# How to make a better mouse trap....for free!



## Scuba_Dave

I think I'm going to build 2 of these
One for the pool cabana
The other for the garage


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## DangerMouse

Be sure to drill the holes dead center on the container and slightly larger than the hanger wire so it spins freely. Po)
These work great!

DM


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## PAbugman

Dangermouse: I love it; You should put this on the pest control forum.
It seems that this would be a choice for long-term trapping, such as in cabins closed for the winter, etc. Maybe use RV anti-freeze to prevent freezing, evaporation, etc. I can imagine the stinking mess of bodies after the season, but better dead mice than live ones.


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## 1910NE

evil
[thumbsup]


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## Jim F

Reminds me of our old camp. My father would put antifreeze in the toilet bowl to keep the trap from freezing over the winter and we would find it full of dead mice in the spring.


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## comp

:thumbsup: Aaaaaaaanother project to build


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## bobrok

I built the el-cheapo version of this and have used it for 3 years at my camp. Old drywall pail. I skipped the roller in the middle and just smeared the peanut butter a few inches below the rim. Works better than any mousetrap I've tried.


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## ballet6ft

*Genius!*

This is genius and I am so thankful for the post! Any ideas of how a delicate female might dispose them drowned "rats?" Great homeschool project!:thumbsup:


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## DangerMouse

Just throw them in the woods, the ***** love them.... lol Actually, it depends on where you live, and what disposal services are available to you.
Some people will flush them, and I imagine others will toss them down the garbage disposal. Neither of which I would do.
I did like the anti-freeze idea, PABugman, Thanks!....it makes a difference for two reasons. 
With water in warmer weather, the peanut butter seems to mold up in a few days to where the mice avoid it, and in the winter, the other reason should be obvious. :laughing:
The anti-freeze bodies go in the garbage though, not into the woods.

DM


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## gma2rjc

Good point about the anti-freeze bodies not going into the woods DM. 

And that would be because another animal eating the dead mouse would also die from anti-freeze poisoning?

A friend of mine had a neighbor who would set a bowl of anti-freeze out in his yard to kill stray dogs and cats.


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## 211

Can I make a modification suggestion? 

I can't see the other side of the bucket, opposite of where you have an entrance hole. I'll assume that there's just the one...

Put a second hole on the other side of the entrance hole so they have two avenues of approach, then smear peanut butter at the center of the spice jar rollamajigger. That way no matter what direction they enter the trap they have to commit to climing onto the jar. 

Nice trap. I've made these before but on a slightly smaller scale. Works great, and what's even better is you know right where they died. Too many times I've checked on a trap only to find it totally MISSING . Then eventually you smell the stench only to find the mouse was partially trapped and was able to semi-scurry off to die under some hard to reach area... gross!


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## DesignEye

Excellent, shall we call you Dr. Evil? Going to have to make one of these, have mice in the garage as we speak


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## cindygiggs

Thanks for the tutorial, I like it! I am declaring war on mouses tonight! LOL


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## DangerMouse

We're warring with bugs right now.... we won the war with the mice, more or less, haven't seen one in the house for ages!
I think we're close to winning the bug war too! Po)

DM


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## BigJim

DangerMouse said:


> We're warring with bugs right now.... we won the war with the mice, more or less, haven't seen one in the house for ages!
> I think we're close to winning the bug war too! Po)
> 
> DM


Man I hate bugs worse than mice or maybe not. We had bugs about ten years ago and I really got jiggy with it, maybe a little too jiggy with it, but we don't have bugs now. Our neighbor will have her house sprayed and we will see a bug or two but they don't live long over here. I use an outdoor chemical, which I really should have not used, but that and the boric acid worked like a charm. Oh and I set off a bug bomb in each room. If you use the bug bombs be careful, because too many of them and they will blow your house up, no joke.


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## crustey

*Home Made Mouse Trap-Bucket Style*

An old hand at this type of trap taught me a variation of this: The can is just an old Aluminum one, *BUT you must orient the hole bi-secting the can as close to the middle as possible. *Then the Can spins end over end dropping your mouse in to 1-2" of Anti-freeze. One other detail: you must put equal amounts of peanut butter on either end of your bait can, so the weight is balanced then when the mouse goes for the bait, in the Antifreeze they go. Using Antifreeze serves 2 purposes one to kill the smell and the other is it acts as a lubricant trapping the mouse as it's very:yes: slippery.


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## gma2rjc

crustey said:


> An old hand at this type of trap taught me a variation of this: The can is just an old Aluminum one, *BUT you must orient the hole bi-secting the can as close to the middle as possible. *Then the Can spins end over end dropping your mouse in to 1-2" of Anti-freeze. One other detail: you must put equal amounts of peanut butter on either end of your bait can, so the weight is balanced then when the mouse goes for the bait, in the Antifreeze they go. Using Antifreeze serves 2 purposes one to kill the smell and the other is it acts as a lubricant trapping the mouse as it's very:yes: slippery.


Also, anti-freeze is poisonous to animals. It tastes sweet, so they like it, but it kills them.

Btw, I hope the peanut butter you're using hasn't gone past its' expiration date. It might give the mouse a little tummy ache...


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## silver_flash

nice. this will be great. I set out traps and always hate to watch the dogs so they don't get their snout caught in the trap. if you don't have animals even a 5 gallon bucket with two inches if antifreeze catches and kills mice. this app is awesome.


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## silver_flash

if you bought the peanut butter from trader joes that might kill them also. with all the recalls on peanut butter having salmonella. lol


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## DangerMouse

I made mine with the lid so the chickens wouldn't eat the peanut butter, or try to lay eggs in it.... :laughing: ....and yes, there are holes at both ends.

DM


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## bowanna03

We use this setup in our hunting camp and it works great!!! Just need to check it more often that months later...


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## paulsmith544

DangerMouse said:


> Meet my friend Mr. Jinks. He hates them meeces to pieces!
> 
> If you do not care how they die, as long as they die, here's a tutorial for you.
> 
> You will need the following items: ice cream bucket, coat hanger, empty plastic spice container or thin can, drill and needle-nosed pliers. (see pics)
> 
> Assemble them as shown, smear PB evenly on container, fill bottom of bucket with water to within a half an inch of the bottom of the rolling peanut butter covered container.
> 
> Use a stick to make a 'ramp' up to the hole for the little varmints to hurry along to their doom....
> 
> Dispose of drowned mice however you wish.
> 
> DM


it seems to be a nice trap for the mouse but does it works ?? i mean do the mouse fell in this trap??


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## DangerMouse

paulsmith544 said:


> it seems to be a nice trap for the mouse but does it works ?? i mean do the mouse fell in this trap??


Yes, it does work. 

DM


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## ddawg16

I have cats......that takes care of them.....after our house was 'cleaned'...they started taking care of the rest of the neighborhood.....

Downside....Josie (gray cat in my avatar) brought one home to play with....we had a hard time calming the kids down....they felt sorry for the poor mouse....kids seem to have a hard time understanding the difference between Tom and Jerry and Josie and rat.

But I like the trap.....so I assume mice can't swim? Hey, maybe this could be the 'apple dunking' version for cats? Pale of mice...cats go dunking.....

BTW....kudos to you DM for being cognizant of not feeding antifreeze soaked rats to the wildlife....


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