The old school snap trap (also known as a break-back trap) has been around for many years, traditionally a bait (my favorite bait being chocolate) is placed onto a spike on the platform of the trap then a bar (spring loaded) is put through the hoop holding the arm of the trap (the harmful bit), as the mouse places its paws onto the platform to reach the bait it triggers the sprung loaded arm to snap down on the mouse at the back of the neck thus breaking its back and killing it instantly.

Other forms of humane mouse traps come in the form of live-catch traps, these are generally trip-traps where the mouse enters the trap to reach the bait, when the mouse reaches a certain point of the device the trap will tip up allowing the door to close behind him thus trapping the mouse within the trap. If (as a lot of people do) you wish to release the mouse avoid letting it go in your back garden, as the chances are you will be catching that same mouse again in the future.

Other versions of the live-catch traps available are the multi-mouse catch trap and the automatic catch trap catching up to 10 mice and 15 mice (respectively) at a time, all live-catch traps need to be checked an a regular basis and should not be left for any periods longer than 24 hours, so if you are planning a weekend away do not set your traps, you can always leave the trap permanently open whilst away (this will allow the mice to get used to entering the trap without fear).

And the last mouse trap I am going to talk about is the electronic mouse killer, this unit is placed in the area of mouse sightings (along the run if possible, mice tend to run along walls/skirting boards because they feel safe on that side). As the mouse enters the trap to get at any bait placed he will put his paws onto metal plates within the unit and as the mouse makes a circuit with its paws he receives an electric shock killing him instantly. The dead mouse is easily removed and the unit can be used again.