I like the bucket idea. Sounds like it might be mildly effective. But I have to tell you, every time I move into a new house it is overrun with mice that I have to deal with. It's a curse. If they get into your kitchen you will quickly lose your ideas of humane trapping. I was like you once. Perhaps we watched Cinderella one too many times. None of them are named Gus-Gus and they're not sewing us up any dresses for any balls. They are vermin and must be destroyed asap. Sounds cold, I know. But they can quickly get out of control and it will be you or them. Common "snap traps" are 80% effective. That's probably a better score than scud missiles. Get several and put them in mousey little corners EVERYWHERE. They usually die instantly. If they don't you can then drop the trapped mouse in that bucket filled with water and let it drown. Some mice might trigger the traps and not get caught. Those will most likely need poison, as they are now aware of the trap's nature. Then, some mice will develop a tolerance for the poison, so it's a good idea to rotate brands. I found the best poison was something that comes in little green cubes. Sorry, forgot the name. You'll know it when you see it. Black package. Save that one for last. This system works for me every time. (I found professional pest control people to be useless, this actually works.) And remember, if you only saw one mouse you can bet there are more. If not, that mouse will have 6 or 8 babies soon enough. Good luck.
P.S. Be careful your pets don't try to eat any poisoned mice.

Mice are to smart to jump in bucket even if theres food in bucket.Heres how to out smart even mighty mouse.Yes you need a bucket.Drill a small hole one inch down from the buckets top rim and drill another on opposite side of b ucket.Get three pieces of 1x1 or 1x4 about 18 to 24 inches. Picture the holes you drilled as north and south,take two boards and make a ramp east and west.Take the third board and make it three inches shorter than a measurement across top of bucket then drill a hole through the side of board like a seesaw.now take a wire coathanger and straight enough to be 2 inches longer than measurment across top of bucket.Now run wire through hole in bucket,hole in board and out other hole.ok see if board will balance if not pull wire out and trim heavy end of bord till it does balance.Now bend down ends of wire and put small amount of peanut butter one inch from ends,upper and lower side of board and now use peanut butter to balance the bridge.When mouse jumps across one inch gap to get the peanut butter,he'll get the surprize of his life,he just used his last one way ticket.Be sure the peanut butter is on both ends and sides because the board turns over after dumping mouse.GOOD LUCK

Mice are to smart to jump in bucket even if theres food in bucket.
I have found an occasional one in an empty 5 gallon bucket in the shed. Recently I helped a friend clean out a very full walk in pantry. There were 3 dead mice in the bottom of a big metal popcorn tin that was empty with the lid off.

I would imagine that the bucket, baited, with a simple ramp should do it. The baited see saw sounds good as well.

I have recently had the pesky critters in my Jeep. They messed up the heater with the dry dogfood they carried in and stored somewhere about the heater and fan. It shorted something out, and when I had it repaired the man at the shop said there was a 3 lb coffee can of dogfood in it. Yikes!

I now have a couple of glue traps in the Jeep., but am still seeing droppings without them getting into the glue trap.

I think it is time to get out the conventional traps. I wrap some thread around the thing where the bait goes (cheese or peanut butter), and it increases the likelihood of them setting it off if they get down to the thread.

They also chewed up the seatbelts ( all frayed now) where they pull out of the thing on the floor....Should see about getting them replaced for safety's sake.

Sue

Sure every now and then a mouse finds himself or herself in a bucket,box,barrel or coffee cup,but by accident.Coffee cup? Yep,a few years back at work a lady went to the coffee machine, put her quarter in hit coffee.Reached down and got her coffee and guess what was swimming and trying to get out of that hot coffee? Only thing we could come up with was somewhere in that cups journey,that cup had to be the top cup,allowing that mouse a chance to either jump or fall in. And as clower would say,"The Lord Called The Poor Thing Home"

Well, I did next to nothing for a year. Now they have grown in numbers, so I have to do something. Me bad.

I am just posting this for anyone browsing through, that this is a humane mouse trap design does work. It is probably the toilet paper cardboard that they like, the little tunnel thing.

The first night, I set out three cardboard rolls. The next morning two were tripped (in the buckets), and one mouse is looking at me.

Last night (the second night) I set out six traps (cardboard rolls), and this morning all six were sprung. Four mice in the buckets. But I am so stupid, I let 2 get away as I picked up the buckets. These suckers are spring loaded !! The buckets (5 gal types) are really too small (shallow). I will have to change that, or make cardboard lids for them.

For bait, I am using pumpkin seeds, raw white rice, and last night a little peanut butter. And I don't need a ramp either, the mice are running around on shelves, and workbench area in the garage. I just put the baited cardboard on the shelf, over the bucket.

So two nights gone, and three mice gone, relocated 1 mile down the road.

Original article for this trap

tom nwnj, if you use 'snap traps', it is useful to secure them to the floor (or other surface) with a spot of adhesive; (pre)bait the trap with something attractive but DO NOT set it. Examine and replace the bait as necessary, each night. After the rodent has got confident (3 successive nights), replace the bait and set the trap. It will get him/her every time. Rats and mice are highly suspicious but intensively curious. Pre-baiting uses these traits against them.

Thanks for the tips ron. I certainly appreciate it.

I seem to be doing OK with the bucket trap, so far. In 6 nights, I have now gotten 8 mice out successfully. And now in the morning, I have uneaten bait leftover. So I probably don't have many mice left to catch.

Here's a few tips I have learned for this trap (in case anybody else want to try it), and other comments.

1) the bucket must be at least 22 inches high. The adult mice can easily hop out of a 5 gallon bucket.

2) the mice will try to pull the cardboard tube away from the bucket. I now put a stick behind the tubes, with some weight on it.

3) I suspect that they find the peanut butter irresistable, since there is absolutely nothing else for them to eat, aside from my house.

4) We have forced air heat. If I poison the mice, I may get dead mice in the ductwork.

5) we have a cat upstairs. The mice will not come up into the kitchen.

6) I know snap traps work, but there are issues with that too. Many animals are suspicious of any kind of wire. I have heard that some people put chicken wire on the ground under their apple trees. The deer won't walk on it.

Here are pics of my two traps.

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Tom, very clever! Thanks for taking time to post the pix. I'm going to remember that as I have outside birds in a cage which attract mice. I'm expecting an invasion this summer. Mice are so suspicious, especially if they've once seen a trap snap. Also they don't like bait if they have other foods. I've used the sticky trap with minimal success, and sometimes they even get out of it. If they don't get out, they are still alive when you find them, and that's not a pleasant situation.

I used the electronic rat zapper. Got only one rat with it, but it was a good one to get--big. I know others have had success with the Rat Zapper, but mine fouled and would not continue to work even when I cleaned it.

If you've seen one mouse, you have twenty.

Mobile homes are especially notorious for mice, as the mfgrs always cut 4" holes for 2" pipes.

I have four housecats who think mice are the world's greatest toys/snacks.

Sue

Hey guys, try dryer sheets around the engine compartment the cheaper the better they smell more.