A better mouse trap

[pinemead]

I have mice and use snap traps which are pretty effective most of the time. I refuse to use glue boards. A friend recommended a trap that he bought, so I got one. At Lowes it was $20 and works on batteries. The little critter goes in the box to eat the PB, stands on 2 metal plates and gets fatally zapped. The light blinks on the top of the box and all you do is open it and dump it. I like it. It should last many years and will always kill instantly as long as the batteries are charged. Just thought I'd pass along the info for those who like a quick kill.

[tamatik]

the worst i ever had was..a TIN CAT. its a live catch and the critters make scratching sounds 4ever til you dump it. It catches good but when youre trying to sleep.the noise is incessant.. Cabin fever has the best mousetrap (and cheapest) and its effective. pail and water and stick across with tin can on stick. very effective.

[wy_white_wolf]

I'll stick with my bucket trap. I was free as I already had all the parts,

[Pink_Carnation]

With the electric ones...sometimes the mouse survives the shock. Then they know to stay away from it.

[blue gecko]

I saw a cool snap trap the other day.
The Victor Quick Set. Looks very easy to use and you don't have to mess with the dead mouse:

http://www.victorpest.com/mouse_instructions.htm

[homesteadforty]

I'm still a snap trap guy but I do like the new versions of them.

There's a bait pan with cover (simply but your bait in the pan and close) and the snap arm has a handle on it. Simply bait, pull back the self setting arm and sit it down. It's very dificult to trigger until the critter lifts the pan cover.

Baiting and setting takes seconds and with the handle on the snap arm it's very easy to empty too.

The water bucket sounds like a great idea too as it's always set... gonna try that in the cellar.

[ergoman]

Much fewer missed mice with the victor. Dont have to adjust the trigger to get a light trap pressure like the old wooden ones.

[fishhead]

I use the Victor Quick set after using snap traps for years.

At first I would find the peanut butter licked off the trigger. I tried weighting the trigger with a paper clip but then discovered that by smearing the peanut butter on the roof of the trap over the trigger they were never able to lick it off without getting caught.

Some falls I think that if their fur was worth anything I could make a living trapping the little buggers.

[Vera]

Oh duh!! That's why my Quick Set traps never worked - I never thought of putting the bait in the "roof"! I don't remember any instructions to that effect either, or else I'd have done it right, LOL!

Fishhead, send excess mice please - my snakes are hungry, and with 3 cats inside and 3 cats outside plus my neighbor's cat, there's not so much as a mouse tail to be found on this here place.

I use traps and glue boards. The glue goards made with cardboard are great and versatile. Cut short pieces of PVC pipe and roll the glue board up inside. Works great along walls, easy to move, and kids and pets don't get stuck to them.

[pinemead]

Wish I'd seen the Victor Quick Set first. Oh well, maybe next paycheck. The big blacksnake keeps the numbers down in the basement and the cat gets one once in a while.

[Nellie]

Please describe the bucket method!!

We have one kitten left, anybody want it? It's got a taste for mouse already.

[Windy in Kansas]

Personally I find that with peppermint extract droplets scattered about where I don't want mice I have no need for mouse traps.

[Quint]

I'm sold on Snap-E traps from Kness manufacturing.

http://www.kness.com/Snap-E.html

These do the job better than any other I have used. You hardly ever get one that is thrown without a mouse in it. Probably has something to do with the distance the bail has to travel to the trip paddle. I even used some bigger ones for rats in a barn and they worked great.

I will say that their Tip-Traps are close to worthless on the farm. our country mice just kick the back out of the box (one even ran off with the bait lid) or tip the thing over on it's side. It might work with your run of the mill house mouse but their country cousins use brute force to get out of them.

[doohap]

Originally Posted by Nellie

Please describe the bucket method!! ...

I'd like to know, too.

Thanks,
doohap

[Turkeyfether]

Good Ol' Bucket Method!

Git yerself a spackling bucket. Stick a metal rod thru the top edges (in one end & out the other) & any bottle of water or soda bottle thu that. Smear peanut butter on the water bottle.A mouse will walk out there & flip over! Fall over into the bucket of water! Do you need more detail?? I'll send'ja a picture.

[wy_white_wolf]

There's several threads on the bucket method. and several variations of it. I use a tin can smeared with peanut butter and both ends cut out. Then cut down an old broom handle put it thru the can and lay it across the top op the bucket. Wrap the bucket with a blanket or something that the mouse can climb (or a board as a ramp).

When the mouse climbs out onto the can to get the peanut butter the can rolls dropping the mouse in the bucket. One it catches one mouse that helps to attract others.

[scorpian5]

I think you are supposed to put anti-freeze in the bucket.

[maidservant]

I have always used a live trap on the little buggers around here (except for the rats). I'll catch them, put them in quarrantine for a week, then in they go with the red tegu. I've never had one survive her! lol.

Em