On Monday, August 15, 2016 at 6:35:48 PM UTC-7, bob haller wrote:
On Monday, August 15, 2016 at 7:43:16 PM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
Why can't mice figure out that the trap is not a good thing for them?

I had been hearing scurrying sounds in the pump house while I was working
on the backflow valve, so, even though I hate to hurt animals, they were
living inside the blue bladder and I just don't know what mischief they can
do there.

So I put two rat traps next to the opening where the water pipes go into
the blue bladder pressure tank.

Wouldn't you know it, TWO mice were caught, one in each trap, with all the
peanut button licked clean from the trap closest to the entrance.

I assume mouse #1 got caught in rat trap #1 and died instantly (these are
the standard spring-loaded six-inch-long rat traps, so they're overkill for
mice).

Then, I assume mouse #2 licked clean trap #1 and then proceeded to trap #2.

QUESTION:
Why can't mice figure out that the trap is not a good thing for them?

I mean, can't they "see" the dead mouse in trap #1?
Can't they make that connection?

It boggles my mind that they can't figure this one out ahead of time.

PS: I didn't want to waste the mice, so I left them outside in the open,
and within an hour or two, something took them away (coyote? fox?
vulture?).

i use live traps for getting rid of mice. empty trap twice daily away from home

because, they have all the sex they want,
so the next best thing is food

they simply can't help themselves...?

marc