Share
News

Clever Man Dumps Peanut Oil into a Bowl and Sets Up Night Vision Camera, Mice Can't Resist

Share

As an animal lover, I sometimes find it hard to come to terms with trapping mice. Yes, I know they are pests. They can bring unwanted diseases like Hantavirus and they don’t come alone.

Mice invasions inside your house are hard to combat, so people usually turn to traps to get the situation back under control.

In lieu of traditional spring-loaded mouse traps (which don’t always work), there has been a push in recent years to use “live traps” instead. Many people also claim that they are more humane.

But not all live traps are created equal. One woman saved a tortured mouse from a glue trap and passed along a message in a video.

“If you have mice in your house, do not try to kill it with the sticky traps because this is horrible. They get stuck and then they half-die and then they sit there half dying and crying,” she said through tears. “It’s a very inhumane way to kill a mouse. Don’t do it.”



So what are the other options? YouTuber Shawn Woods went about trying to find out.

Someone had sent him a link to a video that had been posted seven years ago which showed using oil to humanely catch mice, so Woods decided to test it out.

He first filled a shallow bowl with peanut oil and then set up a camera to watch overnight to see if he will catch any mice.

“Now I’m assuming the mice will come, be curious, jump down in the little bowl, be caught in the oil get all slippery and try to get out,” Woods said. “But they can’t.”

So he put the bowl in his barn that was full of mice and the night vision showed exactly how effective the trap was.



As Woods predicted, the mice were curious what was in the bottom of the bowl. One by one, they climbed to the edge and slipped down into the bowl.

Seven mice were eventually caught at the bottom; they were slippery with oil so they couldn’t get out. But the oil wasn’t hurting them, they just couldn’t climb out.

Related:
Thermal Imaging Deployed, Locals Told to Secure Doors and Windows After 43 Monkeys Escape from Research Facility

After catching the mice, all you have to do is clean the oil off of them and then set them free in a field away from your house.

Woods showed an easy way to clean them off that is similar to how he trapped them. Put soapy water at the bottom of a shallow bowl and let the mice walk through it to clean themselves off. Make sure that the water is shallow enough so the poor mice don’t have to swim since they will be exhausted from trying to escape the oil all night.

Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best uplifting stories here.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, ,
Share
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation