Primitive but effective mousetrap

[MossRoad]

Our cat lets us know there's a mouse in the wall... he sits there staring at the wall like he's on drugs or something. So then we know to set the trap in the basement directly under the wall. I bait these jawz traps with peanut butter. Usually get the mouse within half an hour. One time I set the trap, turned around and closed the door and heard SNAP!.... wasn't even 15 seconds! Anyhow, I've only had about 6 mice in the house in the last 5 years. This trap has never missed. So, 6 for 6 ain't much to talk about, but its batting 1000 for now.

Also, it will do some serious damage to your skin!

 

[MossRoad]

The Paiute deadfall.

That deadfall reminds me of the ojibwa bird trap. Simple and works.

 

[DrRod]

When I arrived at my cabin this week it was obvious that a mouse had moved in. I had always used D-Con pellets but it appears that they are being phased out or something because I no longer find them at the store. So I bought Dead End sticky trays -- two for a dollar. Put one out last night and found mouse dead on it this morning. Quickly disposed tray and all in the trash. Have to say I was impressed.

My old guy neighbor swears by the spinning can over a bucket method. But I hate finding a bucket of wet dead mice. Still, best way to go after multiple offenders in the garage where they nest in all the machines. Wish I could have cats but not here full time to care for them.

 

[oldpilgrim]

i use this

Tomcat with Bromethalin Bait Chunx, 4 lb. Pail - For Life Out Here

 

[dirtydan]

Had another dead rat this morning in my electric zapper I made. Will keep it out until I don't get any more. Might even make 2 or 3 more. Just made them from scraps I have laying around so no expense to it. Saw about 10 rats run out of the chicken house last night when I went to shut them up.
Most of my rats are out at my barn and chicken house where the grain is. I hate to poison around the house as I sure don't want a dead rat stinking the place up. Will put some more traps for them in the garage as that is where I have seen them last winter. All I ever got was mice in the rat traps though.

 

[bcp]

if you don''t put enough water in it, the little buggers will jump right out. I found that out for myself.

Instead of a 5gal bucket, use one of the plastic wastebaskets that is about 3 feet tall. Probably work for rats, too.

Bruce

 

[joefromga]

Sticky traps for mice won't usually work for rats. They can reach out and grab onto something and pull off. Rat stickies work on everything. I've had to kill live rats, though that were stuck. They make all sorts of noises.

 

[Ed of all trades]

i use this

Tomcat with Bromethalin Bait Chunx, 4 lb. Pail - For Life Out Here

I have been using this for years, good stuff, keep it under the house and have not had any mice in the house for years. Ed

 

[DrRod]

I have heard that when mice eat the poison they will seek water and so generally they go outside to die. Is that true?

 

[GLyford]

Had rats digging tunnels under the coop, looked like something out of a WW2 escape movie. Would go out to check for eggs and the feeder would be swinging on the chain. Put out glue traps and the ortho snap traps, and got a handful with each. The ortho directions said to use only once, but I rebaited them a couple of times with sunflower seeds and peanut butter. The rats are more wary than mice, and harder to trap. I'd move the traps onto wherever their latest paths were and get a few. If it weren't for the dogs I'd have put out baits...they say the new rat poisons can't be reversed at the vet unlike the old warfarin ones. I did buy some RidX "poisonless" baits (look like they use corn gluten?) but they also said to remove all sources of water, and I couldn't do that and still have any out for the hens.

Dug out my coop, propped it up a few extra inches, and lined underneath on blocks. Then put hardware cloth across the floor (they say a rat can climb through chicken wire) and put in fresh dirt for the hens to scratch through. Should have lined the coop floor to start with when I built it, I guess.

Got the "small" one of these rat proof feeders:
thecarpentershop.net/mediumplywoodchickenfeeder.html
As soon as that was in place, all signs of activity stopped. Near as I can tell, the buggers never got into the main feed bin, which is a 10 gallon tin trashcan with lid that just holds a 50lb bag of pellets.

So I'm not sure I ever got all the buggers, but they aren't actively bugging me at the moment.

To bring it all back to the original post, pretty sure fish-and-game outlaws deadfalls here, even for pests...that sure looks like a rewarding way to take them out.