Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. I keep several of the snap type mouse traps on hand "Just In Case" an unwelcome house guest happens to drop by. Here is one idea for catching mice that is quite clever.
http://glass.typepad.com/journal/2005/0 ... ch_a_.html
A Better Mousetrap
A Better Mousetrap
No trees were harmed in the creation of this message. But billions of electrons, photons, and electromagnetic waves were terribly inconvenienced!
Hello there,
As an avid self-proclaimed mouse catcher (hee hee) myself,
im always interested to hear about things like this.
I can say however with certainty that this will not work with
every mouse, at least not exactly as stated in the article, because
some mice can jump up into the air at least three feet from a
standstill, mostly due to their very strong leg muscles.
This means you would need a very deep garbage can with very
steep walls. I'd try it myself, but i dont want to bring that big of
a garbage can into my home.
One thing i do know is that the mice have very short memories...
as the article states, one was caught within the hour. Even if
it fails the first time and the mouse gets away, he/she will be
back in an hour to try to snatch up that bait again
I built my own mouse trap out of a plastic shoe box with a solenoid
that is tripped by a plate with a simple relay contact switch on the lid
of the shoe box (shoe box is turned upside down). When the solenoid
trips the box end falls 2 inches and traps the mouse inside.
Simple, effective. I've caught a countless number of mice using
this contraption in the past. I always tie a peanut onto the trip
mechanism so the mouse has to pull hard to get the peanut, and in
doing so must push down hard with his/her front legs which pushes on
the plate attached to the relay contact, and then a half second later
it's trapped.
The solenoid is kept energized with a wall wart. When the plate inside
the box (a simple CD jewel case with hinged lid) is pushed on, the
relay contact opens and the spring loaded solenoid pulls a tab out from
under the edge of the box end which causes it to fall and close (the lid
lays flat on the floor at all times).
The mouse is clearly visible (box is clear plastic) inside and is still alive.
As far as understanding the behaviour of these mice, it surprized me
to find that they have a very family oriented life style...they hang around
together, sleep very close together (right on top of each other ha ha),
and contrary to what i have read on the web the males often help the
female take care of the young...even as far as carrying them back to
the nest in their mouths without harming them.
Of course, they have to be fed good or they become very vicious
and will eventually attack one another, and their teeth are VERY
sharp like sewing needles that can penetrate 3/8 inch deep or more...
which inflicts deadly wounds on other mice, and you certainly dont
want to get bit by one! Hurts for a week.
Also, picking them up by the tail (the so called 'recommended' method
of safely handling them) does not work, as some mice hanging by
their tail can turn around and 'climb' up their own tail as if it were
rope, and try to bite their way free. If you're fingers are holding the
tail you will get bit for sure. One thing that is effective is to pick them
up by the tail and quickly hold their attention with some other object...
pencil, pen, ruler, anything you can quickly grab, so that they dont
get a chance to climb up their tail and bite you. Just gently tap
their head with the object and they pay all their attention to that object
instead of climbing.
I've also held them by the tail with long nose pliers with tape wrapped
around the jaws for protective padding so the mouse tail doesnt get
hurt. This is much safer than using fingers.
Gloves dont help either because their teeth are so long and sharp they
can easily penetrate even tough material gloves.
As an avid self-proclaimed mouse catcher (hee hee) myself,
im always interested to hear about things like this.
I can say however with certainty that this will not work with
every mouse, at least not exactly as stated in the article, because
some mice can jump up into the air at least three feet from a
standstill, mostly due to their very strong leg muscles.
This means you would need a very deep garbage can with very
steep walls. I'd try it myself, but i dont want to bring that big of
a garbage can into my home.
One thing i do know is that the mice have very short memories...
as the article states, one was caught within the hour. Even if
it fails the first time and the mouse gets away, he/she will be
back in an hour to try to snatch up that bait again
I built my own mouse trap out of a plastic shoe box with a solenoid
that is tripped by a plate with a simple relay contact switch on the lid
of the shoe box (shoe box is turned upside down). When the solenoid
trips the box end falls 2 inches and traps the mouse inside.
Simple, effective. I've caught a countless number of mice using
this contraption in the past. I always tie a peanut onto the trip
mechanism so the mouse has to pull hard to get the peanut, and in
doing so must push down hard with his/her front legs which pushes on
the plate attached to the relay contact, and then a half second later
it's trapped.
The solenoid is kept energized with a wall wart. When the plate inside
the box (a simple CD jewel case with hinged lid) is pushed on, the
relay contact opens and the spring loaded solenoid pulls a tab out from
under the edge of the box end which causes it to fall and close (the lid
lays flat on the floor at all times).
The mouse is clearly visible (box is clear plastic) inside and is still alive.
As far as understanding the behaviour of these mice, it surprized me
to find that they have a very family oriented life style...they hang around
together, sleep very close together (right on top of each other ha ha),
and contrary to what i have read on the web the males often help the
female take care of the young...even as far as carrying them back to
the nest in their mouths without harming them.
Of course, they have to be fed good or they become very vicious
and will eventually attack one another, and their teeth are VERY
sharp like sewing needles that can penetrate 3/8 inch deep or more...
which inflicts deadly wounds on other mice, and you certainly dont
want to get bit by one! Hurts for a week.
Also, picking them up by the tail (the so called 'recommended' method
of safely handling them) does not work, as some mice hanging by
their tail can turn around and 'climb' up their own tail as if it were
rope, and try to bite their way free. If you're fingers are holding the
tail you will get bit for sure. One thing that is effective is to pick them
up by the tail and quickly hold their attention with some other object...
pencil, pen, ruler, anything you can quickly grab, so that they dont
get a chance to climb up their tail and bite you. Just gently tap
their head with the object and they pay all their attention to that object
instead of climbing.
I've also held them by the tail with long nose pliers with tape wrapped
around the jaws for protective padding so the mouse tail doesnt get
hurt. This is much safer than using fingers.
Gloves dont help either because their teeth are so long and sharp they
can easily penetrate even tough material gloves.
LEDs vs Bulbs, LEDs are winning.
-
Chris Smith
- Posts: 4325
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Bieber Ca.
-
Chris Smith
- Posts: 4325
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Bieber Ca.
Most of the time my catches are dead instantly. During a blizzard I had an unwelcome guest from the storm. I was watching TV and in front of the set along the floor ran a mouse. So I go to my garage and get one of the ultrasonic repellers, figuring to scare it out of the house. Then I realize I may only scare it deeper into the house. I abandoned the ultrasonic device and get the snap traps out. With a bit of banging I scared the guy into a corner behind an entertainment cabinet. Now there are only two ways out; where I carefully position traps at each exit. I then get a yard stick and prod the mouse. He runs right over the trap, stepping on the release AND NOTHING HAPPENS! I scare him back the other way and he runs over the same trap, again nothing! Then he comes out the other side of the cabinet and runs over the second trap; you guessed it, NOTHING! Now I'm not happy. I get the traps and check for problems. They trigger with a very light touch, but I position the catch so that it is extremely light. Finally the mouse comes out and stops at the bait. It is chewing on the trigger with a paw resting on the trigger and nothing is happening. It puts its other paw on the trigger. Now it is only a matter of tossing the vermin out the back door into the snow for a lucky cat to find.
As of late (and why I'm looking for mouse catching ideas) is my brother's problem. His house is in a new subdivision and even though it is summer, he is getting mice. He's got the snap type as usual but they keep springing the trap or dragging the trap off. He tied one with strong fishing line after the first one got dragged away but the mouse was smart enought to figure out how to chew the line and drag the trap away. Right now all is quiet in the main part of the house but he knows they are in his basement.
MrAl. I think I know what you are describing, but would you mind posting a picture or two of your creation? Or possibly a N&V article? I'm picturing an upsidedown shoe box. The lid resting on the floor with the mechanics all fastened to the lid. One end of the box is resting in the lid, the other, where the mouse enters, is propped open like the cartoon "catch a rabbit in a box" by pulling out a stick. In your case the "stick" is pulled out by a solenoid. The "switch" is a relay so a LIGHT touch is needed, using a CD case as a lever. Is this about right?
As of late (and why I'm looking for mouse catching ideas) is my brother's problem. His house is in a new subdivision and even though it is summer, he is getting mice. He's got the snap type as usual but they keep springing the trap or dragging the trap off. He tied one with strong fishing line after the first one got dragged away but the mouse was smart enought to figure out how to chew the line and drag the trap away. Right now all is quiet in the main part of the house but he knows they are in his basement.
MrAl. I think I know what you are describing, but would you mind posting a picture or two of your creation? Or possibly a N&V article? I'm picturing an upsidedown shoe box. The lid resting on the floor with the mechanics all fastened to the lid. One end of the box is resting in the lid, the other, where the mouse enters, is propped open like the cartoon "catch a rabbit in a box" by pulling out a stick. In your case the "stick" is pulled out by a solenoid. The "switch" is a relay so a LIGHT touch is needed, using a CD case as a lever. Is this about right?
No trees were harmed in the creation of this message. But billions of electrons, photons, and electromagnetic waves were terribly inconvenienced!
once we had mice and...
I made a solenoid hold up the door to a clear plastic box, which would drop it
when the mouse ran across a barely touching wire powering the solenoid
and magnets held the door closed. Behind the wire was a fortune-cookie or noodles.
This trap usually caught them alive but occasionally they somehow got guillotined
because they amazingly quickly tried to jump out the shutting door.
My roommate had a simpler idea... a bowl of water covered with styrofoam packing material
and a peanut butter coated one in the middle. Unlike rats, mice cant swim.
Both traps caught lots of mice. They don't really like cheese very much it seems.
I made a solenoid hold up the door to a clear plastic box, which would drop it
when the mouse ran across a barely touching wire powering the solenoid
and magnets held the door closed. Behind the wire was a fortune-cookie or noodles.
This trap usually caught them alive but occasionally they somehow got guillotined
because they amazingly quickly tried to jump out the shutting door.
My roommate had a simpler idea... a bowl of water covered with styrofoam packing material
and a peanut butter coated one in the middle. Unlike rats, mice cant swim.
Both traps caught lots of mice. They don't really like cheese very much it seems.
-
hamsterears
- Posts: 40
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