I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

"frank1492" wrote in message
...
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

Stealing without stepping on the trigger would be my guess.

Try tying some peanuts inside an old pantyhose section and suspend it from
the top of the cage. I just used about a 14" from the toe up. This
suspension cause them to play with the sack and they dance on the trigger.

Really! It worked.

Colbyt

Andy suggests:

I had a similar problem with mousetraps where the mouse learned,
apparently,
to "lick" the peanut butter off without springing the trap.

I then fastened a piece of popcorn (popped) to the trigger with a
piece of wire.
I then coated the popcorn with peanut butter.

The mouse ate the peanut butter and then took a bite out of the
popcorn
and the trap took a bite out of him.....

So, I suggest you glue the bait to the trigger mechanism, or
fasten it in
some way that the rodent will have to tussel with it.......

Good luck,

Andy in Eureka, Texas

"frank1492" wrote in message
...
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

Don't be such a pussy, Frank. Squirrels don't experience "anxiety."

Take your .22 , load it up with subsonic ammo (BB caps or CB caps) so your
neighbors can't hear the shot and plug the suckers.

frank1492 wrote:
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

Make sure trigger is sensitive enough, sometimes traps get a little
creaky and may hang up. Peanut butter alone is fine and I'd smear
trigger top and bottom so squirrels will have to work at. As others
point out, mice can be tough even in mouse traps as they lick gently.
If you are using a lot of peanut butter, I doubt that a mouse could
consume that much in a day.

Also better seal that hole in the eves. Cost my son several hundred
dollars in removing a squirrel that got trapped and died in walls.

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:40:25 -0500, Frank
wrote:

frank1492 wrote:
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

Make sure trigger is sensitive enough, sometimes traps get a little
creaky and may hang up. Peanut butter alone is fine and I'd smear
trigger top and bottom so squirrels will have to work at. As others
point out, mice can be tough even in mouse traps as they lick gently.
If you are using a lot of peanut butter, I doubt that a mouse could
consume that much in a day.

Also better seal that hole in the eves. Cost my son several hundred
dollars in removing a squirrel that got trapped and died in walls.

Take a couple of ragd soaked in ammonia and throw them into the hole.
Repeat every 2 days for a week, then plug the hole.

Squirrels, mice, raccoons - they can't STAND ammonia and will move
out, pronto.

wrote in message
news
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:59:22 -0500, frank1492
wrote:

I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

You have 2 possibilities, either they are eating it without stepping
on the trigger or it is something too small to trip the trap.

Try putting the bait in different spots so they have to move more to
get it.

I have the same trap for ground squirrels and what I do is take whole hard
corn (from the field behind me) peel a couple of kernels off the cob and use
Elmer's glue to glue two pieces down and a few freebies that they can have
but then they come to the glued one's then they trip the trap and I
relocate them.

Good luck, Rich

I had a Victor mouse trap within sight of the computer. One night, I watched
a mouse eat all the food off the bait holder, and not spring the trap. Very,
very tiny mouse. I tried to take a picture, but the mouse spooked and ran
off.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"frank1492" wrote in message
...
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

Stormin Mormon wrote:
I had a Victor mouse trap within sight of the computer. One night, I watched
a mouse eat all the food off the bait holder, and not spring the trap. Very,
very tiny mouse. I tried to take a picture, but the mouse spooked and ran
off.



I have fine tuned rat traps to the point that
a roach could probably set one off. I found a
mouse in one of the big traps once and the
bar had smashed the mouse across its butt.
I swear to you that the mouse actually had
this incredulous expression frozen on its
lifeless little face. I could imagine the
little creature screaming "FUUUUUCK!!!"
before it expired.

TDD

frank1492 wrote:
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank


I've been hearing a squirrel on the heating ducts under my house. If I
could get it to take peanut butter from my have-a-heart trap, that would
be progress. I think they aren't hungry because gorge themselves on my
pecans before going under the house to tear up insulation.

If I trapped a squirrel I'd have to find a bucket deep enough to
humanely submerge the trap. So today I resorted to blocking the vent
where I thought it was getting in. After all, squirrels dine out during
the day. No noise tonight.

In a neighborhood where shooting is unlawful, how do I get those tree
rats out of my pecan trees?

In article ,
The Daring Dufas wrote:

I have fine tuned rat traps to the point that
a roach could probably set one off. I found a
mouse in one of the big traps once and the
bar had smashed the mouse across its butt.
I swear to you that the mouse actually had
this incredulous expression frozen on its
lifeless little face. I could imagine the
little creature screaming "FUUUUUCK!!!"
before it expired.

I have some mouse traps so sensitive they sometimes catch the mouse
alive by the tail. I just let the cat remove the mouse

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

In article ,
E Z Peaces wrote:

In a neighborhood where shooting is unlawful, how do I get those tree
rats out of my pecan trees?

It is unlawful to get caught. Try Remington CB caps in a long bbl rifle
to se how QUIET they are

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

I removed "about" 150 squirrels over a 3 year
period. That trap requires a lot of screwing
around with to get it just touchy enough to
catch squirrels.

You need to play with the setting latch so
that it's just barely holding the doors open.
Use a spray on it to make it even slicker.

I use corn and drop just a few grains around
the trap and then I stick a few grains to the
lever with peanut butter. Make it just a little
sticky.

Hot melt glue also works pretty well.

You will know when you have it right when
you can barely get it set with out it going
off in your hands.

I was getting two a day during one summer and
had to cart the damn things away but I did
clear the neighborhood of the squirrels.

Remember...they have to be moved several
miles away to really clear them out.


frank1492 wrote:
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.

Phisherman wrote:
On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:26:10 -0500, E Z Peaces
wrote:

I've been hearing a squirrel on the heating ducts under my house. If I
could get it to take peanut butter from my have-a-heart trap, that would
be progress. I think they aren't hungry because gorge themselves on my
pecans before going under the house to tear up insulation.

If I trapped a squirrel I'd have to find a bucket deep enough to
humanely submerge the trap. So today I resorted to blocking the vent
where I thought it was getting in. After all, squirrels dine out during
the day. No noise tonight.

In a neighborhood where shooting is unlawful, how do I get those tree
rats out of my pecan trees?


I was taking 2 or 3 squirrels a day to a heavily wooded area 5 miles
away. After about a week or so, there were very few squirrels left.
Since then, there is a red-tailed hawk family that is taking care of
the excess squirrel population (some hawks use the same nest year
after year).

As I walked up the street a couple of weeks ago, I saw down falling
around me like light snow. I looked up and saw what I took for a
red-tailed hawk perched above me. Why eat birds when there are
squirrels available? I need to find out what color contrasts best with
gray to a hawk's eye. That's the color I'll paint my lawn and trees.

A couple of days ago I found a squirrel lying in state on the lawn.
Most of the fur from the head and neck was there, but the skull was
gone. I want to find out what did it so I can buy a dozen more.

Next door there used to be a wonderful cat who was good at finding baby
squirrels. And I love the sight of a rat snake up in my trees or
crawling around my foundation. No music compares to the pop of an
18-wheeler dispatching a squirrel. And I love power lines!

Why can't Disney produce a feature-length cartoon to tell the public
what squirrels are really like?

Thank you all for your thoughtful (and sometimes
humorous) comments. I have wired a piece of apple with
imbedded cashews and peanut butter. (As an aside why
don' t they provide a door on the side of the trap near the
tray so you don't have to work so awkwardly from the
end???) I have also greased the trigger. I have also
placed the bait on the far side of the tray (one end of the
trap is closed) so that there is more of a chance that they
will step on the tray.
I continue to think they're not there as I have heard
nothing since the trap was placed (At one time I used to hear
scrambling over by LR ceiling.) But I continue to wonder
who stole the bait. It looked like the residue the last time
was covered with very tiny marks, about the size of a
mouse tongue. I hope I am right.
If a squirrel by some remote chance was trapped in
there, how long would it remain relatively mobile do you think?
How long until death?
I didn't consider the ammonia/shaving lotion idea because
I would have had to put it near the entrance. If they were
inside I feared it would only drive them back.
I will try the suspended bait idea next if this bait disappears
without a hit.
Frank

E Z Peaces wrote:

As I walked up the street a couple of weeks ago, I saw down falling
around me like light snow. I looked up and saw what I took for a
red-tailed hawk perched above me. Why eat birds when there are
squirrels available?

Pigeons and the like don't bite.

And, of course, they taste like chicken.

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:59:22 -0500, frank1492
wrote:

My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what?

chipmunks:

http://st-elmo-colorado.com/chipmunks7.jpg

Where do you live (state)?

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:24:00 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

E Z Peaces wrote:

As I walked up the street a couple of weeks ago, I saw down falling
around me like light snow. I looked up and saw what I took for a
red-tailed hawk perched above me. Why eat birds when there are
squirrels available?

Pigeons and the like don't bite.

And, of course, they taste like chicken.


They can be tumbled in a prison washer/dryer set on high heat.

They sound like tennis shoes in a dryer. (tumbling)

Oren wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:59:22 -0500, frank1492
wrote:

My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what?

chipmunks:

http://st-elmo-colorado.com/chipmunks7.jpg

Where do you live (state)?


How cute, don't you just want to hug it?
*snicker*

TDD

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:55:43 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:59:22 -0500, frank1492
wrote:

My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what?

chipmunks:

http://st-elmo-colorado.com/chipmunks7.jpg

Where do you live (state)?


How cute, don't you just want to hug it?
*snicker*

TDD
Right around the neck, REAL tight. Little buggars ate 150 bucks worth
of wiring out of the wife's Mistyque, plus the hood pad (last price,
when available was $500)

I'm remembering a story of a town, west side of a river. They had a massive
infestation of racoons. They couln't just kill them off. So, they took the
trapped coons from the city to the east side of the river, and let them out.
Figured the racoons would not be able to swim back. A couple months later,
the news came out. The city on the east side of the river was having a major
overrun of racoons. They had just hired a firm to trap the racoons, and
release them on the west side of the river.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Phisherman" wrote in message
...


If I trapped a squirrel I'd have to find a bucket deep enough to
humanely submerge the trap. So today I resorted to blocking the vent
where I thought it was getting in. After all, squirrels dine out during
the day. No noise tonight.


I was taking 2 or 3 squirrels a day to a heavily wooded area 5 miles
away. After about a week or so, there were very few squirrels left.
Since then, there is a red-tailed hawk family that is taking care of
the excess squirrel population (some hawks use the same nest year
after year).

And dropped off a bridge into water?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Pat Barber" wrote in message
...
I removed "about" 150 squirrels over a 3 year
period. That trap requires a lot of screwing
around with to get it just touchy enough to
catch squirrels.

You need to play with the setting latch so
that it's just barely holding the doors open.
Use a spray on it to make it even slicker.

I use corn and drop just a few grains around
the trap and then I stick a few grains to the
lever with peanut butter. Make it just a little
sticky.

Hot melt glue also works pretty well.

You will know when you have it right when
you can barely get it set with out it going
off in your hands.

I was getting two a day during one summer and
had to cart the damn things away but I did
clear the neighborhood of the squirrels.

Remember...they have to be moved several
miles away to really clear them out.

Hmm. New variant? Cross breed between a 'coon and a Mexican? I'm not sure
whether to laugh or cry. Would that pick crops, steal them, or what?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:29:36 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"

Figured the racoons would not be able to swim back. A couple months later,

Why do they think raccoons can't swim? We see them swimming across the
river here all the time, sometimes a whole family with a half dozen
babies.

ANTS believe it or not have cleared many of my traps
"frank1492" wrote in message
...
I have a Have-a-heart trap positioned to trap squirrels (if any) if
they exit a hole in my eaves. They have been in there, but I have
reason to believe they were not there when the trap was placed.
(I saw a pair run by nervously when I was placing it.)
For bait, I used cashew nuts imbedded in peanut butter.
My question: Although the trap has never been sprung (I have
tested it serveral times) the bait keeps disappearing. Should I
suspect mice, or, if not mice, then what? Whenever I have used
Have-a-hearts, this has always happened and I have yet to catch
a squirrel anywhere!
If mice are suspected, what bait should I use that would be
more squirrel-specific, and would I have to wire it to the tray?
Thanks all for help!
Frank

ANTS believe it or not have cleared many of my traps

Three days I have had ANTS eat completely the peanut butter I put in my trap for squirrels. I have been trapping squirrels with peanut butter for 3 years and this is a first. What about mixing bird seed in with the peanut butter would that deter ants. Outside ant bait would be a waste. I just want something left in the trap for the squirrels.