I built this contraption yesterday to put out in the barn. The mice are chewing everything they can find...including the wiring on my tractor. Time to get serious. This is what it looked like when I got done.



Soooo... I go out to the barn today to check and this is what I found. Oh yeah.

Ah, wet naps.

What's in the bucket? (Besides mice.)

Is that soapy water?

Impressive. Even more so that you have figured out time travel. It’s already February down at LOZ?

I use something similar, you don't need the wood ramps if the bucket has a handle, they climb up just fine. I use a gutted bic style pen instead of a pop can and spray the wire with pam cooking spray.

A little explanation of use and construction might be helpful to some. I'm guessing you punched a hole in the center of each end of a soda can and positioned it in the middle of a wire like a piece of a coat hanger. You drilled a couple of small holes 180 degrees apart at the top of a 5 gallon plastic bucket to put the wire through. I assume the bait is peanut butter and the mouse jumps on the the can which spins and drops him into 2 inches of water where he goes to mouse heaven. I bought a couple of commercial ones with the diving board concept but yours is more simple and certainly is less expensive. Looks like it is working great!

Hmmm. I guess I will have to check the date on my little camera.

Yes, sorry about the lack of details. Drill two holes opposite each other near the top of a 5 gallon bucket. I cut the bottom wire off a coat hanger to use as my rod. Take an empty coke can (or anything similar) and drill two holes at the center of each end. Thread everything thru the two bucket holes. The can spins freely on the wire so when a mouse jumps to it they end up in the bucket. I put about three inches of water mixed with a little dish soap to aid in their drowning. Spread peanut butter over the can as evenly all the way around as you can get. Maybe you don't need the ramps but I was eager to get them in the bucket.

I've got a mouse or mice in my garage that are chewing open my bags of bird seed/sunflower seeds. I'm baiting my traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and somehow they are defeating them, springing the traps, and getting the bait.

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
I've got a mouse or mice in my garage that are chewing open my bags of bird seed/sunflower seeds. I'm baiting my traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and somehow they are defeating them, springing the traps, and getting the bait.

Maybe try a couple of bait stations?

I built one similar in my shop, first fall/winter I got 36 mice and one mink. I use hydronic antifreeze in mine. Really surprised by the mink!

quote:

Originally posted by EZ_B:

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
I've got a mouse or mice in my garage that are chewing open my bags of bird seed/sunflower seeds. I'm baiting my traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and somehow they are defeating them, springing the traps, and getting the bait.

Maybe try a couple of bait stations?

That's my next plan. I have some, I just haven't set them out yet. I really want a carcass. I just have this thing about them running off somewhere and dying inside my garage. Also, I want to know how the little bastard is tripping the trap and eating the bait without getting caught. The traps with the yellow plastic trip lever have the lightest hair trigger I've seen. I think that might have something to do with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
I've got a mouse or mice in my garage that are chewing open my bags of bird seed/sunflower seeds. I'm baiting my traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and somehow they are defeating them, springing the traps, and getting the bait.

I would get a 30 gallon plastic garbage can with a lid and put your birdseed in that. You can still set traps around it.

I still use the 'original' snap traps. So satisfying to find a rat or mouse that made a bad choice...

quote:

Originally posted by Gene Hillman:

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
I've got a mouse or mice in my garage that are chewing open my bags of bird seed/sunflower seeds. I'm baiting my traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and somehow they are defeating them, springing the traps, and getting the bait.

I would get a 30 gallon plastic garbage can with a lid and put your birdseed in that. You can still set traps around it.

They ate holes in the plastic garbage can I kept chicken feed in. Had to go with steel.

quote:

Originally posted by az4783054:
I still use the 'original' snap traps. So satisfying to find a rat or mouse that made a bad choice...

Yep! I want a trophy.

A couple of weeks from now I don't want to say to myself, "What's that smell?"

Excellent invention, Bassamatic!

Do you think this would work?

The problem I see with the water traps is freezing in cold weather. I do like the electric one, and wonder if it might do well with squirrels?

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
Do you think this would work?...

Oh, a "mouse heaven" transporter.

quote:

Originally posted by Watergoat:
The problem I see with the water traps is freezing in cold weather. I do like the electric one, and wonder if it might do well with squirrels?

Instead of water I use I use used antifreeze or engine oil, or maby a couple of gallon's of diesel get donated to the cause.

I build mine on 30 gal drums and several rollers of different materials and bait types. I built one out of a old 300 gal fuel tank and 4 inch PVC pipe. It has gotten racoons and skunks.

It is out on a farm that sometimes I don't get out to for months. The oder can be impressive.