Posted: 12/3/2011 7:50:19 PM EDT
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Hiya Guys
Many of use continually try to identify items that will be quite useful post-SHTF. I've added a supply of mouse traps to by preps. For what its worth I've been battling rodents all my life. As a kid we had a seasonal, off-grid island camp. We'd close it up tight for winter, and invariably mice got inside to one degree or another each winter. More recently I've been battling the little buggers in my garage. I do feed birds (black oil sunflower seed) and have chickens (and therefore have feed). Each year I find sunflower hulls and mouse turds in my garage and in the stuff stored in the garage. It's part of living in a rural area. I've moved all edibles (seeds, feeds) into galvanized metal garbage cans with tight lids (working better than plastic cans they chew through). Over the years I've used pretty near every method of control. Baits, glue traps, snap traps, deterents, etc. Mice should be a big concern. There are some serious health issues associated with contact with rodents (look up hanta virus for one). And the buggers chew through everything, spoiling food, textiles, etc. I don't know how they do it, but every fall I end up going through a couple of in-cabin air filters for the wife'stoyota corolla because the buggers nest on it, and the car starts to smell like mouse piss. Apparently its a really common issue with corollas. And mouse crap everywhere is just plain nasty. In any case I'd like to make a recommendation: Victor makes an "easy set" snap-type mouse trap. Its the usual old-fashioned trap with a slight twist. 
The trigger isn't the typical metal bar arrangement. Instead its a plastic yellow 'cheese-looking' pedal. I've been using these for a couple years and I absolutely swear by them. The pedal is substantially larger than the old metal bar trigger. Bait isn't necessary. Simply place the trap with the trigger side towards the wall. Mice tend to run along walls, and this propensity means they'll run over the trap and commit suicide. Better yet, these easy sets have an adjustable trigger. The bail wire that retains the snap mechanism can be set to light or heavy trigger sensitivity simply by choosing where to engage the bail wire on the pedal. I set them to sensitive. Baiting the old fashioned metal triggers could sometimes be a pain. The cheese looking plastic pedal has a couple of holes for appearances. I find them great for holding bait: I simple smear a little peanut butter on the pedal, and it fills the holes. Mice try to chew it out, resulting in their timely demise. It isn't necessary but it helps. I have these things set in my garage all the time. This is the season when mice get frantic and try to move in. I've nailed 8 of the little buggers in one week. I've been finding these Easy Sets actually are easier to set but kore importantly, they seem to have a significantly higher catch rate (I don't think I've every had a miss fire or lost my bait). I am convinced these are the best available. Along with poision bait, this two pronged attack is keeping the little bastards at bay. Mouse control isn't glorious or fun. However, working all summer planting, weeding, mulching, watering and harvesting food for your survival only to find it rodent infested later in the winter would REALLY suck. And I suspect that in some SHTF scenarios a temporary rodent population explosion might be quite likely. Having some good rodent control tools on hand could be a valuable investment. Fro. |
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Great suggestion,,
I just laid out my 6 victor traps in the house for winter, it's an on going battle in the house, seeking warmth and water,,the little shits are everywhere suddenly, drives the house dog Batshit Found out I need to set traps inside my engine housing Thursday. Bastards chewed into the ignition wire 
afterthought, need to set up on the quad and tractor as well,,, I wont use poison now that I knowingly have 2 sets of owls living on the ranch on opposite ends. beautiful creatures..but they need to step it up around my barn PDQ CHEF |
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The rodenticide shouldn't harm the birds, once it has been metabolized by the rodent system it gtg. Use a muti feed bait, bromedline or similar. Also try a trap called the T-Rex, you never have to put your hands in th kill zone to set/remove bodies.
Btw think henta in scary, google leptospirosis. |
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I hate mice even more than I hate coons.
We use a couple of different kinds of traps, including the Victors. Another type that I've had pretty good with are the "Mice Cubes": 
Sometimes the snap traps can turn a mouse into, well, a pretty nasty mess. These catch 'em live, to dispose of as you will. Also no worries with indoor pets (or small children) springing the traps or messing with the trap-ee's. We've had as many as three mice at a time pile into one of these things, much to the delight of the outside cats when we empty 'em out. |
