A better mouse trap?

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jymbee

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Feb 20, 2018
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Location
Upstate NY
I typically buy the "usual" mouse trap such as the Victor traps with the metal hook thing or the traps with the yellow plastic platform for the bait.

Seems to me that all these have QC issues these days as many after one SNAP just fall apart. Others simply don't work where the critters just eat the bait without getting trapped.

Looking around at the state-of-the-art in mouse murder machines these days and... OMG!l Obviously I haven't been paying attention as there are dozens of options out there ranging from the standard spring type to something called a "Flip N Slide Bucket Lid Mouse/Rat Trap" for 30 bucks + 10 bucks shipping!

We do use bucket traps outside but would like to find an effective trap to catch those that manage to penetrate beyond that line of defense. Suggestions?
 
I put a bucket trap inside my garage while I’m in FL and I put a bucket trap inside my rig while it’s parked next to my house in a fairly grassy area. This just reminds me that I have to go empty it. It looked like I had around 12 mice in the bucket. What a job they would have done if I didn’t catch them. I did have to open my front compartment and found mice crap throughout. I’m going to make another one for that area for next winter.
 
Cats are the best mouse traps.

Agree, if you’re able to reward them with a simple bowl of food. Kinda hard when you’re 1500 miles away and they would have to be locked in a RV 24 hours a day. 😅😂🤣🥲 I think the mice would win out and eat the cat
 
I just got up the ambition to empty my 2 traps. You’re not going to believe this. I had a trap in my garage and I had 18 dead mice in there. The trap in my RV had 19. What a field day they would have had. Bucket trap is the ONLY way to go. I saved the antifreeze by taking a 3rd bucket and covering the top with a piece of window screen. Then I dumped all the fluid into that bucket to a point that all was left were the mice. I threw them in the woods, then dumped the antifreeze back into the bucket trap. I’m going to add a little water and I’m all ready for them little s_ _ts for next winter.
 
We stopped at a little antique store in a small town. While talking with the owner his cat came up with a mouse in his mouth, The owner gave him the "Bad Cat" routine. I thought the guy liked mice..? Then he told us that he got the cat to control mice in the shop. He rewarded the cat for every mouse caught. Now that all the mice in the shop were gone the cat goes outside, catches mice and brings them inside alive..."Bad Cat."

I like the plastic traps with the hood over the top. East to set without snapping yourself and they never miss and last forever. They have a little cup inside for just a touch of peanut butter and because of the hood the mouse has to approach the bait from one direction. We don't have a big mouse problem so a couple of traps does the job.
 
Then I dumped all the fluid into that bucket to a point that all was left were the mice. I threw them in the woods, then dumped the antifreeze back into the bucket trap.
Hopefully that anti-freeze is of the non-toxic variety. You might end up seeing some sick or dead cats, or other mice eating creatures that have eaten the antifreeze soaked mice.
 
I'd never seen a bucket mousetrap. Had a guess which turned out correct when I googled it. Lots of different types but here's a pic of one. bucket mouse trap.jpg
 
Yep, here's the original Ultimate mouse trap thread from 2009 on bucket traps. I built my own the next year with great success. Total cost of a few dollars using a 5-gallon bucket, a dowel rod to hold a "skewered" empty plastic water bottle that will spin, and a thin piece of wood acting as a ramp up to the dowel/bottle. Put some dabs of peanut butter on the bottle and RV antifreeze in the bucket... works like a charm. I'm a believer!
 
That one is a little too fancy. All you need is a one wire coat hanger, a bucket and some type of plastic bottle or cylinder.
Drill a couple of 1/8” holes in the bucket to accept the wire. Drill a hole on the bottom of a bottle and through the cap. Slide the coat hanger through the bucket holes and the bottle. Just make sure it spins freely. Then get a piece of scrap wood for a ramp, paste on some peanut butter and add antifreeze so it’s about 3” or more deep. I use the pink stuff. Non toxic.
The screw at the end of the ramp is just to keep the ramp from falling. It just sticks inside the bucket not through it.
 
Heck at less than $2 for 4 Victor traps, I just throw the mice and traps away. No need to recycle the traps. BTW I found that raisins are the best bait to use. It sticks to the bait trigger.

Hey Rene, why anitfreeze in a bucket rather just plain water to drown them?

I've tried bucket trap in the shop but not to successful.
 
I go to Fl in the winter and winters here in NH get well below freezing. Water would just freeze then the mice could ice skate.
If I was in a area where freezing was not a issue, I would only use water
 
In addition to not freezing, antifreeze also has a preservation effect to limit decomposition & foul odors if the trap sits there "live" for weeks or months (such as in a stored RV during the off season).
 
Have not read all the posts here but from my experience, the glue traps are easy, catches everything (bugs ants etc) cheap and they easily slip under cabinets, draws etc. I have used just about everything out there. The glue strips are the easy front runner. They do put the creatures through a slow death so if that worries the user, a compromise must be made. I have yet to catch any rodents in the motor home but have caught every bug that's visited. The traps last indefinately or until it becomes necessary to remove them. My traps are in their 4th year and will still stop anything that comes in contact with them.

I used the glue strips many years ago at different properties. They are 2nd to none, fool proof, easy to set up and not very expensive.
 
I couldn’t imagine what my trailer would have smelled like if I had 19 mice stuck in glue traps for all winter and spring. They may work for some people but not in my case.
 
Heck at less than $2 for 4 Victor traps, I just throw the mice and traps away. No need to recycle the traps.
Ah-- a mouse trap sales person in our midst I see! :D

But seriously, you have a point and discarding trap with mouse is a method she prefers. Just think it not unreasonable to get more than one use out of them.
 
I've used the bucket trap for rats (with water in the bottom of the bucket.. it's real gross), electronic zapper traps, and the cheap spring traps. I use nothing but the cheap traps now .. just my preference.
 

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