Expert: Stephen Vantassel - 4/9/2006

Question
I just wondered,how do you remove mice without killing them? I get the odd one in the house and I don't like killing them,from now on I just want to catch them and put them outside

Answer
If you understand that by not killing them you mean not killing them directly, then the answer is to install oneway doors on the home's opennings and to seal up everything else. You will need to tighten up your house, that means secure every crack and crevice that is 1/4 inch in diameter or larger from the ground to the top of your roof.

Understand that house mice are an invasive species in the U.S. they don't belong here. Don't think that eviction from your home won't cause their death. translocation of animals is very stressful. It makes people feel good and sometimes animals survive the move. But some also die.
You should also know that the exclusion needed for the structure is difficult and will need to be monitored on a regular basis as mice can chew new opennings.  I trust you don't have bird feeders as this will only increase the rodent pressure.
finally you should be aware that under no circumstances should you tolerate mice in your building. Mice can chew electrical wires and cause a life threatening fire and are harmful in other ways. If you want to learn more about the effective control of mice visit http://icwdm.org