Funnel mouse trap works and now for rats?

[camies 1]

So, the funnel mouse trap finally worked and I've got orders for two more.

That will cover the costs of making my two.

 

Now comes the gritty problem of rats.

Anyone know of a diy plan for a live catch trap?

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Hi camies

Ive got some sheets of mesh and was thinking the same, all i can find is the Monarch Trap or Multi trap

 

http://www.trapman.co.uk/monarch-self-rese...ne-rat-trap.htm

 

http://www.livetrap.com/cgi/search.cgi?use...ple+Catch+Traps

 

Dont know if this is of any help,if you find anything else give us a shout

AH

[salclalin 240]

Get hold of the Book, Animal traps and Trapping by Bateman. Plenty of Ideas in there.

[john b 38]

Actually

 

Having waxed on at length about the funnel trap being no good for rats, I have just found four examples of it for rats in John Baileys book 'British Traps for mammals', so that could be worth a punt afterall.

 

They are about 15 inches in diameter and have a tapering cone tunnel rather than a straight tunnel. I imagine that the narrow end is a bit of a squeeze and may even be made so that it can expand slightly as they push through.

 

 

In shape they all look a bit like this one Ebay Trap

 

 

EDITED TO ADD: Just had a chat with OTC who tells me 'they might have made and sold them, but they were never any good'

[OldTrapCollector 377]

Camies

 

Try a square based trap about 8 inches high with ground funnels rather than top entry, make the funnel cones start quite wide, say 4 inches, and taper down. One entrance per 15 inches of 'side' - that shouild do the trick.

 

If I can get at my Young's Eclipse trap later I will post some photos but I am pretty busy today

 

Don't bother trying with the Monarch or the 'Whole Family' types - they are just the thing for catching the very occasional rat but no good at all for numbers or persistent problems.

 

Keep at it

 

OTC

[steviemann 5]

So, the funnel mouse trap finally worked and I've got orders for two more.

That will cover the costs of making my two.

 

Now comes the gritty problem of rats.

Anyone know of a diy plan for a live catch trap?

 

 

Keeping chickens and the rats that obviously come with them I have always used the monach rat traps to great success. My record is 9 in the same trap, mostly young ones though. Now the fields have been cut they are coming back to my chickens like moths to a flame.

[OldTrapCollector 377]

I have always used the monarch rat traps to great success.

 

That's interesting Stevie, I have never heard of anyone having much success with them before. Young grey rats will go into anything when they want to but it's the old stagers you need to catch and that's a different game altogether!!

 

OTC

[steviemann 5]

I have always used the monarch rat traps to great success.

 

That's interesting Stevie, I have never heard of anyone having much success with them before. Young grey rats will go into anything when they want to but it's the old stagers you need to catch and that's a different game altogether!!

 

OTC

 

Yes maily young "silvers" get caught but the monach does earn its keep.

To be honest with you I catch more adults in an old rabbit trap on top of ferret hutch than in all the others!!!

[john b 38]

Some nice old traps there Stevie - good to seem them still at work

[Butler 396]

I have one of them long tunnel traps like in your pic's. But i thought it was an old sparrow trap as thats what it's best at catching only ever had two rats in it.

[steviemann 5]

I have one of them long tunnel traps like in your pic's. But i thought it was an old sparrow trap as thats what it's best at catching only ever had two rats in it.

It may well be sparrow trap. Have you tried pushing "funnel" wires to make smaller entrance? Small rats run in and out otherwise.

[steviemann 5]

Some nice old traps there Stevie - good to seem them still at work

Thanks. Always loved to trap stuff even as a kid.

[OldTrapCollector 377]

I have one of them long tunnel traps like in your pic's. But i thought it was an old sparrow trap as thats what it's best at catching only ever had two rats in it.

It may well be sparrow trap. Have you tried pushing "funnel" wires to make smaller entrance? Small rats run in and out otherwise.

 

It is a Young's Eclipse sparrow trap Stevie - saved me digging mine out to photograph it for you!

 

It was sold as a sparrow and rat trap - I used mine as a kid to catch sparrows for ferret food - and damn good it was too.

 

OTC

[steviemann 5]

I have one of them long tunnel traps like in your pic's. But i thought it was an old sparrow trap as thats what it's best at catching only ever had two rats in it.

It may well be sparrow trap. Have you tried pushing "funnel" wires to make smaller entrance? Small rats run in and out otherwise.

 

It is a Young's Eclipse sparrow trap Stevie - saved me digging mine out to photograph it for you!

 

It was sold as a sparrow and rat trap - I used mine as a kid to catch sparrows for ferret food - and damn good it was too.

 

OTC

 

Funny that. Brought back memories of my Grandad. I now live in late Grandparents house and keep chickens where he did. Trap was his and I remember as a small child watching him killing sparrows from it but releasing finches.

[camies 1]

Wow, so much advice, thanks to everyone!

I've got some 10mm square mesh left so I'll have a go at a few designs and what ever works I'll post

(hopefully with ratty starring in the background)