Shrews

I keep mouse traps set in the garage all year long, especially around the buckets and pails where I store the bird seed. About a week ago I caught a shrew in one baited with cheese spread. A couple days ago I checked traps and one was totally missing. Gone. Nowhere to be seen. So I baited another trap and set it in the other’s place. Today I went to check traps and another was totally not there… the same spot the other trap went bye-bye. Now I’m really curious and went on a hunt. About twenty feet away I found both traps with partially eaten mouse carcasses in each. I re-bait one of the traps and set in back where they had been. An hour later I was working in the shop and heard the snap so I went to check and sure enough….another shrew. I might have to start setting those traps that pinch open and have a cavern that the critters stick their heads in and bait the trap with raw hamburger. I don’t mind shrews eating the mice but wish they’d get the job done OUTSIDE. Now it seems I have two kinds of critters to get rid of. Anybody else get shrews in their garages?

Sorry, this has nothing to do with shrews, but I had a trap go missing in my basement last year. Try as I might, I could not find it. About a week later, my nose lead me to it. Damn thing had gotten caught by the back leg and dragged the trap across the room and up onto the compressor of my chest freezer!

Oh, and then there was this mouse that I got in our kitchen a few weeks ago. It was either very hungry or just decided to put itself out of its misery.

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Thanks for the reminder boys. Heading out to bait the trap line now! Been good tracks since the snow.

That is a hilarious photo Ralph. I cant say I have ever seen that before. Back to the OP, I have caught a shrew or two over the years but never changed what was used for bait.

Oops! double post!

Hmmmm…. This may explain my missing traps! I have lost 3 in the past month and have yet to find them!

CBMN wrote:

I have caught a shrew or two over the years but never changed what was used for bait.

Shrews are serious meat eaters. Raw Hamburger is a great bait for them.

Shrews probably do more damage than mice,and they can make a trap go MIA.Gonna try one of those tin cat traps and bait it with pepperoni and peanut butter.

I remember hearing the chirp of shrews in the fall and winter. It’s amazing they can survive the winter being active considering their metabolism. Not to mention their size. I used to hear them chirp in the winter tunneling through the snow. Used to drive my dogs nuts.

Both traps I set outside the front of my house last night are GONE this morning. Outdoors with no nearby cover to hide.

I do “Saturation Trapping.” If I see one mouse, I put out 10 traps – they usually have friends with them….

I place the traps around the perimeter of the building because mice generally travel along walls, and as mentioned also near bird seed etc.

Milemark’s “mouse combo meal” of peanut butter and pepperoni is a great idea to multi-purpose the traps for both mice and shrews!

As to suicidal mice, we had one hang itself on a fly swatter handle.

Just read a study that says 30% of mouse traps disappear. Mostly because the mouse dragged them away. I just bought two new traps. I drilled and tethered them outside. We’ll see what happens next.

suzuki wrote:

Just read a study that says 30% of mouse traps disappear. Mostly because the mouse dragged them away. I just bought two new traps. I drilled and tethered them outside. We’ll see what happens next.

When you say you “tethered” the traps, did you tie them to a deadstick rod, and what pound test line do you use?

With outside traps it could just be a stray cat, possum, etc. that took the traps with the attached rodents.

Now you guys got me thinking.. I caught a couple shrews in the garage this summer. But, like others have said, I’m now missing 3 snap traps in the last month. I haven’t done any real digging to see where they went off too but now I want to find out!

suzuki wrote:

Just read a study that says 30% of mouse traps disappear. Mostly because the mouse dragged them away. I just bought two new traps. I drilled and tethered them outside. We’ll see what happens next.

Bingo. I just bought six new traps and have the corners drilled and light wire for a tether thru the holes. I think I see place under the workbench that may need a small piece of tin flashing tacked in place. I can get my hand and arm back in there BUT…..I’ll do the flashing.

I changed my ways to these!!!!

Cooked rat – No Thank You !!! does not sound tasty !!!

i havent had a mouse here at home in years. up at the cabin I trapped 30 of them this year……..some where the shrews or voles???????

I just use peanut butter.

That’s freaking hilarious Ralph!