Scared to Pick Up Dead Mouse [What to Do]

If you catch a mouse using a trap, you’ll also have to deal with the not-so-pleasant task of disposing of the caught rodent. And it could also turn out that you are too scared to pick up dead mouse, especially with news making rounds about how infectious a dead rodent can be.

Well, this expert guide will help you follow a safe method to deal with the fear. But before you start, it is really important to know that you must not touch mice with bare hands, whether they’re dead or alive. Do not also touch their poop or nests either. Why? Well, these little critters can spread various diseases to people, like hantavirus, fever, rat-bite fever, plague, salmonella, and others.

So, to stay safe, we have recommended what you should do.

Scared to Pick Up Dead Mouse: What to Do

Again, you can’t touch a dead mouse with your bare hands, not even the mouse trap. Instead, here’s what you should do:

1. Wear rubber gloves to pick up the dead mouse. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), you can use rubber or plastic gloves.
2. Spray the dead mouse and the nearby area with a disinfectant or a mix of bleach and water.
3. Put the mouse in a plastic bag. You can keep the trap for later or throw it away too.
4. Put anything that the mouse has touched, like poop, nesting stuff, or food, into the bag too.
5. Close the bag. Don’t squeeze out the extra air because that might spread germs, bacteria, or viruses that the mouse had.
6. Put the closed bag inside another bag and close that one too.
7. Put the bag in the trash. The trash must be airtight.
8. Clean your hands wearing gloves with soap and water, or use disinfectant spray.
9. Take off the gloves and put them in the trash.
10. After you take off the gloves, make sure to wash your bare hands with soap and water.

Did you find the mouse indoors or in a frequently-used area? You might want to clean the space with disinfectant.

If you are unsure how to properly wash your hands after disposing of a dead mouse, this WHO (World Health Organization) video will help.

And if you are still too scared to even get close to the dead mouse, call your local pest control provider to help get rid of it as well as treat your home (in the case of severe mice infestation).

Where Should I Put a Dead Mouse?

Before you proceed, understand that some regions may have specific regulations regarding the disposal of dead rodents. So, it is always a good idea to check with your local waste management or animal control department to ensure you’re following local guidelines. Meanwhile, here are safe places you should put a dead mouse:

1. In a bag. Place the dead mouse in a plastic bag, and then place that bag inside another one to ensure it is securely sealed.
2. Use a secure container. If you want to be extra cautious, you can place the bagged mouse inside a container with a tight-fitting lid before disposing of it.
3. Dispose of in regular trash. In many areas, you can dispose of a bagged dead mouse in your regular garbage bin. This is often considered to be a safe method of disposal.
4. Do not compost or recycle. Dead rodents should not be placed in compost or recycling bins.

When picking a location for the final resting place of the dead animal, it must be outside where no one will be playing around, such as a garbage can.

Invest in a Clean Mouse Trap

If you want to stay safe from mice that might have diseases since you are too scared to pick up dead mouse, consider getting the Victor M250SSR-2 Indoor Electronic Humane Mouse Trap. This trap does not require no touch and you won’t even see the dead rodent.

We have tested this trap on your behalf and can confirm that it works. The trap arrived and was set up with bait in the suspected area where the mouse originated. A spray bottle filled with vinegar was also used around the perimeter, where the mouse seemed to frequent (a location indicated by a cat, not observed personally).

For the first few days, nothing appeared in the traps, leading to the belief that the vinegar hack found online was effective. However, a heavy feel and a visual inspection of a tail inside the trap indicated a catch.

The old batteries seemed to be dying, but once they were noticed, the trap was picked up, taken outside, and the mouse was dumped out.

Some cons of this trap to note:

• Cost. It’s a bit expensive, and a lower price would be appreciated.
• Notification system. There should be a better way to alert the user when a mouse has been caught, as it was only discovered due to the red light for the battery.
• Additional accessories. It would be beneficial if refill chambers and cleaning tools were included in the purchase price.

Note that this is not a review to sell you a product but to solve your problem so that you don’t have to deal with handling a dead mouse in the future.

Call an Exterminator to Assess the Severity of the Issue

Remember, you usually won’t find just one mouse – as long as you caught one. They often live in groups of 4, 8, 10, or even more. If you’ve found one dead mouse, it’s likely there are others nearby.

But you can deal with this – just call your local professional exterminator. They’ll carefully check your entire home for signs of an infestation. If they find any, they will remove the mice quickly and also implement measures to stop them from returning. That way, you don’t have to bother about being too scared to pick up dead mouse again.