Customer Reviews

Victor or Catchmaster Tin Cat Clear Top (2 Pack)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

[Note: This is a good trap but pricey, especially when you're trapped into purchasing two plus postage. Simply enter the words "repeater mouse trap" in the Amazon general search box, and you'll find the same trap (renamed) available from another dealer for eight bucks. Wish I'd seen it first.]

When my wife grew so impatient with my live-trapping attempts that she brought home a couple of those D-Con tilt-a-whirl rides-of-death disposables, I became determined to increase my efficiency to save the creatures. The green house and tip traps worked but erratically, catching one mouse at a time and breaking after several weeks use. And the metal Havahart trap practically requires the skills of a sapper (bomb defuser) to set the wires--too steep a learning curve, time-consuming, inconvenient (though it may be the "one" for experienced or patient trappers).

Enter the Victor Tin Cat. Nothing to set up. The directions even claimed bait is unnecessary (they're right--though I seem to catch fewer without it). I put peanut butter on a cracker, and the next morning saw 4 pairs of big eyes staring back at me. Moreover, unlike some of the other live traps, this one leaves the critters dry and comfortable, not drenched with perspiration and half-dead. Consequently, the tricky part of transferring them to a holding tank (from which many of them used to escape) before deporting them is unnecessary. Simply leave them in the trap (it makes a nice temporary home).

Both of my traps came coated with a slightly sticky lubricant. No big deal. Just to warn you it's not in your head. Also, one minor drawback of the trap is that it has two little "hideaways," and the new inhabitants quickly adapt to their fairly cozy digs, making it difficult to evict the tenants when it's time. After opening the top lid, I give them a minute or so to make their break for freedom, then turn the trap upside down and tap it, and am finally reduced to pulling the tail of the last hold-out or two (they'll still resist by grabbing tightly with their front paws). Perhaps a reason professional exterminators prefer a device like the Havahart.

What bugs me about the heavily advertised D-Con system is the emphasis on the human never having to view the animal. Simply spread some peanut butter on the bottom at night and throw it away--trap, contents, and all--in the morning. Now that's what I call the ultimate "denial of death." (And what a profit-maker for D-Con.) If you're going to kill them, do it right, and use it as a valuable preparatory lesson for the kids before the inevitable becomes inevitable.

We caught several mice at one time with this non-lethal trap, and it was easy to release them from it. Although the instructions say no bait is necessary, we got fast results by putting a little bit of seed into it. It's more expensive than a typical killing-type trap, but worth the extra money for not having to kill the mice.

When I bought this I was slightly skeptical, but was willing to try anything. We weren't infested with mice, and had up to this point never even seen a house mouse. But we started to notice one little guy running the length of our hallway at night while we were relaxing on the couch. He was a cutie, but I knew we had to take care of the problem before our one little cutie turned into dozens.

I bought this trap due to the great reviews and because I couldn't stand the thought of waking up one morning to find a little dead mouse. We are gentle people, what can I say! Well, the trap got here yesterday, we put it in the hallway up against the wall where we see him run every night, and this morning when I got up there he was! As I write, he is in the trap, unharmed, and we didn't even bait it. I am now going to let him go far away from here, lest he find his way back to this little house with two little boys who inadvertently leave him crumbs everywhere!

This trap is amazing. I am going to put it out again tonight just in case we DO have more furries than we realized, but I am almost positive that he is it. This has been so easy, so painless, and really just amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this product!

When I first looked at it, I was profoundly skeptical about a mouse going through the in door. First night, 6 mice, second night, 6 more. As we had to buy 2, we switch them out, so when my wife relocates the trapped rodents, the other trap is placed and then she washes the first one. We live in a 175 year old house, so I guess it's pretty holey and it's been cold in RI, so they keep coming in. By now we've caught dozens. I don't think, however, that my wife takes them far enough, so I don't know if we are catching the same mice over and over, but she won't kill 'em (the hideous destructive little rodents look so cute...). Whatever - the foolish thing works great!

We had a mouse in our kitchen and did not have the heart to kill it. We set these traps and within 4 hours we had caught the mouse. We baited it with a cracker and he walked right in. It was also very easy and clean to release him. Would recommend if you are not in to killing the mouse but want the mose removed neatly. Also was perfect because I have a cat but did not want the cat to eat the mouse. The trap kept the two seperated.

Based on the advice of another poster, I typed 'repeater mouse trap' into the search box and ended up buying the J.T. Eaton repeater multiple mouse trap. They are both the same product, with a different name, and it works great. As I said in my review of the J.T. Eaton trap, this trap works well and is very humane (caught and released two mice within hours of setting it), but is not a long term solution if you cannot find and seal up their point of entry.

Otherwise, this trap and it's twin are highly recommended for those who prefer not to harm animals.

Apparently, all it takes is a bad review and the mice come running. If you're going to bait it, I suggest putting it right in the middle. I think they were trying to reach in through the air holes on the side and didn't even acknowledge the trap entrance.

-- Original review Below --

After reading all the positive reviews, I expected quick results.

For whatever reason, the mice won't go near this thing. I've tried putting bait right outside of it, and a ton of stuff inside to get them in. Cheese, Fruit, Peanut Butter - nothing works. They just won't go into the trap. They take the stuff outside, but won't go inside. Maybe the mice here are too fat to fit. "WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR OVERWEIGHT MICE". I don't know.

This is a great trap. I bought a vacant house from the bank. It had been basically abandoned for over a year. Of course the mice moved in and it soon became infested with mice. I've been using 4 of these traps in the house for the past 3 weeks. I have been emptying them daily. Some granolla in the middle and you're set. Great trap excellent design. These are the same traps used by large food processing facilities grain suppliers. I would opt for the metal one as opposed to plastic.

I bought this product and loved it. I placed a cracker with peanutbutter on it and within the hour I had caught 4 mice. I then let them go in another town. There were no body parts to clean up and my conscious was clean. I recommend this to anyone who does not like to hurt animals.

I purchased two of these after having a mouse and family move into my garage. These worked perfectly just as described. We put a peanut butter sandwich cracker inside and let nature take it's course. Two days later, we had Mom and three young ones, which we immediately let loose in a forested area well away from any homes. We kept both traps baited for several days afterwards to entice any younglings left behind but never saw any trace, thankfully.

These were easy to bait and set up and work very humanly. I'm more than satisfied.

I just caution to be VERY sure to check the trap EVERY day. Such tiny animals dehydrate very quickly and being trapped for even 2-3 days without water could mean a slow, horrible death more cruel than a conventional trap. If you buy a humane trap, please be responsible with it and any critters you catch.