Live Catch Trap

Intro: Live Catch Trap

this a live catch trap for a small nuisances such as the mouse, rat and others.it is very simple and effective ....enjoy!

STEP 1: Step 1

You'll need:
coffee can
1/4" screen
mousetrap*
old scissors or diagonal cutter
slip-joint pliers and/or needle nose pliers
bamboo/wood skewers (from the grocer)
small screws
screwdriver
light wire
glue
light drill

STEP 2: Step 2

You're going to be mounting a mousetrap to the open end of a coffee can as shown, so that the hinge is right at the top edge of the can.You can use two or three small screws to do this, as shown. By pressing the trap against the partially driven screws, you can easily mark the trap for drilling pilot holes. You'll need these to avoid splitting the wood when driving the screws.

STEP 3: Trigger

Before mounting the trap to the can, you're going to bend the bait/trigger loop out of shape a bit.
Note: Don't bend anything outside the yellow ellipse, if you can help it. Otherwise, you'll have to perform some painstaking tweaking of the trigger when you've finished the trap.

...when the trap is set, a length of the skewer will stand straight up in the hole, with a tight fit.
You'll put the skewer piece in later.

STEP 4: Step 4

Once you're content that you haven't screwed up the trap's trigger with all this bending, press a drop of glue into each hole, and mount the trap to the can.
Note: It's also possible to do the following steps before mounting the trap to the can; it's a matter of whatever's most convenient for you.

STEP 5: Step 5

Place a piece of screen under the snapper as shown. I'm using a skewer to keep the spring of the trap from bending the screen until it's attached.
Note: On this particular trap I mounted the screen at a 45 degree angle; usually I've mounted it so the warp and woof run parallel and perpendicular to the surface of the trap. Whatever catches your mouse will work fine.Use light wire to attach things. Twist it tightly with a pliers.Secure each corner of the snapper, then lay your twists down flat against the screen so they don't get in the way when you set the trap.

STEP 6: Step 6

Don't forget a couple twists of wire at the root of the snapper, to secure the screen there.
When you start trimming the wire around the edge of the can, notice that there's a minor issue right next to the trap. A portion of the screen has to be bent a bit so that it's actually inside the can. This is because it's beneath the hinge and is actually rotating outward when the trap closes. If you don't do this, thing's will bend weirdly when you try to open the screen to set the trap.
As you're securing things with the wire, you'll want to pay attention to where the retaining wire loops over the snapper. You can't let the screen obstruct its action. You can always trim out a piece of the mesh, if you need to.Whack on one end of the skewer piece. Shredding it a bit makes it hold your bait very well.
Note: Our infestation made it obvious what would make the best bait. The buggers had chewed on a Hershey's dark chocolate bar, among other things. I'll give 'em credit for good taste. So I used a lighter and melted a bit of the chocolate bar, applying it to the skewer along with some always-reliable peanut butter.

STEP 7: Step 7

Insert the skewer piece in the trigger, and make final adjustments as needed. Smear just the top of the skewer with goodies, and leave the can in a tempting spot. Along a wall is always good. Inside a cupboard, as needed. On a pantry shelf, if your mice are climbers. Wherever you find their poop!

STEP 8: Finish It Up

also if you want you can use a 5 gallon bucket and a rat trap for larger game such as cats ,racoons(small ones) and armidillos! feedback is encouraged!=)(but use it humanely because it is a live catch trap for a reason!)

Comments

[OolongJ]

Not your idea tho

http://marquardts.org/mindspring/mice/index.htm

[DDW_OR]

i like the idea of using a rat trap as the trigger. will be using a stove pipe to trap a skunk.

the pipe will prevent the skunk from lifting its tail and spraying. and the solid walls will prevent spraying.

[rasqual]

Wow.

I'm flattered, but it would have been a courtesy to at least say "a tip of the hat to Scott," since you used no photos of your own, and cut and pasted my text verbatim.

http://marquardts.org/mindspring/mice/index.htm

Attribution, man. It's what netiquette's made of. ;-)

[joejoerowley]

You guys are so immature. This almost entertaining, but mostly sad...

[fallout-fanboy #1]

i agree

[robert]

for nuisance pests that do damage ...cats, you can give them to the pound or animal control smae with racoons< give them to animal control or rele4ase them into the wild away from your house ....it is humaine

[turner22]

screw you dude if you give them a nice home wit unlimited food you're doing them a favor, tard. raccoons are some of the friendliest critters out there. go sit on an egg.

[fallout-fanboy #1]

some of the frendliest critters out there? BULL-SH*T
i have a whole list of things screwed up with that but i was hoping to sleep before 1:00 am.

[mettaurlover]

unless you piss them off. then theey get nasty.

[QSDR]

great way to re-distribute the potential energy of the trap, excellent.

[foxpaw159]

Considering that I have had two "musicides" in my house recently, I think I will try to make this live-trap. I'd much rather relocate the furry critters to better surroundings than dispose of their sad little corpses each morning. At our old house, the cats did a pretty good job ...

[0087adam]

lets see a picture of ur catch

[Davetech]

I've never seen one try to push the wire open... they just try to gnaw their way through the wire. It doesn't work.

[DIY-Guy]

A pest control salesman once told me that if a mouse can get their head through anything their whole body can pass through as well. Sometimes even as small as a hole a pencil or pen could pass through.

This wire mesh might be better if it was smaller, with a tighter weave.

Have you noticed how long it takes for a mouse to try and squeeze out?

[eBandit]

I think their bones can flex or something (except skull). Unless that is a myth. But they can fit through the tiniest of places and seem to surely fit through anywhere their head will fit.

[mcaliber.50]

you just gave me an idea! i'll use a rat trap, make a bogger box for it, and use it to trap rabbits and other larger animals GENIUS!

[anibioman]

mice are so cute

[canemaker49]

I avoided stepping on a mouse in my home once, that same mouse got into my stove and chewed some wires causing a short circuit and almost burned my home down. I say DEATH TO ALL MICE who enter homes. I would squish that mouse every time if given the chance again.

[amr9000]

 how do you know the mouse didn't know any better? you may have put your house over theirs or their ancestors.. what does that make you to them?

[marxdarx]

I belive that it makes canemaker49 the mouse overlord.

Landlord if mice could pay rent.