Critter in the crawl space

[Fedup]

You have to apply fresh peanut butter every day. This morning I’ve found out another fig is missing, while we have a trap next to the fig container.

[zedd]

Hire a pro. You don't want to trap a skunk down in your crawlspace.

[njhowie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fedup You have to apply fresh peanut butter every day. This morning I’ve found out another fig is missing, while we have a trap next to the fig container.

Agreed. In the winter, I can trap a few mice a week in the basement. The key is to stay on top of it. For a few days, they will be able to eat all the peanut butter off without setting off the trap. However, over time, they get cocky and eventually slip up.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by njhowie Agreed. In the winter, I can trap a few mice a week in the basement. The key is to stay on top of it. For a few days, they will be able to eat all the peanut butter off without setting off the trap. However, over time, they get cocky and eventually slip up.

You may be using the wrong traps, I've never had that problem.

I've also followed the advice to set LOTS of traps, 6 or more. You might catch more than one per day, and you increase the odds of getting at least one.

These work for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-ERD50

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by njhowie Have experienced similar in our attic a couple years ago. I bought bucket of this stuff, put it out in various places, and a couple weeks later the noise is gone. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BV0DD2

Be careful with this stuff. My dog got into it. The dog lived but my wallet was severely injured.

[njhowie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 You may be using the wrong traps, I've never had that problem. I've also followed the advice to set LOTS of traps, 6 or more. You might catch more than one per day, and you increase the odds of getting at least one. These work for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 -ERD50

I use the classic Victor traps - they do the job.

On yours - first bullet in the description "Cooks in 10 minutes"

[Fedup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 You may be using the wrong traps, I've never had that problem. I've also followed the advice to set LOTS of traps, 6 or more. You might catch more than one per day, and you increase the odds of getting at least one. These work for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 -ERD50

Some of my traps catch birds sometimes. It’s sad because we only want rats to be caught.

[RetiredAt55.5]

Another vote for peanut butter. Caught a whole family of mice (5) in my engine compartment with that and wood snap traps.

I've caught about 40 chipmunks this year with a mix of black oil sunflower seeds and some peanut butter. The peanut butter will attract the rodents, but once they discover the seed they won't leave it alone. Unfortunately, I've also caught 5 squirrels. Dumb critters won't leave them alone, and keep getting caught in my live traps.

I actually prefer the old style wood snap traps over the plastic ones for small pests. The wood ones are cheaper (i.e., when it's a messy kill I just toss away the trap rather than trying to reuse it), and available everywhere (Lowes, HD, Dollar General, local supermarket, etc). In my limited experience, the wood traps are as effective as the plastic ones. As others have responded, setting more traps works better. The other thing I have read is that inside the house, rodents tend to run along the walls so it's better to put the traps along the walls.

[Al in Ohio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry1 I wouldn’t use poison. If they die under you house, what then? I’d get a live trap. Just because they didn’t hit the food you set out, doesn’t mean they won’t. Make sure to try other foods. The classic for me is something with peanut butter on it. I would also spend more time on finding the entry point. The field camera was a good idea. You have to find out how they get in and seal that up. Good luck.

Mice and other critters cannot resist peanut butter smeared on tortilla chips. FYI.

[Koogie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by njhowie I use the classic Victor traps - they do the job. On yours - first bullet in the description "Cooks in 10 minutes"

Lol.. it also says:

6 Pack - $14.98
12 Pack - $99.99


Now, I ain't no mathematics surgeon or nuttin' but ....

[Fedup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetiredAt55.5 Another vote for peanut butter. Caught a whole family of mice (5) in my engine compartment with that and wood snap traps. I've caught about 40 chipmunks this year with a mix of black oil sunflower seeds and some peanut butter. The peanut butter will attract the rodents, but once they discover the seed they won't leave it alone. Unfortunately, I've also caught 5 squirrels. Dumb critters won't leave them alone, and keep getting caught in my live traps. I actually prefer the old style wood snap traps over the plastic ones for small pests. The wood ones are cheaper (i.e., when it's a messy kill I just toss away the trap rather than trying to reuse it), and available everywhere (Lowes, HD, Dollar General, local supermarket, etc). In my limited experience, the wood traps are as effective as the plastic ones. As others have responded, setting more traps works better. The other thing I have read is that inside the house, rodents tend to run along the walls so it's better to put the traps along the walls.

We caught a lot with the cheap wood traps, mostly mice, not rats. But I got a little bit of everything, I got some big poison ones from Amazon too. Let’s see if the population is decrease. But we seem to catch more rodents from the right side then from the left. My fig tree is from the left.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 You may be using the wrong traps, I've never had that problem. I've also followed the advice to set LOTS of traps, 6 or more. You might catch more than one per day, and you increase the odds of getting at least one. These work for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 -ERD50

Quote:

Originally Posted by njhowie I use the classic Victor traps - they do the job. On yours - first bullet in the description "Cooks in 10 minutes"

I saw that too. I have no idea. Some weird glitch at Amazon (I can only hope).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fedup Some of my traps catch birds sometimes. It’s sad because we only want rats to be caught.

I've built a little wood top and bottom, back and sides to the bigger rat trap size. Helps to keep bigger things out, or something trying to get in from behind, and I haven't got any birds either.

-ERD50

[Winemaker]

1.Get a cheap game camera to identify critters to take appropriate action.
Not only did I find the expected deer and groundhogs, I caught humans walking through the south 40 during the summer.

2. Put your peanut butter inside little paper towel pouches, and wire them to the Victors.

[Jerry1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winemaker 2. Put your peanut butter inside little paper towel pouches, and wire them to the Victors.

I take a piece of a nut and jam it in the bait/trigger mechanism. Then I put some peanut butter on that. I’ve never actually analyzed the death scene to see if they actually finish the peanut butter, but I figure if they do, they’ll use a little more force to get the nut and I’ll get the results I want. I also play with the trigger a bit so that it’s just barely latched. Sort of a hair trigger

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry1 ... I also play with the trigger a bit so that it’s just barely latched. Sort of a hair trigger

Yes, the cheap traps especially, you might need to bend that little plate a bit to get it so it just barely stays set. Flatten it to make it more sensitive, push it out a bit if it needs more grip. I also add a drop of cooking oil to that plate where the wire touches it.

Test it with a stick. It should trip very easily. It might be a bit frustrating to get it set, it might trigger a few times until you can get it to hold. This is also why you want a half dozen of them. One might trip from vibration, or just randomly.

-ERD50

[JPatrick]

We toss a few moth balls in a couple of nylon stockings and hang them in our boat when we put it to sleep for the winter. Keeps the 4 legged critters away, but the geese still haven't gotten the memo.

[f35phixer]

18" tall, OMG that would wear you out crawling around in there !!!!! i can do hands and knees in mine.


good advise for you OLDER, reminds me of one of my first times down in my crawl. 3/4 in and then i here the slizzer of a black snake on the plastic trying to get away from me and me from him... Next coupe times i went in always carried a 3 iron.


also might want to go in there at night and either from inside or outside shine BRIGHT LED flashlight around the house to see if you can spot an entrance with a friend on the outside....

[imoldernu]

Thanks to all for great advice and and to hear about your own adventures. Never expected to get this kind of response.

So... for an update... I have stuck with the bright light and the Ultrasonic sounds program from the internet. Now going on three days, with no sounds. That silence happened once before, for a full day, and I turned the computer off, thinking I was home free... only to get the sounds back again. Now will continue for a few more days, and try again to see if he/her/it is gone.

As a stubborn do it yourselfer, I hate to spend when there's any chance I can fix it myself. Here's one reason why, from the internet:

Quote:

The typical one-time cost for pest control is around $300.00 to $550.00. This cost is higher than most listed averages because it is a one-time visit only. In these cases, there is usually a lot of work to be done including assessment of the infestation, finding the lair, and identifying entry points into your home.

Sealing the crawlspace can cost between $3,000 and $5,000 (at the low end).

[f35phixer]

that really is strange, will be interesting to see what happens in a couple days. I would still get in there at night with super briight LED flash and have someone outside looking for light leakage!!! They'll probably come back at sometime.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu .... That silence happened once before, for a full day, and I turned the computer off, thinking I was home free... only to get the sounds back again. Now will continue for a few more days, and try again to see if he/her/it is gone. .... .

And why do you think it would be different this time?

If you end up with damage, and/or a dead animal down there, that $500 exterminator is going to sound cheap.

Blow That Dough!

-ERD50