3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Mouse / Rat Trap from Recycled Water Bottle

Mouse / Rat Trap from Recycled Water Bottle
This I'ble will show you how to Make, an extremely effective rodent catching device. This trap may also be used for "live captures". Got a rodent issue? You have come to the right place. Build this free trap and rid yourself of these pests.

These take less than a minute to construct, allowing you to build multiple units for severe situations.

Lets begin!
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1What you will need

What you will need
You will only need a few basic items for this project.
They include

~ A 1.25L or larger soda / water bottle
~ Scissors
~ Tape
~ Craft knife


« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
63 comments
1-40 of 63next »
Mar 9, 2009. 5:33 AMALadyDragon says:
Awesome idea, Just made mine and putting in some of my dog biscuits (something is going for it) and I'm not having any luck with mouse traps. So i thought your idea might be the one to track down the little tacker that is sneaking about in the night. I attached my trap.. Thanks again.
Sep 6, 2010. 10:54 AMarkho says:
I think this is too small
Sep 6, 2010. 10:59 AMarkho says:
Here's the picture of the top cover that I used, didn't any luck with it neither. I have laid a commercial sticky trap, didn't have any luck with it neither. It was sitting under my bed for almost 2 weeks now. Until my wife saw 2 of them running around, chasing each other like in a fight, as if not scared of humans. So she put it along their path where it passed through in one direction. Sure enough when it came back, swooop! Ssstick! And it caught it. Ever wonder about the other one? Well, as her story goes, the other smaller one then saw the opportunity to attack the stuck mouse. So it jumped into it like she's not watching. Here's they're picture.
Nov 14, 2011. 12:26 PMcasey321b says:
What do you use as a tacky glue that doesn't dry too much over time?
Dec 10, 2011. 5:48 AMarkho says:
I just bought it from the grocery. It looks thick solvent glue but something is added so it does not dry up so easily.
Dec 10, 2011. 1:53 PMcasey321b says:
I found this recipe online for rat trap glue made with corn syrup and water: http://www.ehow.com/how_6631413_make-stick-glue-mouse-traps.html

I needed to make a large quantity for a prank on a friend. He's been doing some nasty stuff, so we decided to play dirty as well. (Luckily he has a buzz cut and we wont need to worry about his hair.)
There are also instructions I found for removing the glue using peanut or baby oil, - Beats me why someone would want to cook babies :) - liquid dish detergent, and shampoo.
Mar 24, 2012. 3:09 PMTN777 says:
Baby Oil is an oil used FOR babies! It is used with moisturizing their skin? I think that is what it is used for anyway. No babies are harmed =)
Mar 24, 2012. 4:39 PMcasey321b says:
I know. It's a joke. :)
Apr 14, 2012. 1:06 PMTN777 says:
I knew that=)
Jul 18, 2010. 1:20 PMceekay says:
Peanut butter is a very good rat bait.
Apr 15, 2009. 10:33 PMALadyDragon says:
After a couple of days , it finally got in, but knocked it over and got out, So wedging it upright again caught something but this time it chewed its way out. So yay for catching.. But it ate off two spikes to get out.
Feb 25, 2012. 9:12 AMfuxos says:
I've just set up this trap, lets see if I can catch something with it!
Apr 15, 2010. 7:25 PMarkho says:
This question may seem dumb, but I'm just curious bro, if the bottle is upright, how would the mouse be able to jump in to it. I mean, how big a mouse is our target here anyway. For small mice, it might not be able to jump in to it if its upright.
Jul 5, 2010. 9:56 AMilikechemicals says:
put it on its side dude.....seriously
Dec 10, 2011. 5:56 AMarkho says:
ALadyDragon says:
After a couple of days , it finally got in, but knocked it over and got out, So wedging it upright again caught something but this time it chewed its way out. So yay for catching.. But it ate off two spikes to get out.

Nah, sideways ain't too good an idea. I guess it has to be upright and double taped at the bottom.
Sep 6, 2010. 3:11 AMarkho says:
BTW, I used peanut and choconut. It's grounded peanut sweetened and molded into a foil wrapper. I used it as bait because when I left it on the table, it ate half of it. The hole I made is a little over an inch. Also, I have one of those plastic paper trash can in my room where I throw my snack wrappers, it caught one and got trapped in it. Because it was empty, it could not jump high enough to escape. It looks like this.
Sep 6, 2010. 2:59 AMarkho says:
I put it on it's side, I let it sit upright, put it against the wall, next to a box, a small table and every other position imaginable, sigh, still no luck. I'll post the picture of my creation later on. I sort of made the hole a little bit smaller than that of the picture. I guess that's the fault. I'll modify it, when I get home. Meanwhile, here's the picture of my target. Flaunting me out in the open, grrrr.
Sep 6, 2010. 10:42 AMarkho says:
Here's a couple I caught using commercial plastic sticky trap.
Sep 13, 2011. 3:52 PMBGR8FUL says:
boooo, that's cruel
Sep 25, 2011. 3:30 PMarkho says:
Put your self in my shoes, if I let them live, they'll eat our fruits, rice, snacks, you name it. The only thing that they have not touched are the once I put in the fridge. But you can't put them all in there. Sometimes whe the plates are left unwashed overnight which rarely happens, they eat on top of the leftovers and leave their crap and piss on the plates. Doctors say that the virus on their refuse are not killed even if you boil them for one hour. As well as the cure for the illness it cause is yet to be found. Yeah, I have to break those chinawares they infected out of anger and hatred. I'd shoot them on site if I have to.
Dec 9, 2011. 10:38 AMChro says:
As EHST major I have to say that last bit about the "unnamed super disease" is completely false.

They spread diseases but nothign incurable or unkillable by boiling.
Dec 10, 2011. 6:21 AMarkho says:
Well that's comforting, I realize that I learned it from the news once, that leptospira is not killed even by boiling. So it is hoax then. Does that mean it is safe to use our rat urine and poo infected kitchen wares by washing it with regular liquid soap. It says antibacterial.
Dec 11, 2011. 11:33 AMChro says:
I would boil the dishware as well as soap/water clean it. Its always better to be safe than sorry, leptospiria is not unkillable but it is a serious illness and it would always be safer to prevent illness to the best of your abilities.
Mar 27, 2011. 1:29 PMClareBS says:
If you toss them over the fence into your neighbor's yard they'll be back in your house before you are. Rodents are territorial and like where they live. Better to dispatch them permanently.
Sep 27, 2011. 3:07 PMdontkillpenguins says:
no you can bring them 5km away from your house and let them go
Sep 27, 2011. 6:59 PMClareBS says:
That might be practical if you have one in your house. When you have a hectare on a river and thousands of mice and/or rats, relocating them is not feasible. I don't mind them if they stay away from my house but I really don't want them climbing the downspouts, swinging onto the roof and crawling inside or coming in from the bottom.
Sep 13, 2011. 3:53 PMBGR8FUL says:
glad to have a humane "live trap" if the need ever arises. your post is very helpful.
Jun 7, 2009. 3:07 AMcynicman says:
I am planning to catch loads of RAT for a domestication/breeding project. I have been looking for a cheap, affordable and simple NO HARM trap for catching specimans... I will let you know how it comes out.
Nov 16, 2010. 4:30 PMFafnir956 says:
Rats are already domesticated... why don't you get the initial stock from local breeders, or adopt them like I did?
Oct 17, 2009. 2:06 AMKryptonite says:
Sounds sadistic. And cool. Are you doing this just for fun or what?
Aug 23, 2010. 7:50 AMbeehard44 says:
i imagine zombie rats.....
Aug 24, 2010. 3:23 AMKryptonite says:
Thousands upon thousands, hiding in our attics and coming out at night.
Jan 28, 2009. 11:46 AMLokie110 says:
what do i use as bait??(is that a dumb question?)
Jan 31, 2009. 6:46 PMcowscankill says:
Try peanut butter maybe or cheese?
Aug 23, 2010. 7:45 AMbeehard44 says:
peanut butter, rice, chocolate, anything that you see weirdly missing from your house
Dec 21, 2009. 6:57 AMmikee963 says:
I'm planning on combining this idea and the toilet roll trap.hope it will work...

Dec 8, 2009. 5:15 AMjack691 says:
thorw a fire caker down the hole and blow the mosue or rat up
Mar 22, 2009. 11:57 PMdixie212 says:
this is a great idea!! I'm trying it out TONIGHT!
1-40 of 63next »

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
94
Followers
32
Author:Lftndbt
I work in a D.i.Y style superstore. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not, but it certainly perpetuates my interest in such areas. I enjoy high powered devices of any kind. I do not give...
more »