Help Me Modify The "You Have Mail" Trap So It Can Catch Rats. Mousetrap Monday.

[@ShawnWoodsMousetrapMonday]

Do You Have A Mouse Problem? I invented The World's Greatest Mouse Trap - The Dizzy Dunker Purchase on Amazon: amzn.to/3Py9eDF Purchase Directly from the Rinne Website: www.rinnecorp.com/?ref=shawnwoods1 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) FTC Affiliate Disclaimer - I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For A List Of My Top Mouse Traps Recommendations Check Out My Online Affiliate Store: www.amazon.com/shop/historichunter (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.).

[@mrxmry3264]

make the tunnel longer. move the sensor closer to the bait.

[@ibrahim-sj2cr]

im guessing the designer is looking for a cheaper option than making it longer. putting a hole before the trap is a cheap way to make it longer but that maybe will look too cheap

[@josephcollaros4264]

Yes that too. 😀

[@xenaguy01]

This. 2" longer.

[@garrettstevensen2467]

I said the same thing. The size needs to be nearly doubled in height/length/etc...

[@MonkeyLord1247]

Make a little bit longer or push the sensors upfront in a little bit more

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

The rat used the different floors types to realize where not to step on. If the trap door was the same as the bucket lid it wouldn't know where to stop stepping. Also, needs to be almost 2" longer.

[@nerdlingful]

That’s pretty much what I was going to suggest as well. The rats seem to be holding on to the edge of the wooden circle with their hind feet, so if the circle was larger or made from a different material they would not have this advantage. I second this motion 😂

[@matthewellisor5835]

Yes, needs to be a bit longer and maybe use UHMWPE (cutting board is an inexpensive source) or something similarly slippery instead of wood.

[@ImpendingJoker]

Agreed. Were the trap door longer and the rat sensor further back, so the rat has to go in further to trip it, it and get the bait, it would catch it for sure.

[@jckcc]

A longer tunnel. The rat would have their whole body on the trapdoor when triggering the trap so they would have no place to stop them from falling

[@beowulfschmidt6031]

Agreed. The trapdoor needs to be at least as long as the longest rat you want to catch. A 5 gallon bucket might not have a wide enough diameter.

[@viveviveka2651]

A simple mod: make the section that the rats had their hind feet on a fallaway section. If you got the sensitivity just right, the extra weight the rats put on that section (when the blue floor drops) would cause that section to fall away, and the rat would have no support. A spring would reset it. Alternatively, just remove that back section that the rats put their hind feet on, and replace it with a glued-on extension of the blue floor. That seems better. Just add an extension onto the blue floor.

[@johnlord8337]

Put the rat sensor further back (vertically above the mouse sensor), make the rat go deeper onto the plank, and not have feet on the plywood. Make the bait cup harder to access like a little barrier wall, so the rat must put its head over the barrier to get to the bait. Irrespective of the rat putting its front feet on the barrier - and falling in and hanging on - the planks will snap closed against the rat's body startling the rat - removing its paws and no place to grab and climb out. It will eventually tire and fall into the bucket. The rat will have to go further into the trap entrance.

[@josephcollaros4264]

Correct, the trap door must be longer, so the rat is fully on it when it triggers, I like this trap, really need something to outsmart those rodents 🙏🌻🌟

[@HalvardSkurve]

The rat sensor is just for detecting the rat. It's still the inner mouse sensor that opens the lid when a rat enters all the way. The tunnel and trap door needs to be longer. Also the tunnel roof needs to be higher than the length of the rats tail, or remove the roof and extend the walls op higher.

[@josephcollaros4264]

Bloody rats they are so smart, its ridiculous. :)

[@viveviveka2651]

You could make the dropping floor longer by extending it on both ends. In addition, the sensors and bait could be moved back a bit, toward the far end, so the rats have to go in deeper. This way, the rats' hind feet would be on the dropping floor.

[@josephcollaros4264]

Exactly 🌟

[@user-vs9lu7zl2e]

I'd like to suggest the below: No ceiling but extremely high walls where the rat's tail can't clamp on the calling and/or the upper edge of the wall. I see that the rat is using it's tail to clamp on the upper part in a forward swinging motion because of reflexes, making it higher should make that motion working for you.

[@BobutBrody]

Yeah, the roof/ceiling of the trap should only start just before the sensors - enough to guard the bait but not enough to give the rat leverage with its tail on it But overall, the trap door probably needs to be longer - but that's likely an inventor fix

[@jimjackson5544]

Make the 'tunnel' longer and the 'Trap Door' longer so that the Rat will be on the door when it triggers. That way, he cannot hold on with his hind legs.

[@whitewolf8758]

I was wondering if you add something like a smooth surface such as a sheet of smooth teflon or a metal sheet of some sorts where the rat grabs on by its hind feet because the roof part has nothing to do with holding the rat from falling in. Also adding longer trap doors would work too.

[@jt4900]

I agree that the trap door needs to be longer. The rats need to have their rear feet on the trap door before triggering the sensor. When the trigger is activated the rat has no solid surface under it. That is what makes the trap so successful for the mice. Great videos, keep them coming.

[@mrpopo8298]

Move the sensor back so that the rat has to enter further, but the trap might be too short for rats. You might have to lengthen the trapdoor and the tunnel. Another thing that might help is if you use a material that's hard to grip; glass or ceramic would be perfect, but hard to incorporate, so maybe metal? Or you could just use plastic and put some oil on there to make it slippery.

[@j.ericswede7084]

Extend the "bait mechanism" out over the end of the bucket. Then EXTEND the LENGTH of the trap so the rat has to commit completely before the longer floor opens.

[@douglascolman4501]

My thoughts exactly. Cantilever the electronics past the edge of the bucket and lengthen the trapdoor.

[@Kevin-xc9wc]

Hi Shawn I have a few of ideas: 1 make the trap door longer, 2 make the surface before the door slippery, and 3 have a second door that swats the rat rear end as the floor drops

[@susanfender307]

I agree with extending the trapdoor. The issue is the trigger sensor is set close enough that it triggers while the rat is only 66% in the trap. That would explain why it works great on mice but only on small rats.

[@PowerTom286]

Hi Shawn. I would just have elongated the tunnel including the trapdoor, so the rat also has her hind legs on the trap board.

[@jamesdlin7]

The tunnel could be extended by moving the closed end with the bait out. It could even hang off the edge of the bucket lid.

[@robertbullock7926]

interesting, your right, the trap door area under the bait tray is not adding anything to catching anything, Doh!

[@jamesdlin7]

Another idea: make the baited end of the tunnel vertical so that the rodent has to venture further in and stand up to reach the bait.

[@jonminer9891]

Hi, Shawn. Other commenters have the idea. Basically the trap is too short to catch rats. When the trap is triggered, the rat has to be on the trap door not standing on the lid. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!

[@t-mamba3893]

It’s definitely the sensor! If you move it further in, the Rat will have to commit fully and won’t have its hind legs on the wooden part of the lid!

[@thogevoll]

Needs a longer tunnel and longer trapdoor for the longer packrats so they are filling standing on the trapdoor when it trips.

[@devinkalinowski828]

in my opinion, you should make the blue platform that dunks them longer. closer to the lip of the bucket. that way they won’t have an area to keep their feet on

[@aomforever]

My guess to make it more effective at catching rats, would me to make it so the rat has to have both sets of feed on the trap.

[@TrackGeeks]

The trap door has to be larger than the body of the animal. Otherwise it will be able to keep a hold on and not fall in.

[@issaccartwright736]

88%

[@rexcadral3468]

The door needs to go all the way to the edge of the bucket (or as close as practical) and the trap tube needs to extend out to completely cover the new door, forcing the rat to keep his back feet on the door, with no room to brace. I would also go back to a lower "roof" on the trap so the rat has no choice but to stuff themselves into the trap zone.

[@eclecticmemes]

I have a unique better solution so as to fit the bucket! Use your "butt height mod", but at the other end where the bait is. The rat would then need to scoot farther into the the trap to reach UP to get the bait. When he leans back and/or stands up to get the bait, all of him, including tail, will be inside of the trap to be pushed down below! The "rat" sensor will have to be moved to the higher position, or another added to eliminate the mouse and rat dilemma.

[@Zuriel2089]

If I were to try a mod, i'd try to put a wedge shaped block slanted towards the entrance, well sanded or with a metal surface to make it a little bit less grippy. Maybe then it wouldn't be able to grab on well enough to stay up.

[@sgsheff]

from the original design you should extend all the walls and the ceiling all the way back to nearly the edge. That way the rat has to be completely inside the now created tunnel when it goes off. Then if possible you need to make the trap door longer so that the rat is completely on the door when it is triggered and can't leave two feet on solid footing. Those two changes will catch the rats.

[@mistie710]

I agree that the drop area is too short for a rat but if what I am seeing is correct, the sensor for rats is further back than the one for mice. If they could be swapped or possibly placed one directly above the other then the rat would need to go in further to trigger the door. Then it would only be a matter of putting the bait in just the right place. You could also possibly extend the lid over the edges to provide more room for the switching mechanism and possibly consider something other than wood (for example something similar to the Slip 'n' Slide) to give it less to grip on.

[@independentthinker4881]

Longer floor trapdoor for 100% and might need to make the tunnel walls longer too. I would say the trap door should go right to the edge of the lid if possible.

[@hslojewski]

Shawn, I agree with a comment below, you simply need a longer blue runway, so a big rat will not be able to support himself at the back of the trap; he'll lose footing on all four feet, rather than just the two. Thanks for all your amazing work over the years. More great success for you and your family--show your little ones more often, friend. They are sweet and wonderful.

[@varminthunter]

I would make the drop down floor longer with the sensors further in so the rat will be totally in when the floor drops .

[@Nargon46]

You would have to extend the trap door back an inch or so, the rats don't commit their back two feet and that is what allows them to resist the drop. If you make them have to stand all four paws on the trap door in order to get the bait, it would probably work.

[@DeadKoby]

perhaps moving the sensor closer to the bait to require the rat to enter further. And or extend the length of the dropping floor.

[@notsomuch7875]

Put a ridge on the trap door for the rat to grab on to. Need to remove its leverage. Right now it grabs on to the floor. If there is a ridge it might grab onto that instead but the ridge will also drop

[@dbomber69]

You need to swap the sensors. The rat sensor should be all the way forward and the mouse should be in the center. You want as much of the rat on the trap door as possible before it gets set off.

[@backyardsounds]

Easy enough. You need a longer tunnel and trap door. It needs to be at dead center of the door so it falls in. That should rectify the issue.

[@pisces363]

I’d say make the trap door longer to ensure that the hind feet are on it instead of the wood base. In other words, make sure all four feet are on the trap door.

[@thaliaramos4997]

I think the trap should be longer that way the rat enters a bit more so its feet are in the trap and not the bucket

[@grampa_ahah]

Yes in the trap with it's hind feet on the blue floor.

[@Hheretic]

You guys, are going to do it! Lost the battle, NOT the war! 👍🏻

[@ElusiveMasquerade]

Shawn, KZbin is placing surveys on your videos. I told them it’s a great video.

[@jeremiah3355]

Extend the trapdoor to reach the edge of the bucket. That way the rats will be standing on only the blue so they won't be able to hold onto anything

[@willyoung4512]

Extend the tunnel (move the bait farther away) so the rat has to get it's hind feet onto the trap door.

[@brjplummer9415]

Hi Shawn. The rat is longer than the trapdoor so yes make the trap and trapdoor longer. But you will then need a larger bucket. If you want to use the same bucket you have now or you do not want to rebuild the trap. If you raise the height of the floor at the entry by about an inch or so the rat will then be facing down hill into the trap. Use a ramped piece that starts out at about an inch or more high and slopes down to where the entry is now. The rats weight will be forward and it will get less grip. Good luck Brian

[@freibier]

It is pretty obvious, the tunnel plus trap door needs to be much longer, so that the rat's back feet are on the trap door, too. Rats have a fat backside, so as long as the back feet are on the lid of the bucket, the rat will be able to avoid falling down. My suggestions would be to extend the right side of the trap (bait+electronics) so that it hangs off the lid and then make the trap door+tunnel as long as the lid allows (have the rats walk straight into the tunnel from a ramp). If needed, use a larger bucket with a larger diameter lid or skip the bucket completely and use a large plastic tub.

[@royreynolds108]

The tunnel entrance needs to be about 4 inches longer and possibly the sensor a little farther in making the rat go in more.

[@brett4264]

I told you! The sensor for rats needs to be farther in. The doors need to be longer too. Really, the whole thing needs to be scaled up about 50%. With it being bigger, I believe it'll still catch the smaller mice.

[@Kspice9000]

Deeper bucket, give a bigger trap door width and length by another 2 inches, lower sensitivity so it won't engage until they are fully in the trap. I'd also install a quick dropping backdoor that engages when the bottom drops, maybe before.

[@gwiyomikim5988]

Good suggestions. I like the quick dropping back door to nudge them into the void when the floor drops. Backing out of the trap should NOT be an option!😉

[@CapnPink28]

It’s meant to stick on top of a bucket, so extending the tunnel would only help a little. The way the rats are stretching for the food from the wooden platform, it seems maybe extending the dropping platform to the very edge, and making the bait at the complete opposite edge, through the tunnel. The rats are very clever….they may be a very tough catch for this type of trap.

[@matthewsheridan4443]

Extend the drop portion so the rat gets thier whole body on the drop. Also push the feeder back some and also move the sensor away from the entry.

[@jctoad]

I think the trap will work for rats, but the tunnel needs to be much longer. Longer than the bucket's diameter. It needs an adapter ring that would make a larger (maybe 15-18 inch) diameter trap funnel down to fit the 12 inch bucket. For ease of testing, you could use a fish tank or barrel for determining the proper length. Then you will know what size to make the bucket adapter ring.

[@Stratos53100]

Nice re-work, although the trap door needs to be extended much longer to avoid the big ones from having any leverage, as others have mentioned below

[@BumBee22]

Extend the drop floor close to the bucket so the big rat's hind leg is on it. No need to modify the tunnel.

[@Toms4speed]

Extend the trap door 2 inches out the front. Tunnel is good the way you made it.

[@nickfreemanjr]

Most folks have already nailed it... longer plank, sensor farther in, etc. But I'm wondering if there's a way to rebuild the lid and mount it so that it's angled downward as well. The rat will have even less leverage, so maybe it will hang on with the back legs but eventually drop. Also the angle may allow more length without going over the edges of the bucket.

[@pulotokathu]

Not just the hind legs holding on but the tail latches on to the top when the trap door opens. Better make the tunnel longer and mve the sensors in deeper

[@roaxle]

Move the sensors way forward so the rat doesn't trip them before he's fully on the plank.

[@conorcarey7704]

Great videos! You could try making the trap longer so the rat has all 4 feet on the door before the release is activated. Looking forward to see how you get on

[@rahdigga6031]

you need to make the drop floor longer. The back half of the rats are still planted firmly on the solid lid

[@ThomasLeonard454]

I would use a round pipe pipe to make the entrance so entrance so that they had nothing to grab ahold of. Also extend the trap sensor unit further to the edge of the bucket, and make the trap door longer. Or Bigger platform for the rat and use a 15 gal barrel. Go big for the larger rat.

[@johncochran8497]

Just had a thought that might help I noticed that the Rat doesn't attempt to back up when the trap triggers. It just hangs on using it's rear paws. Only when the trap door resets does it back out of the trap. Perhaps this is because its position is precarious? So ... add a third sensor near the entrance to the trap. This sensor simply permits the trap to reset. As long as the "rat rump" sensor is triggered, the trap door remains open. So the rat is force to move and if its position is precarious enough, fall in.

[@heyoldman2003]

Like many have said , make the trap door longer so both feet are on it . Good job, love your show 👍🏼

[@HAL_9001]

I saw a video on reddit wherein there is a giant balloon inflated inside a bucket with seed sprinkled around where the balloon and bucket meet. The mice eat the seed and the balloon sinks lower and lower until one mouse gets greedy and the balloon pops. Half the mice go flying out of the bucket and half fall inside. I immediately thought of your channel, lol. Title of the reddit post is "once they realized they're trapped they're not hungry anymore" if you're interested.

[@Koyu_Ruh]

Well the fix might be easy on this one. Make the trap longer so that the rat can't just hold on with it's hint legs.

[@sgc603]

make a lengthier tunnel to the bait so that all rat feet are on the drop down trap door prior to sensor activation

[@jerebigler7520]

I agree with Dragon Skunk Studio. The drop away floor needs to drop from under the back feet as well. If it was extended at least two inches further the rat would not have anything to brace his feet on other than thin air.

[@SemiDad]

Trapdoor needs to be the full length of the bucket.

[@nominalvelocity]

Yeah the tunnel should just be longer so they have to get their rear feet in. Once the center of gravity is over the hole they won't have a chance

[@dougpearce8019]

You need to move the rat sensor forward so it sits over the mouse sensor. When the rat triggers the sensor in the new position all four of the rats feet will be on the trap door leaving the rat without a leg to stand on.

[@drizztdourden1466]

Simplest way is to just cut a trapezoid section in front of the blue door, and attach that section to the door with a connecting panel underneath. When the entire door + floor opens, the rat should have nothing to hold on to. The rat never needed the top of the tunnel to stay on. Its rear end was heavy enough that it could just sit on its hind legs and pull itself back up. An interesting alternative would be to make a pulley system that causes a little hammer resting above the tunnel to come down and hit the rat on the behind to get it to jump forward. You could put a little pin or something sharp on the hammer to get the rat to reactively jump forward. When the door closes, the hammer comes back up via a spring.

[@pknuttarlott4934]

Make it longer so when the rat triggers it, the rats back feet are on the trap door.

[@RCinginSC]

The rat is using his tail as a hook on the clear plastic top cover. Just eliminate the top all together but keep the sides.

[@misternewoutlook5437]

I have learned a lot about rats from watching Shawn's videos. He has demonstrated time and again how so smart and adapting they are. It seems a trap like this, even with the trap door lengthened, would catch rats well in a single area but for a short time, and after a while, the rats would avoid it as a no-go area for food. To be fair to trap inventors, a completely fail-safe, all-time rat trap seems like a philosopher's stone. I'm just glad Shawn keeps searching for it - because we get all these interesting videos.

[@zaphod77]

Actually, live catch traps work better after they have caught a rat, because the others follow the scent trail and don't smell dead rat.

[@TravelBossNas]

I think if you make the false floor longer that way the rats whole body is on it before it drops then you’ll be more likely to get it to fall in. And maybe make the sensor further down that way they have to walk all the way on to the false floor before it’s triggered.

[@adbarretttth]

Move the rat sensor further down the tunnel for starters.

[@unclebs4732]

A longer floor/tunnel, the rat will have to go deeper into the trap and bingo.

[@manchaug]

To catch rats, you'll have to make the trap floor longer. All four feet of the rat needs to be on the trap floor.

[@russellhltn1396]

I'd suggest moving the feeding tray/electronics out further to force the rat to go further onto the door.

[@davidpringle6928]

move the large sensor closer to the bait so the rat is further in

[@recklessroges]

Two things to try: 1. remove the new lid piece. 2. move the rat sensors forward by 3cm. (I have no idea if either, both or neither will improve it.) I saw that the rat banged its tail against the lid, so if there was a slot in the lid that was wide enough for a rat tail, then it would not provide any resistance.

[@kiraflint2023]

I recommend putting the system on a metal or smooth plastic lid. Then smooth out the modification edges to the front of the funnel. And then apply oil to the front funnel and top of lid that is in front of the funnel.

[@HisWayHomestead]

The tube and floor needs to be longer so the entire rat is inside the trap when it trips the floor. Another inch or two should do it.

[@brianberdon2695]

Move the sensor forward so the rat is completely on the door. When the door opens the rat is still half-way on the door.

[@tylerdouma1759]

You should lengthen the trap door as well as the walkway enclosure.

[@KingJamesIX]

Blue fall away floor needs to be a little wider and a lot longer so the rats and squirrels have to get their whole bodies and all four limbs deep off in the trap.

[@bobviously]

When the trap goes down, make it also push an arc into the rat from behind. Make it sharp and he might jump in.

[@gwiyomikim5988]

Yes. Drop the floor and “nudge” them into the void!

[@pianobench6319]

Great video! Really like this style of smart trap! I think to improve this trap to catch the big rat, just raise the front of the trap. This way the rat will already be on an incline. Also sand and polish the plywood to make it less easy for the rat to get a solid grip! Great videos!

[@Thepitz2000]

You have to make the tunnel longer so they are totally on the drop floor

[@TheMightyPooh420]

Extend the entrance to the edge of the bucket and make the plank longer, forcing the rats to commit to the "drop zone" before triggering the trap

[@Smallathe]

A longer, wider tunnel and trap door should do the trick. Especially with the sensors placed deeper. Also, if possible, use teflon/ptfe for the floor, not wood. Alternatively coat tge wood with sheet steel. This will prevent grabbing with their nails. Good luck!!!

[@aktrapper6126]

You'll need to move the rat sensor forward so that the Rat is further in the trap when the trap goes off. The rat needs to be fully in the trap before the floor drops.

[@jaym5602]

I think you need to make the end flaired out a bit longer so that the Rat has the whole floor drop on him or have a paddle to push him in

[@memyname1771]

Make the trap door 1.5 inches longer to ensure the hind feet are on the door, or move the higher sensor much closer to the lower sensor.

[@daveco1270]

I didn't think that would work. The trap door needs to be longer so the rats back feet aren't on solid ground when it flies open. You need to force the rats to have their entire body on the trap door before it opens.

[@jimfindley1004]

Probably extending the trap door out 2 inches past the tube would make it so the rat would have nowhere to put its back feet

[@paulh71]

Before sending it back, I would try cutting the Perspex tunnel a bit shorter, and retest. The rat seems reluctant to enter the tunnel with its back legs. It’s either sensing the difference in materials used for the dropping floor compared to the timber surround, as mentioned by another viewer, or it’s reluctant to fully enter the tunnel. By making the tunnel shorter you’d be able to tell. In any case, as already mentioned, the dropping platform needs to be longer. Perhaps in the next version move the electronics further to the rear by making them overhang the bucket, would need to add an extra cantilevered section on the platform for them.

[@pixelmator]

you could add more of a curve tunnel along the side so they have to go all the way around to get the food. That way they can't spread the back legs on the edge and it makes the trap door longer.

[@lesspaul2241]

You need to extend the dropping floor to the edge of the bucket so the rat has no solid foot hold.

[@docink6175]

Like many others I think the trap needs to be longer, perhaps the full width of the bucket, possibly a little wider as well and the trigger should be near the end so the rat gets deeper into the trap

[@thomascavallo3543]

Make the drop door 2 inches longer and push the tunnel off the edge by 2 inches then he will still be on the drop door if he stretches out. Also make the tunnel 2 inches bigger onboth dimensions. He is crouched getting into the small tunnel... i.e. on guard... large tunnel more comfort less on guard.... = kerplunk...

[@twva126]

Move the rat sensor towards the back further so that their back legs are on the door when it triggers