Rat/mouse problem.

So I have been feeding birds in my back yard for quite awhile now. Squirrels have been deterred with a squirrel baffle, which works great. But birds are messy when they eat and seeds are still falling on ground under feeder. I used those trays to catch the falling seeds, well that allows the dove to decimate the feeders in 3 days!
So my wife and I are getting notifications on our outdoor spotlight cameras of activity at 2a.m. 3, 4 a,].m. Etc. Usually it is a fox, possum, bobcat or coyote. No biggie, nocturnal wanderers, it happens because of the dry creek that runs through our backyard. I look at it as, Hey nature was here first. Plus My pup, Justace can handle himself with any of those confrontations and has he has proven that more than one occasion with a couple altercations already.

The opossum killer (below)



So with these notifications being more frequent I dove into the activity and saw several mice/rats climbing on our back patio post and patio. Then scurrying along the fire pit rock floor. Now my wife is a camper, but not a true outdoors person like myself and freaked The F out on the rats/mice. It really did look a Disney movie a couple nights ago with them scurrying around all on the patio In the middle of the nighttime.

So I have decided to put out a couple of traps. I do not mean spring loaded traps, mainly because of Justace running into one or grabbing one already tripped and eating their dead rodent., but the kind of trap that makes our penal institution in the great state of Texas proud! It is called the Rat Zapper! 100% Kill rate. Butt], there is a small problem it only Kills one at a time,...Rats!

Here is the Texas Rat electrocution device below!



So since only one kill a night (possibly) I have a back up plan, the old peanut butter on a spool trick. More along the lines of Guantanamo Bay action.(water boarding). I know a stretch but what the heck.



The Guantanamo trap says 4" of water in bottom. Maybe used motor oil would be more efficient? I am kidding, water it is. Now time to build me some ramps on both sides...gonna be great!

This hopefully will do the trick.

Tonight is operation "Rodent Control"

I will report back in a.m..

Water with antifreeze

Nah, not with the pup back there.

I’m subscribed!

I got some of those little diving board traps that go on a bucket a few years ago and caught a chitload of mice with it. I left them outside in the elements and they fell apart but will definitely buy again. Amazon.

I'm following

Here is the "walk the plank" I added.



Peanut butter will be added later when it cools down outside.

Cannot wait till the morning.

Tuned in...

My bucket didn't kill any. I have killed 4 in my rat zapper. The best have been the sticky pads taped to the ground. Good luck

Thanks, I even bought Extraaa crunchy peanut butter!

Maybe I should pour the water out and sell them to the pet store?

I have seen them work

they might go for the beer on the A/C unit instead .. that's where I would go

The buckets work.

I’ve killed up to 3at one time. Floating cap with a few pellets of buck buster or dog food. Works like a champ.

I read some people put dish soap in water...why is that? Easier for them to be drowned Or keeps them from climbing up side of bucket...maybe smell?

Five gal bucket is slick. They are not climbing out. Only used tap water without additives.

You need more snakes.....jes sayin

Actually had a "bed" of snake eggs about 3 years ago Loved it, left them alone. Heck even cats bobcat and strays all around.....I believe the problem is epic. We have sat on the porch in the evening and watch the mice/rats run along fence for hours.

Perfect pellet gun shooting gallery.....

We have plenty. I use the water traps in the shop cuz I told the snakes to stay out.

Have a feeling will not be updating this thread.

Peanut butter is in the electric chair and on the walk the plank spinner.

Will be updated in the a.m.

Love the THF!

go to YouTube put in mouse killing traps....I watched one where the guy caught over 20 at one time..fell in water..

Consult SA It only took him two months to catch a raccoon.

Skunked. Peanut butter gone on roller. Rat zapper, not touched, peanut butter still there.

Hmmmmm..going to move the "walk the plank" to a camera area of the yard and watch the film in the a.m. tomorrow.

This is far from over.

The rat is so big it reaches from side of bucket to get peanut butter, and it’s too big to fit in trap?

MEGA RAT!

I was thinking maybe the bearings are out on the roller.

I am thinking this as well.

Gonna get him/her on camera.

brand new.

Build a better mouse trap and..............

Sd do you water your yard, have any other water that they can get to? If so that might be where they are getting it from instead of the bucket.

I like man vs beast threads. Challenges are always fun. I caught a rat so big one time in my shop, the snap trap would not kill him. He would drag the trap and pry in off. I finally put the trap on the ledge of a shop door and tied it down. I finally got him 10 minutes after I set it.

Sounds like breeding stock for the next pandemic's food supply.

Clearly collaboration with S.A.Hunter is required at this point....

I want one of those A24. That and a good night camera would make for some entertainment.

Need one of those in coon size.

Tonight round two, but with camera surveillance.

Ask SA how to photoshop an animal into a pic.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Bait them, kill the, and give them to the preppers to eat. Beats the snot out of eating. Dogs.

Your setup with the bucket looks like an American Gladiator course for rodents. Maybe they are just enjoying their new playset.

Set it up this way. http://fivegallonideas.com/bucket-mouse-trap/

The set up.

Get rid of the one off the fire pit.

Following this one . I occasionally have a rat in my tool room. I know where they come in, a penatration for EMT. Rather than than plug the hole, I put a small live trap in front of the hole. Rat runs into trap. BB pistol the next morning. Rinse and repeat.

I was wondering how you would do it. Forgot but don't you have a Boxer if so how do you keep it away from the Peanut Butter?

Update: no activity at all last night. Camera did not even trigger and bait untouched.

Going to keep trying. Sorry to disappoint.

its the waning gibbous moon phase, rats don't bite as well in this phase. I struck out too.

Man, I woke hoping to see a bucket or rats....

Rat Fink...... now thats somthing I hadn't thought of in a long time.

411 emergency....calling S.A.Hunter....where are you?

I've caught as many as 20 mice in a single day using a 5 gallon bucket and a handful of corn. Just toss a handful of corn into the bucket and make sure the bucket is up against the wall. I've got outside cats at the house and have zero problems with squirrels, mice or snakes.

Rat Zapper - 1

Plank walker- 0

One down in less than two months.....S.A. Needs to take lessons from you.....

To be fair, a coon is probably a little more intelligent than a rat.

Not going there.

Where there is one there are dozens more.

Yup, gonna give up on the bucket, the zapper only going forward.

SD I think you are missing a golden opportunity to buy and outfit one of the new generation air rifles with NV and have a great time.

Don't give up so fast and switch to a passive method.

Used to live next to a large wooded park. Been down the road with field mice in my garage and roof rats once.The absolute best thing are the old fashioned spring traps. The pest dude that called on my job even said so. Bait with peanut butter and put them along their travel paths -walls, ledges,etc. put out a bunch and just leave em for a few days. So much for the better mouse trap...

The zapper has worked. Put it out just now....I'll post again in a.m. if it gets another, I'll go back to bucket as well.

Bated breath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inXmZjoE1ik

Waiting for recent activity report.

FIFY

You need me if these and a pellet gun. They work awesome and mount on your scope.
You will have much better success and a heck of a lot more fun.

Put out the zapper last night and nothing, again.

Maybe it is not as bad As I thought.

Or the rats are waiting for you to quit playing with them.

I agree.