Mice don’t actually like cheese?
In 2006, researchers from the UK’s Manchester Metropolitan University found that mice prefer sweets over cheeses. Cheese doesn’t appear naturally in their diet, or in the wild, so it’s not all that hard to believe.
According to the findings, a mouse diet is mostly made up of grains and fruit that were both high in sugar. The study was part of a wider project into what foods attract and repel animals.
Animal behaviorist Dr. David Holmes, the head of the research project, said “Studies found that mice prefer foods with lots of sugar like chocolates and cheese does not fit that.”
He continues, “Mice respond to the smell, texture and taste of food. Cheese is something that would not be available to them in their natural environment and so not something they would respond to.”
So what should you use for bait? Peanut butter. Both odor and taste attract mice and are effective in mousetraps.
Bonus factoid: Mouse urine has a fluorescent glow. A blacklight can be useful in determining the presence of mice.
