Walk the plank mouse trap

[dragoneggs]

The walk the plank trap REALLY works. I've caught over 30 so far. I've tried many different types of traps and the walk the plank is by far the most effective.

What is your set up?

 

[brokenhornmw]

I just received mine today and set one up in my garage with PB, we will see

 

[SandburRanch]

I think I'm going to order one of these. Seems strange that they would just come across and explore it for no good reason other than it's there. .

The reason they enter is a mouse is continually looking for a nest building site and that looks interesting. Better there than in your lawn mower shroud.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

What is your set up?

I ordered the plank mechanism on Ebay from a guy in KY that makes them, $15 if I remember correctly. There are some cheaper Chinese knockoffs on Ebay, but they didn't have very good feedback ratings.

The instructions with the one I got recommended cutting a rectangular hole in the side of a five gallon bucket just under the lid lip and have the ramp go up to the hole. You can just route the ramp to go over the top of the bucket, but I like the hole idea better. That's how I did it.

Since the trap is at a remote property I own, I am not able to check it daily or even weekly, just when I go to the property. I substituted antifreeze for water in the bucket. I don't notice any smell when I check it. I use peanut butter as the enticement for the mice to "walk the plank" to their demise. I got 19 the first setting. The numbers are now decreasing, but I feel comfortable that is due to a greatly reduced population.

 

[dragoneggs]

I ordered the plank mechanism on Ebay from a guy in KY that makes them, $15 if I remember correctly. There are some cheaper Chinese knockoffs on Ebay, but they didn't have very good feedback ratings.

The instructions with the one I got recommended cutting a rectangular hole in the side of a five gallon bucket just under the lid lip and have the ramp go up to the hole. You can just route the ramp to go over the top of the bucket, but I like the hole idea better. That's how I did it.

Since the trap is at a remote property I own, I am not able to check it daily or even weekly, just when I go to the property. I substituted antifreeze for water in the bucket. I don't notice any smell when I check it. I use peanut butter as the enticement for the mice to "walk the plank" to their demise. I got 19 the first setting. The numbers are now decreasing, but I feel comfortable that is due to a greatly reduced population.

Where do you put the peanut butter... inside the bucket on the wall? I like the antifreeze idea and maybe a lid on it... set it and forget about it for a while.

 

[goeduck]

It seems the peanut butter would get wiped off the plank when the mouse slides down? There was a comment a while back about the underside of the plank which makes sense. Is this how it is done?

I have the homemade spinning bottle setup which is similar.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Where do you put the peanut butter... inside the bucket on the wall? I like the antifreeze idea and maybe a lid on it... set it and forget about it for a while.

On the end of the plank. When they walk toward the peanut butter, the plank trips to put them in the liquid and then resets all in one continuous motion.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

It seems the peanut butter would get wiped off the plank when the mouse slides down? There was a comment a while back about the underside of the plank which makes sense. Is this how it is done?

I have the homemade spinning bottle setup which is similar.

A small amount of peanut butter probably gets wiped off with each cycle but not enough to make them stop coming. Like I said in a previous post, I got 19 without any replenishment of the peanut butter.

 

[dragoneggs]

On the end of the plank. When they walk toward the peanut butter, the plank trips to put them in the liquid and then resets all in one continuous motion.

Aha... I get it, like a teeter totter!

 

[PILOON]

My first experience with a 'mouse bucket trap' was when I had left a bucket alongside my fireplace and some popcorn kernels had fallen in.
I was awoken during the night hearing thump thump or plop plop as the mouse continuously tried to jump out.

From that experience I used peanut butter for bait then added some water to deaden the sound.*

No fancy lids, no fancy ramps shucks if you simply hung a rag on the bucket side (tie it to where the bail meets the rim) they would climb in as the lure of PB would do the trick.
PB is a proven best bait for trapping rodents, better than cheese. (as later confirmed on net searches)

*2 inches of water and the PB smeared on a 2 1/2 inch stone placed in center of bucket

 

[goeduck]

The water is important as it restricts the ability to jump out. I did see a video of a mouse jumping out of a bucket. The water also ends things quicker.

 

[caver]

I have had two zapper rat traps, a Kness Ketch all, simple wooden snap rat trap with spikes of death nailed around the edges and treadle type traps where they have to step onto a treadle to reach the bait. I also use Ramik green balls. The treadle type has probably had the best success on rats. The zappers get funky if you can't check them everyday causes the dead carcass to ooze and create a short circuit for the high voltage. The ketch all would hang up and just wasn't impressed with it considering the high cost. I did try a bucket roller trap but had limited results. I do want to try the plank trap. I find late Fall is when I have to be more diligent since they start to move to a warmer nesting place. If I lived over there I would just get some barn cats and give them enough food to keep them around.

 

[hawkeye08]

I don't have a cat door in the shop wall so can't really keep cats in there.. I have used the can on rod in 5 gallon bucket successfully, but putting the peanut butter on can was a hassle.. I bought one of the walk the plank traps and put a small amount of PB on end.. got one so far (in a couple of weeks), but cats have been in more the last month so expected. I like having it so when cats are not there, the mouses find the bucket..

 

[SandburRanch]

I don't have a cat door in the shop wall so can't really keep cats in there.. I have used the can on rod in 5 gallon bucket successfully, but putting the peanut butter on can was a hassle.. I bought one of the walk the plank traps and put a small amount of PB on end.. got one so far (in a couple of weeks), but cats have been in more the last month so expected. I like having it so when cats are not there, the mouses find the bucket..

Those showing vids and smearing peanut butter all around the can are going to a lot of un-necessary trouble. Find the low ( heavy ) side and put a dab or two on that bottom side. The mouse has a little nose that's going a thousand MPH and doesn't need a half gallon to smell it.

 

[drssg]

I have had two zapper rat traps, a Kness Ketch all, simple wooden snap rat trap with spikes of death nailed around the edges and treadle type traps where they have to step onto a treadle to reach the bait. I also use Ramik green balls. The treadle type has probably had the best success on rats. The zappers get funky if you can't check them everyday causes the dead carcass to ooze and create a short circuit for the high voltage. The ketch all would hang up and just wasn't impressed with it considering the high cost. I did try a bucket roller trap but had limited results. I do want to try the plank trap. I find late Fall is when I have to be more diligent since they start to move to a warmer nesting place. If I lived over there I would just get some barn cats and give them enough food to keep them around.

I've had good luck with the zapper traps, but it's not a problem for me to check it daily.

I think the power only goes on briefly after something completes the circuit; otherwise, it would drain the battery to run current through a dead mouse all night.

I was initially getting one per night, and the peanut butter was cleaned out. So I think another mouse ate it after the trap was disabled.

A couple of times, I had two mice jammed in there, and the peanut butter was still in place. So I think those two must have came in at about the same time.