Walk the Plank, Matey! How to Catch Mice in a Bucket

In the realm of mouse traps that truly work consistently, we have snap traps, bait stations, and electronic mouse traps.  However, did you know there is a way to catch mice in a bucket too?  This is commonly referred to as the bucket mouse trap, and it has gained much popularity recently.  This type of trap may seem a bit archaic, but it works.  And works very well.

What Is the Bucket Mouse Trap?

What exactly is the bucket mouse trap?  Well, it simply consists of a 5 gallon bucket, a baited device that either spins or tips when the mouse occupies it to feed, and a ramp so that the mice can climb the bucket to get at the bait.  Below is a picture of one, sometimes pictures are better at explaining.  Below picture taken from Amazon.com.

Benefits of the Bucket Mouse Trap

There are many benefits of the bucket mouse trap.  Below are a few:

1. Affordability – Yes, mouse traps for the most part can be relatively inexpensive.  The bucket mouse trap, however, can be made with products you may already lying around unused in your garage, basement or shed.  If not, the ingredients for this trap can be easily and affordably purchased.
2. Ability to trap many mice at a time – With products like snap traps (which work extremely well), you can only catch one mouse at a time – set the trap, check the trap, find a deceased mouse, dispose of said mouse, and reset the trap.  When you catch mice in a bucket, however, you never lose the opportunity of the trap working.  A mouse falls into the bucket, the trap resets automatically and allows another mouse to fall victim to the trap.
3. Your choice to catch and release or terminate the mouse – The choice of killing the mice trapped or simply putting a lid on the bucket and removing the mice to a further location is yours with this style trap.  To eliminate the mice simply add about 5 inches of water and a little dish soap to the trap.  The mice who fall into the trap will drown.  Leave the bucket empty if you wish to remove the mice.  Mice can jump very well, however, most mice can not leap from a 5 gallon bucket.

How to Make a Bucket Mouse Trap

There are many products available currently, if you choose not to build your own bucket trap.  More on that later.  But here are some simple steps to build your own trap (most likely from parts you already have at home).

Step 1: Grab either a soup or soda can.  Remove the paper label from the soup can (if using one), for the soda can, most likely you can ignore this step.  Next drill a hole into opposite ends of the can.

Step 2: Drill two holes, directly across from one another, and approximately an inch from the top of a 5 gallon bucket.

Step 3: If you choose not to drown the mice, but instead keep them alive to release them later, consider greasing the inside sides of the bucket to make escaping that more difficult.

Step 4: Insert the can through a metal wire or metal clothes hanger.  Then slip the wire through the holes you prepare on the bucket.

Step 4: Make sure the can is able to spin freely around as it is attached to the bucket.

Step 5: Bait the can by smearing peanut butter all around the can.

Step 6: Set up scrap wood boards on one or multiple places of the bucket.  Make sure the boards are at a level where the mice can easily climb up to get at the can.  Also make sure the mice are able to approach the baited without much effort.

Step 7: Simply place your home made mouse trap in your garage or shed or wherever else you suspect mice to be populating your home.  If choosing to eliminate mice, simply fill the bucket with approximately 5 inches of water.  To catch and release, simply disassemble the trap, put a covering on the bucket and discard the mice away from your home.

Bucket Mouse Traps to Purchase

Of course, if you do not have the time or (like me) the patience to build your own bucket mouse trap, there are many products available today that work and work very well.  Below are a few well rated products available online.  The actually bucket is not included and must be purchased separately.  All links to Amazon.com.

Rolling Style Bucket Traps

Rolling Log Mouse Trap – By: RinneTraps	Rolling Mouse Catch Kit – By: MyCasa

Drop In The Bucket Multiple Catch Animal Trap – By: Drop In The Bucket	Gekufa Rolling Log Mouse Trap – By: Gekufa

Plank Style Bucket Traps

FABU Walk The Plank Mouse Trap from Oak Wood – By: Fabuta	Walk The Plank Mouse Trap – By: RinneTraps

Walk The Plank Auto Reset Mouse Trap – By: JeremyWell

Lid Style Bucket Traps

Hole in One Mouse Trap – By: RinneTraps

In Conclusion

I particularly like the concept of this kind of trap.  Add in the fact that you can most likely create this trap from components you already have at home, and that you can use this trap to both terminate the rodent or simply catch multiple mice and release them later, I believe, it makes the trap worth trying out for yourself.  Catch mice in a bucket.  Simple and effective.

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