Mouse Trap Plastic Bucket Frugal DIY Project is really simple to construct and the parts you would need can be found around you and help you combat probably the most successful mammilian invasive species in the world… the house mouse.
This plastic bucket mouse trap proves to be a better option compared to commercially made mouse traps. This mouse trap captures multiple mice in a single trap without the need to reset the trap between captures.
Directions:
The materials you will need are a five gallon bucket, a dowel – either made of wood but preferably metal, a soda can, peanut butter and scrap wood to use as a ramp.
Begin by drilling holes on 2 opposite sides of the a bucket’s top , then drill a hole in the centre of the top and bottom end of a soda can. Put the dowel through the hole in the bucket then through the holes in the soda can then back out through the opposite hole on the bucket. Smear the soda can with peanut butter as bait, then add a ramp to aid the mice get up.
You can either fill the bucket with a few inches of water if you intend to drown the mice or you can leave the water out if you want to keep it alive.
You may choose to relocate your caught mice but just know that a single mouse can reproduce at an alarming rate – When a female mouse gets pregnant, it only takes between 19 and 21 days for her to give birth to a litter. Each litter typically consists of five or six mouse pups, though it’s not rare to see as many as 12 in a litter. A typical female mouse can birth between five and 10 litters per year. She can mate immediately after giving birth, meaning mice can birth a second litter in as little as 25 days after the first. This cycle continues until the mouse dies. By that time, her offspring’s offspring have likely also birthed a few litters, which are starting to breed.
This trap design works when the mouse tries to jump onto the soda from the ramp to get the bait, its weight sets the soda can into motion, causing the mice to fall into the bucket. Some bucket trap users use antifreeze to prevent the water from freezing in an unheated building.
The best part of this mouse trap is besides being frugal is that you do not have to touch the mice….. just pour them out.
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