Build a better mousetrap

It is once again the time of year that the rodents come out of the forest and invade my home.  For years I have invested in glue traps and various other contraptions.  Poisons are not an option as I have five children three dogs and a cat.  Poisons also have a bad habit of leaving dead rodents in the walls which stink and attract other critters. The only reason that I have the cat is to help with the mice but I think that my wife keeps her to well fed to bother with chasing rodents.  Now the other day I found mouse scat in my pantry, and this is unacceptable.  So I figured that it is time to build a better mouse trap.  So rather than run to the hardware store and ask for the latest and greatest in rodent traps or "YIKES" pay an exterminator I did my homework.  What I found was a simple device that seemed to me to be flawless.  So I built one.

The materials are a tin can, 5gal bucket, water, bleach, some kind of dowel,  a little peanut butter, and a couple of sticks.

Drill a hole in each side of the bucket near the top.  Then cut the top and bottom out of the can and insert the dowel through the bucket and the can.  The can should be suspended on the center of the dowel.  Spread a row of peanut butter around the center of the can and put the sticks up on the ends as an access ramp.  Put a few inches of water in the bucket and a little bleach to keep the smell down.

It doesn't hurt to put a little peanut butter on the ramps to draw the rodents in.  They move up the ramps and out on the can.  They will start licking the peanut and when they get out a little off center the can turns and dumps them into the the bleach water.

Some may not approve of this method and to them I say tufshit.  I am protecting my investment and securing a better future for my family.  I cannot have a rodent infestation nor can I have my dry goods decimated by the little pests.  This may not be the type of information that you would think of when you think of survival but you must protect the investment or why even bother to do the work.  I hope that this helps you all out a little.  I built it before bed last night and found two dead mice in the morning.  That is the most efficient trap that I have ever used.  My brother just pointed out that one advantage is you never have to reset it, just add bait occasionally and scoop out the rodents and toss them in the trash.

I used a square bucket and a piece of copper pipe but whatever you can find should work out just fine.

       

Here are the little swimmers in all their glory, good riddens!

"Tell your buddies to stay the hell out of my pantry."