You'll need:
a large container, such as a bucket
heavy string or wire
yogurt container or styrofoam cup (this will be your bait container)
peanut butter
stick or wood (which will serve as access ramp)
Begin by punching two holes in the sides of the bait container quite close to the bottom of it, straight across from one another. Thread the wire or string thru the bait container. The idea is to have the bait container pivot freely (upside down) on the string.
Next, continue each end of the string thru holes in top of the trap container (bucket), for instance where the bucket's handle was removed. Fasten securely.
Fill bottom of bucket with about 4 to 6 inches of water.
Bait the “bait container” with peanut butter and prop up the access ramp.
Your mouse trap is now ready for use!
When I was instructed in this design, I was told to put the peanut butter on the upside down “bottom” of the cup. I’ve found that it was effective to put peanut butter inside the cup also. The idea is that the mice will have to stretch and/or jump to the pivoting cup and will be dumped into the water where they’ll drown.
My trap is effective with the peanut butter on top of the upside down cup, but the mice are also able to eat the peanut butter, so I have begun putting it inside, thinking that even when the peanut butter they can get to is gone, there will still be something to lure other mice.
I recently caught 11 mice in 3 nights. Good hunting!
