Ultimate mouse trap

[Chet18013]

Every once in a while the topic of mouse control in a stored RV comes up. About 8 years ago, I posted a photo of my "Ultimate Mouse Trap", which didn't make the transfer to the new forum when we left Compuserve. I just happen to find  the photo again, so here it is.

The 5 gallon bucket has about 2 " of antifreeze in the bottom of it. The round drum is a SMOOTH plastic bottle or metal can. The tan spots on the drum are peanut butter. You cut two "V" notches in the top of the 5 gallon bucket so the drum is held in place and can rotate.

A mouse will climb up the 1" x 1" stick ramp, follow his nose to the peanut butter, slide off the drum as he tries to get the peanut butter and drowns in the antifreeze.

I have eliminated anywhere from 2 to 14 mice in a season with this setup.

Using a disposable latex glove and a zipplock bag, the mice are easily extracted and disposed of in the outgoing garbage.

Chet18013

 

[Marsha/CA]

Oh my, and I couldn't boil live lobsters for dinner the other night here in Canada; however I have no doubt it works very effectively. 

When we kept the horses at home with us, I'd find lots of mice in the water tanks.  They would climb up the sides....fall in!  After a few barn cats moved in, there were no more mice in the tanks.

Marsha~

 

[John From Detroit]

Gee... I use a pair of Cats

 

[Tom]

Thanks Chet. The photo actually made it over, but IIRC I didn't know who to attribute it to. Guess I should have asked 

 

[Chet18013]

Gee... I use a pair of Cats

When the RV is storage for the winter?  You're cruel.

Chet18013

 

[Pubtym]

Wait till Jiffy and PITA hear about this!

Charlie

 

[scottydl]

Just want to revive this thread a bit, and sing the praises of this mouse trap design!

We've had an additional detached garage built (unfortunately not big enough for the MH to fit inside), and during the construction I had to move our RV from the driveway and store it at a local campground.  Upon checking it some weeks back, I learned the sad lesson that the area has a lot of mice.    There were droppings all throughout my MH, in drawers/cabinets, shower floor, sink. and shredded Kleenex everywhere (I had left a box up by the driver's seat).  Some more cabinet checking revealed an entire mouse hotel's worth of mouse bedding made from Kleenex bits and chewed-through clothing.    I cleaned it all out and plotted my revenge.

I built an identical "bucket trap" as shown by Chet using a plastic peanut butter jar spinning on a dowel rod for the deadly suspended rotation.  Filled it about 4" deep with antifreeze since I knew I wouldn't be back to the rig for a week or two.  The garage is now done and I went to get the RV and bring 'er home today.  4 dead mice in there!  Dumped the bucket in the woods and didn't have to touch a thing.

This trap will be a permanent fixture in my winterized RV from now on.

 

[taoshum]

As bad as it sounds to have droppings/nests all over... the real risk is that they chew the insulation off the wires and you end up with lots of electrical problems that are really difficult to find and fix

 

[razu13612]

Comment on the Olympic Swim Tryout......... We have been using that device for quite some time at hunting camp, works GREAT.... I add about 2 TBs of dish soap to the antifreeze...... This cuts the oil in the mouse fur and speeds their demise (I think, as I do NOT have any first hand reports to analysis. 

For those JIFFY & PITA and other bark eating / tree hugging folks......... The mice are Olympic Long Distance Swimmers that have just failed their tryouts.  In a lobsters case, they would be applicants for the same swimming positions, only in a heated pool........

 

[John From Detroit]

Gee. I have two ultimate mouse traps in this motor home.

here is a somewhat old photo of one of them

http://www.arcamax.com/catsanddogs/galpic-55872

 

[paulownia]

I have the "ultimate trap".  A ten year old house cat.  She will not even look at them. I guess she has never seen me eat one.
But peanut butter on any type of trap works.  It is so good I think it draws the neighbors spare mouses.

 

[rjdodger]

I use the plastic "snappy" type traps from Victor:  http://www.victorpest.com/store/rodent-control/b130-2

I bait them with Jiff peanut butter and set them right next to the tires on my RV and Harley. Never have to touch the mouse and I can reuse them indefinately.

 

[scottydl]

I use the plastic "snappy" type traps from Victor:  http://www.victorpest.com/store/rodent-control/b130-2

I bait them with Jiff peanut butter and set them right next to the tires on my RV and Harley. Never have to touch the mouse and I can reuse them indefinately.

I use those in my garage, and I like them too.  But for the RV in storage (when it was away from my house) the antifreeze-filled bucket trap has a "preservation" effect that none of the others do.

 

[rjdodger]

I use those in my garage, and I like them too.  But for the RV in storage (when it was away from my house) the antifreeze-filled bucket trap has a "preservation" effect that none of the others do.

Yeah that's right. If your RV isn't close by it would be a problem. I go on "mouse patrol" 3-4 times per week. Usually have around 3 per week average to dispose of. Lately the numbers have been dwindling!

 

[acesneights1]

Wow, talk about building "A better mouse trap". I love it. Construction begins tomorrow. ;D

 

[John From Detroit]

You know.. For some reasons I don't have a mouse problem here.

Actually for two reasons.. The queen, AMBER, and her Tom, Alex.

They are very good mouse, fly, moth, and other creepy/crawly traps.

 

[rrogers44]

Dumped the bucket in the woods and didn't have to touch a thing.

Not good to dump antifreeze.

 

[BigDogGus]

Dumped the bucket in the woods and didn't have to touch a thing.

Not good to dump antifreeze.

Please be VERY careful using the ethylene glycol (bright green) type of antifreeze.  Pets, and animals in general, find it very tasty, and it will kill them even after ingesting only a slight amount.  Good for rodents... BAD for pets!!!  Dumping it on the ground will very likely lead to some animal trying to drink it.  So, if you're using this method, don't be afraid to scoop the dead rodents out.  And dispose of the used antifreeze properly!

Check this out...
http://www.2ndchance.info/antifreeze.htm

 

[scottydl]

Just to clarify, the spot where I dumped the antifreeze (maybe a couple quarts max) was a section of woods adjacent to a then-deserted campground, in the middle of winter with 6" of snow on the ground, with no houses or other residents/pets within a mile.  I'm not too worried about the ecological effects there.   

I've also heard the stories of antifreeze being gulped by pets or teenagers (finding in a barn and thinking it was whiskey) with tragic effects... but never actually known that to happen in reality.  I'm not saying the stuff isn't poisonous or it couldn't happen, but it doesn't seem to be very likely compared to the many other dangers we face daily... such as going after a peanut butter snack and drowning in a huge BUCKET of antifreeze!    This is a very real daily threat for any mice that invade my RV when it's in winter storage.

 

[boatbuilder]

It only takes about a teaspoon of ethylene glycol antifreeze to kill a cat.  I lost one last year due to a neighbor cleaning up her property and the salvage yard caught a hose on a tree stump pulling an old car out.  It was not a malicious act by any means but just as deadly.  In many states it carries the same penalties as dumping used oil.