On 2008-03-08 08:43:26 -0500, said:

I've had no mouse activity this Fall/Winter, then all of the sudden
within the last week there's poop everywhere.

I've put traps out. I have 2 kinds: spring traps, and the kind that
squeeze the mouse until he suffocates (my favorite).

I baited them with peanut butter, and the little *******s lick them
clean every night! I don't know how they do it. I've tested the
traps and they all have hair triggers. They usually go off when I'm
just setting them down.

What should I bait them with that will cause the little pricks to have
to work at it?

You have to decide what works best for you and your scenario, but I've
had great luck catching the little invaders with Tomcat catch-n-release
traps. No bait needed - caught every mouse in a short period of time.

The theory on them is based around a mouse's tendency to run along
wall-lines and it's curiosity to check out cubby holes. I've had both
windup and (currently) auto-setting versions of the trap. Here's a
vendor link, but they only picture what I'd assume is the "older" crank
version: http://www.motomco.com/h_mechtraps.htm Mine is flatter and
is just needs gravity to work - no wind up spring.

They call it the "Multiple Catch Mouse Trap".

My only advice on using this trap is one warning: THEY ARE VERY
EFFECTIVE. After you've caught you're little invader, do not store
the trap anywhere it can "accidentally" catch another mouse when you're
not regularly checking it. The smell will be your first indication the
storage space wasn't a good one.

I don't get a lot of mice in the house, but on the 5-10 occasions it's
happened, these traps have been bullet proof (and then some).