6 Best Mouse Baits – Get the Perfect Bait for Mice!

Updated on by Jared Belson | Please note that there may be affiliate links on this page.

Whether you want to kill mice or just catch them and set them free at the side of the road, you'll always need the best mouse baits. Some will work on their own, and others are there to lure mice into traps. It's up to you to decide your preferred approach.

However, not all baits are equally good. So, to avoid wasting money and precious time, have a look at my top picks in this category. Also, read my tips on how to take matters into your own hands.

6 Best Mouse Baits – Most Effective Ones for Mice

JT Eaton's 704 Apple Bait Block Rodentcide uses Diphacinon, in a small concentration to dispose of mice swiftly. It takes only a few days for the anticoagulant to work, so you can use it to deal with small-scale infestations.

Each block in the pail contains one ounce of the JT Eaton Rodentcide. There are 64 blocs per pail, all of which are apple-flavored. Both mice and rats love apple-flavored baits, so getting them to eat it shouldn't be an issue.

The pail is tamper-proof, meaning that you can store it just about anywhere. In terms of pricing, this is one of the more affordable baits per ounce on the market.

However, the apple flavor is not always ideal. So you should be ready with a backup if you're dealing with a severe infestation. I would sometimes recommend this as a replacement bait if you're facing a bite shyness situation.

  • Very palatable
  • Affordable
  • Long shelf life
  • First-generation anticoagulant
  • Not as delicious as peanut butter-flavored baits

The Tomcat Mouse Killer is a much better mouse killer than an actual tomcat. This formula comes in packs of 16 bait blocks and accompanied by a refillable bait station.

I like the bait station design because it's covered and pretty much tamper-proof. The formula is very potent as a single bait block should be enough to kill up to a dozen adult mice.

Due to its design, I find the Tomcat Mouse Killer bait block and bait station combo to be an effective solution for indoor and outdoor exterminations. The weather resistance of the station is good enough that rain shouldn't come into contact with the bait blocks and dilute the poison.

The see-through cover also makes it easy to monitor the pests' activity and how much they like the bait.

  • Refillable station included
  • Very potent poison
  • Weatherproof
  • Tamper-proof with see-through lid
  • Not suitable for rats or larger rodents

The Farnam Just One Bite II comes in large 8lbs pails and contains 64 bait chunks. The formula uses Bromadiolone as the main active ingredient. Although it's not the fastest poison on the market, it still gets the job done in up to five days.

Even then, it's the quality of the bait or attractant that's crucial. Farnam uses S-methoprene as a safeguard against insect infestation. It maintains the palatability of the bait chunks for much longer.

Another nice feature is the donut shape of the chunks. Because of how they look, you can easily pin them to any surface you want. That way, you can make sure that one mouse won't leave with a chunk that's intended for several mice.

Because of the higher cost, I don't recommend this product if you only have one or two mice or rats roaming in the attic. But, it's good value for money if you're dealing with a severe infestation.

  • Highly palatable
  • Insect-proof
  • Can be pinned down the center
  • Reliable - kills in up to 5 days
  • Expensive for minor infestations or stragglers

Any poisoned bait that's strong enough to kill roof rats and Norway rats will be good enough for mice. The Tomcat Bait Chunks come in 4lbs pails and use a classic poison, Bromethalin, to kill mice in just a few days.

Because of how the poison reacts after ingesting, you can use a single chunk to kill multiple mice. That's because once mice eat a lethal dose, they won't feel the need to feed on it anymore. That will make room for others.

You can use this potent anticoagulant in residential treatments, but I also recommend it for agricultural applications. The design of the chunks increases the appeal of the bait because it has multiple edges and will make mice more likely to gnaw on the bait.

The food-grade attractants, as well as the use of paraffin, make this a very palatable mouse bait. Furthermore, the low wax content gives the bait chunks superior weather resistance so that you can use them inside and outside your home.

  • Can be fixed with stakes or rods
  • Excellent moisture and mold resistance
  • Food-grade attractant
  • Impressive weather resistance
  • No bait stations included

One of the best weather-resistant mouse baits comes courtesy of D-Con. This one's an affordable solution to your mice infestation, and it also comes with an excellent bait station. Between the low profile and compact design, you can place it virtually anywhere.

The bait station works particularly well when placed in the corner of a room where it might be more stable. Twelve baits are in each pack, and one bait block should be enough to kill at least a few mice.

The bait is covered with a see-through lid so that you can monitor the mice's activity. What's even better is that the poison starts showing results in three days. That makes it one of the fastest toxins on the market and ideal for small-scale DIY mouse exterminations.

  • 12 baits and a bait station
  • For indoor and outdoor use
  • Low-profile and tamper-proof
  • Fits perfectly around corners
  • Too small for large mice and rats

Here we have another Bromethalin-based rodenticide, but one that comes with a twist. Compared to most, this is perhaps the best all-weather mouse bait. The formulation of the bait blocks gives them superior weather, mold, and moisture resistance.

What's also nice is that the formula contains bitrex. This ingredient should make it repellent to kids, thus making it safer to use inside your home. One hundred twenty-eight bait blocks are in each TopGun Rodentcide pail.

One bait block is enough to kill a few mice, and the results should show in up to 48 hours. I like that this is a swift mouse killer and the fact that that it's not appealing to kids and pets.

The unique formulation uses a neurotoxin as well as a second-generation anticoagulant. These increase the palatability and hasten the ingestion of a lethal dose for both mice and rats. You may also appreciate the fact that it will work on larger rodents such as squirrels or chipmunks.

  • Broad-spectrum rodenticide
  • 128 bait blocks per pail
  • Contains neurotoxin and anticoagulant
  • Excellent weather resistance
  • The bait blocks are on the small side and not visually appealing

What Types of Mouse Baits Are There?

Three main types of mouse baits are available to homeowners. You have bait blocks, bait gel, and bait pellets, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

Most homeowners will prefer, and I agree, bait blocks and bait pellets. You can use a single bait block and chunk to kill multiple mice. There's a lot more to gnaw on, so you won't have to use too many chunks.

Pellets are easier to hide from pets and kids, and they usually contain a single lethal dose. Homeowners often use bait gel to target particular species of mice. But, bait gel is often not poisonous. Therefore, many use it for humane and kill traps to lure rodents.

There's also another type of bait, which is your food. Grains, seeds, peanut butter, cheese, and chocolate make for very effective mouse baits. You'll find that some homeowners even use these common household foods to up the palatability of the commercial bait blocks and chunks.

Some even use them directly on mouse traps.

Using Toxic Baits vs Traps

If you're using toxic baits, then you're looking to kill. Although they're not as fast as lethal traps, they're still fast and have a higher rate of success. Many traps are too sensitive or not sensitive enough.

I'm sure you've heard of instances when mice freely run to traps, grab the bait, and then run away. It happens more often than you think. And, it's not always because the homeowner failed to set it up the right way. Simply put, not all mouse traps are as good as advertised.

Toxic mouse baits, even though they kill within days, are more guaranteed to get the job done. That's because they're highly palatable, and the mice should gnaw on them until they get a lethal dose.

You should also consider the whole setup. Setting traps isn't always easy, nor is it finding the right spot for them. But putting down bait, even without low-profile bait stations, is a lot easier. But using toxic baits is not always a picnic either. By using baits, you can't control where the dead mice will end up. They may start stinking up the place if you don't actively monitor their activity.

A Few DIY Alternatives

If you're not particularly trusty of the products available on the market, you can buy yourself a few mouse traps. Once you have them lined up and ready to go, you can make your bait to lure the mice.

Anything with peanut butter is an excellent way to start. Even smearing plain peanut butter on the trigger should be enough to either catch or kill a mouse in a trap. You can go as far as combining peanut butter and an artificial sweetener. This combination can be lethal to mice due to the latter component.

If you don't want to bother with traps but want to try something else with peanut butter, use some leftover cement mix. The peanut butter is a very palatable attractant. And, the cement mix will harden once ingested and kill mice very fast.

Unfortunately, this is not a super reliable option or a set-it-and-forget-it method. If untouched, these homemade baits might need changing every two days or so. That's because cement dries pretty quickly.

Baking soda can kill mice too. Since mice can't expel carbon dioxide, they'll have a violent acidic reaction after ingesting enough baking soda. Mix it with chocolate or peanut butter to mask its scent and taste.

You may be thinking that I'm focusing too much on peanut butter. While that may be true, it's also one of the best ingredients you can use. And you can get away with using the cheapest one you can find too.

What Do Most Mouse Baits Contain?

The majority of manufacturers rely on first and second-generation anticoagulants, such as those listed in the products reviewed above. Depending on the concentration and the type of anticoagulant, you can expect mice to die after two to five days.

Apart from the actual poison, there are other ingredients in baits too. You'll notice that some formulas contain paraffin, artificial flavoring, and even some neurotoxins.

All of these ingredients are inactive ingredients, but they do play a vital role. They primarily make the bait very palatable. Secondly, some of them increase the moisture-wicking properties of the bait chunks.

Other ingredients may also help shape the chunks better and make them even more appealing to mice and rats. That's why even though most formulas may look similar on paper, in reality, they work at varying levels of success.

Buy Your Bait or Make It Yourself

Whichever route you choose, it's going to be a lot easier than you think. The critical thing to remember is that you should act as soon as you discover mice on your property. Leaving mice populations unchecked can pose serious health hazards, not to mention that these rodents have very short breeding cycles.

The sooner you start managing the situation, the less likely it will be that you'll need professional assistance. Commercially available baits may be useful, but they may not handle a very severe infestation. If you're facing a severe infestation, you might want to use several products from this list, or call an exterminator.

2 thoughts on “6 Best Mouse Baits – Get the Perfect Bait for Mice!”

  1. My pest control uses bait in outside bait stations that the mice love. They do not love the bait I replenish the stations with, which is Motomico Tom Cat Farm and Home With Bromethalin for rats, mice and meadow voles. I also use this to bait my small inside stations. What should I be using? HELP!

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