Conversion of "3 sides totally open" aviary to a "good for chickens" coop.

[paneubert]

Pinch of the ground grain and one piece of BOSS shoved into trigger would work.
I used to use chunky PB, got tired of the greasiness.

Rat traps came in and they have yellow paddle type triggers. Right size to wedge a sunflower seed into, so that is nice. Still stuck a thin dab of peanut butter on the very edge, where the least amount of force or movement would trigger the trap (mechanics of a lever, etc..). Results from last night were zero mice/rats on film, but one mouse trap sprung, but empty. That trap was off screen from the camera.

This is the plan for tonight. How many of each type of trap do you count?

3 large wooden rat traps.
3 black "alligator jaw" style plastic rat traps (been deployed for months, but rarely re-baited or sprung). Put just a dab of PB under the trigger pan since there is nowhere to wedge anything in this trap.
8 small wooden mouse size traps. Some high (on top of the cages/crates), some low on the ground. I have seen about an equal number of mice op top of the cages as on the ground, so I am hoping to catch some up high.
And then the rolling log drowning bucket.

About half these traps are protected from rain, half can get wet. But we are supposed to have a run of nicer weather, so I am hoping to not need to mess with these other than to reset any that trip. Otherwise let them sit so the rats and mice get used to them and then make the mistake of taking a taste.

 

[paneubert]

This is what was happening with the old bucket trap.

 

[paneubert]

Got 4 eggs this morning, all good size. Then when I went out a bit ago (about 7 PM), found this sad guy in the nest box. Really well formed membrane and not leaky.

 

[paneubert]

As for the rat/mouse trap results from last night, nothing caught on camera, but one squirrel caught by the neck in one of the wooden rat traps after the camera stopped recording for the night. He was surprisingly still alive when I found him. I think it might have been a recent catch. Not 100% sure if he had some brain/nerve damage from the experience, but he did his best to run after I let him go, seemingly without the control of one back leg. Made it up a tree ok.....so...who knows how he will do. At least I know the traps function....

 

[aart]

As for the rat/mouse trap results from last night, nothing caught on camera, but one squirrel caught by the neck in one of the wooden rat traps after the camera stopped recording for the night. He was surprisingly still alive when I found him. I think it might have been a recent catch. Not 100% sure if he had some brain/nerve damage from the experience, but he did his best to run after I let him go, seemingly without the control of one back leg. Made it up a tree ok.....so...who knows how he will do. At least I know the traps function....

In a rat trap?
What kind of squirrel?
Why did you let it go?

 

[paneubert]

In a rat trap?
What kind of squirrel?
Why did you let it go?

Yeah. Classic wooden rat trap, caught by the neck as you would normally see. He played dead till I let him loose. Then he started his escape. Surprised me! Those rat sized traps have some force....

As for type of squirrel, apparently some sort of robot that doesn't die. Western grey would be my best guess.

 

[paneubert]

Also, no camera activity or sprung traps this morning. Activity has died way back. May be due to sudden appearance of so many new traps. Haha.

 

[aart]

He played dead till I let him loose. Then he started his escape.

Man, you're lucky you didn't get bitten.
Bucket of water would have been my move.

 

[paneubert]

Man, you're lucky you didn't get bitten.
Bucket of water would have been my move.

Yeah, totally. I was wearing some rubber muck boots and using the back end of a claw hammer to open the trap, so maybe I knew something was funky before it happened. I don't like my hands that close to any vermin. I guess that is the one redeeming feature of the black plastic "alligator" style. You can just squeeze the back and they open. When I catch someone in one of those, I just carry the entire thing to the trash or woods and release the body in one step.

 

[paneubert]

Felt crafty, so I made some "weasel boxes" for a couple of the rat traps. I figure at the very least it will keep the bait dry and allow for wider variety in bait options. Makes it harder to see if it has caught anything, but that is ok. Bait goes in the back, not on the trap.