Neat mouse trap idea - cheap and easy

[HoleshotHolset]

We have a mouse issue at the old lady's house... they've been getting into all kinds of stuff and making a mess out of things.



We've tried the regular snap traps - the mice just licked the peanut butter off... we only got 2 of 'em this way. Glue traps seem to do nothing but temporarily trap them, rip out their fur and let 'em go with a freshly waxed bikini line... only one mouse captured so far with these.



We eliminated all of the potential food sources and are working on sealing off points of entry into the house. This is very important in the overall scheme of things.



Here's what you need to catch mice:

5 gallon plastic bucket

Peanut butter

Small wooden plank, etc.



Smear a bit of PB at the bottom of the bucket and setup the chunk of wood so that they climb right up it and get a good whiff of the PB. They end up jumping off the plank kamikazee style and do not have the means to get out. Sure, this isn't the most humane way to go (they dry out and die if you don't get to 'em in a day or so... )... but the damage they've done to the house = this means war!



I've got 7 mice so far with this method - the most successful means of trapping we've tried yet. This AM, there were 4 mice in one bucket! I found a live one in the bucket the other day and shot it with a BB gun to finish it off. Best of all - no poison for the (insert expletives here... ) cats to eat and keel over...



P. S. The mice seem to like Prestone antifreeze. Like I said - this means WAR! :-laf



Cheers,



Matt

 

[WDixon27]

caught a few like that in the trash can at work, i take em out in the parking lot with the dog on stand by dump em and watch the fun :-laf

 

[JoshPeters]

Thanks Matt! I've got a couple of buckets... . and my roommate just said she saw a mouse the other day!



While I'm sure I don't have a major mouse issue, those little B-tards breed faster than Rabbits!



Josh

 

[TORQUE THIS]

I found a live one in the bucket the other day and shot it with a BB gun to finish it off.

The mice seem to like Prestone antifreeze.

BB Gun, now that's just funny!!!!!

Prestone??? What, no #2??? :-laf

 

[wyosteve]

I use a similar method. Only I put about 4 in. of water in the bucket and then throw some foam 'packing peanuts' in with some peanut butter on one of them. The varmints crawl to the top of the board and can't see the water b/c the packing peanuts look like a firm surface. One jump w/o life vest--you know the rest. Saves on BB's!!

 

[NPloysa]

Reminds me of a mouse that found her way into a 5 gallon bucket of bird seed. She went there to give birth. I found it one day and let me dog chase them and eat them.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

my roommate just said she saw a mouse the other day!

Temporary thread hijack:

Since when do you have a FEMALE living in your house? I can see the occasional night here and there... but full-time?! :-laf

BB Gun, now that's just funny!!!!! Prestone??? What, no #2??? :-laf

Here's another recent BB gun/mouse story: One night, I found a mouse in the cellar with my 2-million candlepower handheld spotlight. They freeze like deer in the headlights when you burn their little beady retinas with that thing. I yelled up to the wife when I cornered it: "Honey!! Get the gun!" She came a runnin' down the stairs with the gun loaded and pumped for action. She held the light and I put the crosshairs on 'em using her head as a tripod to steady the weapon. Fun stuff. Talk about a Redneck moment. :-laf



Speaking from experience - antifreeze tastes better than #2.



wyosteve: VERY good idea. I may have to add your additions to the two buckets I have setup. Recently, one of the buggers ate a little bit of the PB, relieved him/herself a few dozen times and then must've jumped or climbed out. This is the one I need to get the most... I'm thinking it is the mastermind behind the whole operation.



The dogs love squirrels, but I'm not sure what they'd do with a mouse...



Cheers,



Matt

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Somehow, that is just too easy to picture...

 

[MCummings]

my roommate just said she saw a mouse the other day!

Yah, I was thinking that too. I was like, wow, hmmm,, My grades would be wayyy down...



Merrick

 

[JoshPeters]

The she at the moment is my roommate. I have 2. Jordan and Amy. (BF & GF)



Amy was doing laundry and saw one. Apparently she screamed so loud my dog started barking. (out door kennel)

 

[AMink]

Best of all - no poison for the (insert expletives here... ) cats to eat and keel over...

Seems like the cats are not earning their keep!



I remember hearing Rush Limbaugh telling how he sprayed PAM cooking spray on a mouse in a trash can so it couldn't get out, then shook the can 'til it was kaput. It was REALLY funny hearing it on the radio.

 

[bmoeller]

:-laf yes it was.

 

[Beach]

Will the bucket trick work with ground squirells or gopher's, whatever you call them. My brother has holes all over his back yard and has killed 3 so far be flushing them out with a garden hose and waiting at the exit with a pellet gun. He shot one 8-10 time's and it was still moving! Between me, my brother and the neighbor armed with shovel's, fire work's and pellet gun's, the other neighbor's must think we're nut's. The one neighbor lady sat out back with a lawn chair to watch us, and said she was'nt leaving until we got one! :-laf The gopher's are catching on to this method and I might try the bucket, but I don't know if they can jump out! Kind of sick entertainment, but fun when drinking!

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

Matt, the only other trick I have heard along the same lines of the bucket, is a 55 gallon drum, filled 1/2-3/4 with water and the plank. Farmers have used this for catching/killing their rats.

 

[BILLVO]

This was taught to me by my grandfather. Was used to kill and deter rats I am not sure about mice. Take real sponge material dry and put a bit of bacon grease on it. When a rat eats it the sponge swells in their throat or stomach and kills them. What he also taught me is just 1 dead rat in an area scares the rest away. I've tried it and it seems to work well. I have heard alkaseltzer properly flavored will bloat em up instantly. I have seen and done this with birds but never mice.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

The she at the moment is my roommate. I have 2. Jordan and Amy. (BF & GF)

I could make all kinds of comments about that. Only one is family-safe: "Three's Company". I can almost picture you as a Jack Tripper character... but I'm going to go with Mr. Roper for now. :-laf

Apparently she screamed so loud my dog started barking. (out door kennel)

Josh: That's no way to talk about your old lady...

Sorry folks, I'm full of 'em today. :-laf



AMink: You're right - the cats are merely decorative. They're like the towels hung up in the bathroom by some female along the way that you can't use for anything.



The dogs managed to find a secret underground lair of some wild wabbit youngins on Sunday... in the rain. We were trying to separate the dogs from the little ones whilst they commenced to scream bloody murder. The dogs didn't do more than try to play with 'em a little...



It's a jungle out there. There's lots of good advice in this thread. I hope it helps some folks out. I checked the buckets on Sunday and they were completely untouched in every way. Knock on wood - I think we're making headway.



Matt