Where to release a mouse

[Red17]

Caught a mouse last night in a humane trap and looking to release it this morning. I was going to put it in the garden, but according to Google they can return if not released 2.5 miles away, which seems remarkable.

Now thinking of taking it to my allotment which is about a mile away, so what's the odds on it getting back?

 

[AndyRM]

Definitely not your garden, it'll be back in no time.

An allotment probably isn't the best idea either.

Ideally an empty field.

 

[steveindenmark]

Release it at least 2 miles from your house. You think I am joking? We were in the same position a couple of weeks ago.

We had a Mouse in the garden with particular markings. I caught it and released it in a field about a mile away.

3 days later it was back. I have no idea how it did it.

 

[DaveReading]

The conventional wisdom is that if you release a mouse a long way from its current habitat, it will probably not survive. We caught a couple in humane traps last year and I released them a mile or so away. Neither reappeared, fate unknown - maybe a meal for the local owl population, but at least they had a sporting chance ...

 

[grldtnr]

Release it at a local cattery, it will be humane, but doubt the cats' view on that!

 

[Dogtrousers]

I generally release mice out of traps onto my compost heap. I figure that the worms might fancy a bit of variety in their diet.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Guidance (which is linked from the RSPCA)...

Many ecologists suggest rats or mice released outside their territory are unlikely to survive, therefore live trapping and releasing elsewhere is likely to be less humane than using a good quality lethal snap trap, and is not recommended. Killing live rodents humanely is beyond the experience (or competence) of many people, and may pose a risk to those not skilled in this technique. If you are planning to kill live trapped rodents, you will need to make preparations for this in advance. Alternatively, seek advice from a trained and qualified pest controller from the outset. The Animal Welfare Act (2006) puts in place a duty of care for the welfare of all vertebrates under human control, so anyone holding a live wild rodent in a trap, in captivity or transporting it for release, could commit an offence under the Act if they were deemed to cause it any unnecessary suffering

My bold
https://www.ufaw.org.uk/rodent-control/humane-rodent-control-detailed-advice

 

[Stevo 666]

Caught a mouse last night in a humane trap and looking to release it this morning. I was going to put it in the garden, but according to Google they can return if not released 2.5 miles away, which seems remarkable.

Now thinking of taking it to my allotment which is about a mile away, so what's the odds on it getting back?

Depending on whether you dislike you neighbours, consider putting it over the fence?

 

[Homers Double]

Would you set it on fire before throwing it over?

 

[T4tomo]

3 days later it was back. I have no idea how it did it.

Do you have homing pigeons?

 

[Amanda P]

Release it at least 2 miles from your house. You think I am joking? We were in the same position a couple of weeks ago.

We had a Mouse in the garden with particular markings. I caught it and released it in a field about a mile away.

3 days later it was back. I have no idea how it did it.

Years ago I ran a study radio-tracking wood mice. On summer nights, males would occasionally but suddenly take off across the fields, and it would be all we could do to keep up with them as they scuttled across crops and through hedges. They’d easily cover a couple of miles in as many hours - and so would we in pursuit - but much less easily.

After being stationary but active for a bit, they’d then usually take off back to where they’d started, just as quickly.
They can cover the ground very quickly when they want to!

We were a bit mystified over what they were doing, until we realised that it was always males doing this: they were chasing a receptive female.

 

[numbnuts]

That's the trouble with humane traps, you have no where to chuck it, a lot easier when they are dead.

 

[Drago]

Fins a neighbour you don't like, release it through their letter box.

 

[Profpointy]

We just sling them out into the garden.
Though the ones we get in the house have been brought in by the cat

 

[wiggydiggy]

Guidance (which is linked from the RSPCA)...

Many ecologists suggest rats or mice released outside their territory are unlikely to survive, therefore live trapping and releasing elsewhere is likely to be less humane than using a good quality lethal snap trap, and is not recommended. Killing live rodents humanely is beyond the experience (or competence) of many people, and may pose a risk to those not skilled in this technique. If you are planning to kill live trapped rodents, you will need to make preparations for this in advance. Alternatively, seek advice from a trained and qualified pest controller from the outset. The Animal Welfare Act (2006) puts in place a duty of care for the welfare of all vertebrates under human control, so anyone holding a live wild rodent in a trap, in captivity or transporting it for release, could commit an offence under the Act if they were deemed to cause it any unnecessary suffering

My bold
https://www.ufaw.org.uk/rodent-control/humane-rodent-control-detailed-advice

I'd agree with that, we once tried to catch a mouse in a friends garage. I ended up stamping on the poor thing trying to stop it running away, that was 30+ years ago and I still remember it. The few times I've dealt with pests coming into the house now I use snap traps and have always found them dead in them.