash can from, you can create a ramp from a simple cardboard box and "reset" your trap that way.
  8. 8
    Clean the trash can thoroughly with hot soapy water and dispose of any mouse poop using rubber gloves.


  • Use a garbage pail with smooth sides so the mouse can't climb out.
  • To keep the empty cardboard tube from rolling you can brace it with something small on either side such as rubber erasers.
  • Release the mouse several miles from your home to avoid any temptation to use your home for re-entry.
  • This trap can also be an effective method of re-capturing a pet rodent which has gotten loose.
  • Have a vet check out any mouse you wish to keep as a pet. This will help to ensure that it is healthy and disease-free.


  • Some cardboard will be easier to bend than others; if you find that your tube won't bend, try a different tube using a different weight of cardboard.
  • Don't reuse the empty paper towel tube or the crumpled up paper for any other purpose.
  • Rats can jump high, have big teeth, and can be fierce. Don't use this method to catch one (unless you're sure it is only your pet rat). If you somehow do catch a wild rat, move well away from it and have someone skilled in pest control deal with the situation.
  • Don't touch or get too near the mouse. It may bite you. Mice are surprisingly agile.
  • While this method is suitable and effective for recovering escaped pets, consider humane, lethal options for pest control.
    • Tagged rodents have been known to travel over two miles to return to their burrows. The mouse you release today is very likely to be the mouse you recapture tomorrow.
    • "Wild" mice are proven disease vectors. Wild mice may harbor ticks and fleas which can carry bacteria such as Lyme disease or viruses like the plague or rabies.
    • Transporting and releasing nuisance animals - especially in populated areas or into protected habitats - is a health hazard, and may subject you to criminal and civil penalties.
    • When considering the moral implications of live-release, consider the morality of releasing potentially diseased rodents where they can infect families, children, pets, livestock, or indigenous creatures. Saving the life of a mouse in no way justifies endangering the lives of humans.

Things You'll Need

  • Cardboard tube
  • Trash can (clean/lined)
  • Bait
  • Carrying container if taking mouse outside
  • Crumpled up newspaper or paper towel to line the base
  • Rubber gloves and disinfectant for clean up afterward

Article Info

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Categories: Featured Articles | Rodent Control

In other languages:

Español: hacer una trampa no letal para ratones, Italiano: Costruire una Trappola per Topi "Non Mortale", Русский: сделать мышеловку, которая не убивает, Português: Fazer uma Ratoeira "Não Mortal"


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