Talk:Mousetrap

Effectiveness?
Some sort of evaluation of various types of traps' effectiveness would be a useful inclusion here, if such a study exists. 70.71.253.132 (talk) 02:29, 26 June 2018 (UTC)

German ban
I couldn't find a reference online for the german ban of mousetraps. Is this a fact? If so is there a reference for it?


 * I live in Germany and can't seem to find any reference to this anywhere. Also, mouse traps are very much still being sold in stores. In fact, you can't even find a no kill mouse trap here (i ended up making a bucket trap). I'm going to remove it as it is just not true.82.83.241.149 20:48, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Look in a pet store. I found an exeptional non-lethal trap there. It was see-through, so I used the trapped mouse as a T.V for my two kittens.


 * Sorry, but I have to ask how it is you work out the ethics of that situation. Do you tell the mouse not to worry, since you're not going to kill it, but, rather, you'll keep it in a state of abject terror for an indefinite period as two predatory animals salivate over its petrified staring eyes? I'm not one of those opposed to mousetraps, but I do find it a bit strange if you use a non-lethal trap only to subsequently torture the animal. --Xaliqen (talk) 06:19, 29 January 2011 (UTC)

Please remove photographs of dead mice
To show how a mousetrap works, I suggest that we post a drawing or diagram. There is absolutely no reason why a picture of a dead mouse caught in the trap needs to be used to show how a mousetrap works. It is violent, unpleasant and renders this page unsuitable for children. I actually came here looking for history of the board-game FOR children known as "mouse trap". Arriving here instead was perhaps to be expected, but the imagery of dead mice was shocking and unwelcome.

I see no reason for posting pictures of dead mice caught in mousetraps. It adds nothing of elaboration or explanation for the topic is a grisly and gratuitous display of violence. The pictures should be removed.


 * I somewhat agree. I was actually wondering how they kill, but two pictures? Maybe have them on a linked paged or something, but it certainly changes the page to be a little too much for kids. 75.1.5.91 08:27, 29 October 2006 (UTC)


 * People look up a mousetrap encyclopedia entry to find out how mousetraps work. Since most of them are in the business of killing mice, how can a dead mouse be irrelevant? Two pictures is gratuitous, removing both would be bowdlerization. 68.190.89.231 22:21, 4 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Okay, sounds reasonable - I removed the second dead mouse. Haukur 22:36, 4 November 2006 (UTC)


 * These pictures, and also the links at the bottom of the page, are obviously placed there by PETA　activists or someone similar. This isn't the place for peta activism. Perhaps however, a "criticism" section is in order, because there is a significant population of people who oppose killing mousetraps and glue traps. --74.128.140.243 03:16, 16 January 2007 (UTC)


 * I was asked to comment here, but it looks like a very old conversation. I think maybe one or two pictures is okay, but so many seems gratuitous. Most importantly, I hope people aren't going around killing mice to get pics for Wikipedia. :-( Perhaps we need a disclaimer: "No animals were harmed in the course of creating this article." SlimVirgin (talk) 16:30, 5 March 2007 (UTC)


 * A picture of a mouse caught in a glue trap may be useful. Drutt 21:46, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

I don't think that the pictures of dead mice are really necessary at all. They're just too gruesome, in my opinion. If someone wants to see a picture of a mouse in a trap, they are more than capable of doing an image search elsewhere. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.109.49.200 (talk) 08:23, 12 December 2007 (UTC)


 * For what it's worth, I agree that the photos of the dead mice should be removed and I don't think that they are necessary or helpful for this article ... as mentioned above, a diagram would accomplish how each type of trap works and still be a 'family friendly' type of article ... my 11 year old daughter was looking at this article for a school project to build a better and non-lethal mousetrap and she was very upset by these photos - and to be honest, when I saw them I was too -- Ukt-zero (talk) 12:21, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

Should we post photos of dead humans killed in various ways on the pages for military weapons I wonder? If not, why is the photo on this page acceptable? 01:00, 15 December 2007 (UTC)


 * This debate is becoming more suited for the animal rights or animal cruelty page. The mousetrap is a device with a specific purpose, to capture and sometimes kill pest mice. The page gives equal time to live capture and humane mouestraps. To compare pictures of dead mice to dead humans is not reasonable.Bugguyak (talk) 13:47, 15 December 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not censored. Have a read, folks. -- Pennyforth (talk) 18:50, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Since the purpose of people using mouse traps (other than humane traps) is to kill the mouse, why be concerned with pictures of dead mice? Personally I want people to see the result of the killing mouse traps. If you are going to use a lethal trap you better have the guts to look at the desired result. I hope that one person considering a lethal trap will see the gruesome pictures of a dead mouse and perhaps consider non-lethal methods. Throckmorton Guildersleeve (talk) 14:49, 19 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Wikipedia is not censored now and never will be. You might as well say that we should not have pictures of a penis on Wikipedia because it might corrupt young minds. Wikipedia is educational and needs to show things like this. There are also reasons a diagram will not work. What if someone was wondering if a mouse trap leaves behind blood, or severs part of the body. A diagram could not represent this without going into just as much gory detail as a picture. Linuxguymarshall (talk) 17:44, 27 November 2008 (UTC)

Really, if you buy a mouse trap, you're probably wondering how it works. Why bother if you're gonna see a dead mouse anyways? Enrgy (talk) 21:18, 30 December 2008

While I'm supportive of the idea that a mouse killed in such a fashion should be displayed in appropriate imagery within the article, it seems unnecessary to place the image next to the lead paragraph. Placing the image lower in the article may prove less shocking to those sensitive to such material. --98.207.107.112 (talk) 01:11, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

Very sensible comments immediately above. Simply showing a degree of sensitivity doesn't amount to censorship. A pity this issue has become so polarised. IXIA (talk) 17:27, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

Patents
I noticed that both of the links to the United States Patent Office for mousetraps don't yield any results. If you happen to find the actual patent numbers, please add valid United States patent links. Dollarback


 * The UK patent for the common modern mousetrap is GB number 13277, invented 1897, granted 1899, inventor James Henry Atkinson. Partial patent information (not much more than part of the drawing and the number).


 * The US patent for a nearly identical design was applied for on 30 October 1899 by John M. Mast. It was granted as on 17 November 1903. There are no references to Hiram Maxim in the prior art. --71.162.85.65 00:26, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

I just tried a humane trap (a weighted ramp that the mouse can't walk back over once he's gotten past the end of it).

It caught a mouse immediately, but unfortunately I didn't see the little thing hiding under the ramp and released it by mistake.

I sure hope he's dumb enough to fall for the same trick twice.

Josh Scholar


 * He will. He's not gonna identify it as dangerous. 124.197.50.143 21:00, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

That redlink for the mousetrap video game was rather unneeded since it was only worth a brief mention along with the Buckner & Garcia song inspired by it. --SuperDude 05:24, 5 May 2005 (UTC)

Suspicious edit
I am suspicious about this recent edit. It looks like a prank and the facts added are unsourced (although not entirely implausible). Algae 06:18, 10 March 2006 (UTC)


 * I found an anonymous edit adding the word "cruel" to the description of glue traps. That isn't NPOV so I removed it. Winick88


 * They are cruel. It's a statement of fact ... perhaps a criticism section is in order. Considering the wealth of information (and personal experience) that tells how inhumane they actually are, I think such a section would be appropiate. People should know the full extent on what these traps can actually do to rodents and birds, and the morality of using such devices to "remove animals". I might start on one actually - perhaps even a morality section. Yes, it is relevant to the topic - we are killing animals afterall. The question of cruelty must be discussed. Yes, I think a criticism section is in order, particually if it's well known that the amount of suffering inflicted is distasteful to a lot of people. Lechensko 04:03, 6 March 2007 AEST (UTC)


 * As the Winick88 said, that claim is against WP:NPOV. Be very careful in any edits you do in this direction.  That said, you most recent edit is EXACTLY what we want -- sourced, factual and neutral.  Thank you for adding it!  --Mdwyer 17:38, 5 March 2007 (UTC)

Hmmm in this case a criticism section is apt. This is where we can expand on that area... ethical considerations on such things are important and worthy of mentioning. With some of these removal methods, you will always have an ethical dilemma (and rightly so). Lechensko 04:52, 6 March 2007 AEST (UTC)


 * How does mousetrap "cruelty" compare with being tortured to death by a cat? Drutt 11:36, 17 April 2007 (UTC)


 * ^ That has been exactly my point for some time now.

- My mices are sooo smart that they are getting my bait without setting off the trap! Please Help.

18:31, 11 July 2006 (UTC)LocomotiveBreath --68.190.89.231 22:21, 4 November 2006 (UTC)--68.190.89.231 22:21, 4 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Use peanut butter or another semi solid food. Stinky is better. 74.12.71.70 03:54, 4 December 2006 (UTC)
 * Also make sure the holder is as cloe to releasing the trap as possible, so that the slightest touch will set it off.


 * Better yet, just use the glass trap...get the mouse with no mess 82.83.207.11 10:35, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

--- How can such a subject cause such a flurry of changes and counterchanges? But what should be added is the effective toilet roll tube with peanut butter trap described at http://glass.typepad.com/journal/2005/09/how_to_catch_a_.html   SilasW 22:26, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Trap
I have this trap, it is a two piece one, The bottom peice is a bit of metal with two straps on it, and the top piece is a 5-sided wire cage with a hole at the top which the mouse can get in but out of, which is strapped onto the bottom peice, on which the bait is placed. What is this trap called?

124.197.50.143 21:05, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

New Page
can we please add a page for mouse trap racers I searched for that and it redirected me to here

Thanks :D

god 07:50, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Inert gas mousetrap

 * The | RADAR mousetrap, invented by Dr. Nigel Binns, kills trapped mice or other rodents with carbon dioxide, then notifies the user by e-mail so that the trap can be quickly emptied and reset. Dr. Binns claims that the trap is painless and also reduces future mouse deaths by pinpointing the exact location of the trap and how many animals are caught so that their access can be controlled by sealing access holes. PETA has recognized this product as an |"animal friendly achievement."

I'm pretty unsure if carbon dioxide IS inert gas. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.149.9.181 (talk) 05:01, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

"A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, formula CO2, about 1.5 times as heavy as air. Under normal conditions, it is stable, inert, and nontoxic. The decay (slow oxidation) of all organic materials produces CO2. Fresh air contains approximately 0.033% CO2 by volume. In the respiratory action (breathing) of all animals and humans, CO2 is exhaled." Yep - CO2 is inert. Bob98133 (talk) 19:52, 4 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Well, in this context, carbon dioxide isn't inert. It is toxic upon inhalation (no, it doesn't just replace air from a confined space, it is toxic in deed). It is quite chemically inert, but not biologically.--84.163.124.2 (talk) 16:39, 15 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I did some web searches and I agree with what you say, however they sell this kind of trap as "inert gas" so I guess they are using the chemical context, wheras using a poisonous gas would have similar effects but wouldn't be at all inert. It's probably just an attempt to make the thing sound benign.Bob98133 (talk) 18:10, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

I was intrigued by this and went to look. It turns out that it's manufatured by own Australian company and is only notable in so far as the inventor was given an award by PETA. I'm not sure that qualifies it as something for an encyclopedia article on mouse traps since it's not known or accessible to the vast majority of people -- even experts. — m a k o ๛  20:22, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

There are a lot of things described in Wiki that are not available to the general public. I don't think that should be a criteria for including or excluding things. This type of trap is notable just because it is a very high tech type device for this purpose. I recall learning about lasers long before they became available or used commercially. At the time, I thought they had no purpose, now I own a dozen or so in CD players, etc. I would say this high tech device should go back on the regular page. I thnk it is notable just because it is so futuristic - face it, who's going to spend whatever it costs on one of these anyhow? Bob98133 11:53, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

How could this possibly be painless? CO2 content in the blood is what causes pain and panic during drowning and suffocation. Anyone that can hold their breath for a minute or so can verify this, but Waterboarding and Smothering are some nice friendly examples of how this could be considered a torture device in humans. Eagleon (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 16:55, 31 August 2011 (UTC).

Merge with Rat trap

 * Redirect, mousetrap is more complete than Rat trap. I suggest we simply redirect Rat trap to mousetrap and add a section saying that Rat traps are larger than mouse traps. Clerks. 19:57, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

I agree very much, Rat Trap is less complete so it would make since to add it to the Mouse Trap page. (Samus Fan102 (talk) 21:10, 27 October 2009 (UTC))

earlier mousetraps
"The first mouse trap was invented by James Henry Atkinson... in 1897" is incorrect. The following link has American mouse trap patents from 1870 and 1886.



I've also heard mention of ancient chinese mouse traps, and the term "mouse trap" existed at least as far back as Hamlet, but I cannot find sources or examples of anything prior to 1870.

Paxacha 19:24, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

So many references are wrong in this page
Rather than having real bait, some newer spring mouse traps only have a plastic trigger made to look like a cartoonish piece of swiss cheese that is the color of American cheese. Since this false cheese has no smell or taste, most regretful buyers end up spreading peanut butter or other bait on the trigger. [3]

The above passage along with the German ban comments and many other factual errors cause me to question the validity of any of the information provided here That "cartoonish piece of cheese" is called an extended trigger which was first created by field techs as a way of extending the surface area that a rodent could come into contact with There is a bait reservoir at the end of it that which is specifically designed to hold peanut butter or other baits

I would suggest that none of this article be taken at face value and another more knowledgeable person rewrite it entirely.


 * Agreed, anyone whom has even read the package on the "cartoonish" extended trigger mouse traps would know that its not intended to be used without some bait applied to the "false cheese". Bugguyak (talk) 12:41, 30 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Fixed this. Bugguyak (talk) 17:05, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

1992 Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings collection University of Nebraska, Lincoln "Unmasking Mascall's Mouse Traps" by David C Drummond available at http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/vpc15/23 shows traps first illustrated in Leonard Mascalls 1590 "A book of Engines and Traps..." Mike T98.225.216.10 (talk) 00:42, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

Spring-loaded bar mousetrap force
How much force does a Spring-loaded bar mousetrap usually have?--71.170.215.141 (talk) 03:35, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

Earliest Mousetrap and Dumas reference
Hey all. Two things:

1) The only reason I came to this page was because of the reference I saw to a mouse trap in my copy of The Three Musketeers, described in the addition I made to mousetraps in fiction section. I thought it was interesting and should be added, even though it's not a literal mousetrap.  Now, the edition I pulled it from is copyright 1993 by Worsworth Editions Limited, ISBN 1-853226-040-1.  I don't absolutely know if this is true to the original writing, both in translation and in editing over a century, but I get the impression that it is.  If anyone knows anymore, either that it is correct or not, please note so here and cite to an older edition if correct or change/delete if incorrect.

2) Assuming that the reference is true, the first sentence under spring loaded traps should probably be corrected to specify when the first spring loaded trap was invented. I highly doubt that the first ever mouse trap was made in the 1890s.  If anything, the so-called humane live traps probably had much earlier versions, simply because not even spring technology is required.IMHO (talk) 20:19, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

See above reference for earliest written mousetrap info that I have available that has diagrams. Earlier English texts might describe the mechanisms, but have no illos of which I am familiar.98.225.216.10 (talk) 00:57, 2 September 2010 (UTC)Mike T.

New type of mouse trap
A few years ago, I saw a commercial that showed a brand new kind of mouse trap, in which the mouse goes inside a round trap that once an object is inside, the trap spins around once or twice or so, and the mouse dies. What is that kind of mouse trap?--70.240.249.205 (talk) 00:15, 7 November 2008 (UTC)Chris

Merger proposal
Bringing up the issue previously brought up by Clerks in July '07, I believe we should merge rat trap into mousetrap. Rat trap is a stub and because the two topics are very similar it would fit nicely. Linuxguymarshall (talk) 17:37, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Merge. Merging makes sense. I disagree about your opinion that glue traps are cruel.  First off, there is no guarantee that a trap designed to kill, will kill.  They sometimes maim and cause the rodent to slowly die.  Live catch traps could be considered cruel if they are not regularly checked and the rodent is allowed to starve to death.  Poison is also more cruel.  Glue traps have no moving parts and are not toxic.  I believe if used properly, can be considered equally as human as live catch traps.  They are less expensive and don't become your weird possession after you handle your rodent problem.  If you throw away the live rodent in the glue trap, that is cruel.  If you free it outside as is the intention, an oily rat gets away unscathed...    —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.184.200.34 (talk) 19:03, 16 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Merge. Makes perfect sense to me, and i just wanna put it out there, i think that sticky mouse/rat traps are extremely cruel and i think that they should be illegal in the US also. It also makes sense to werge everything into an animal trapping article.
 * Why not merge everything into Animal trapping? Kgrr (talk) 00:57, 25 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Merge. I think the subjects are similar enough, yet different enough from Animal trapping in general. Mouse traps and rat traps are generally for pest control whereas most other trapping is for hunting purposes.  Capt. Phœbus  ( talk ) 15:00, 25 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Oppose. I think that the articles are different enough to require separate pages. They have a different set of photographs, which are best shown on different pages. Snowman (talk) 21:51, 25 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Merge they employ similar mechanisms but on slightly different scales.-- Lenticel ( talk ) 04:28, 31 July 2009 (UTC)


 * Oppose They are different devices. A mouse trap will not catch a rat, and most rat traps will not catch a mouse. If merged, a new title such as "Rat and mouse traps" or "Rodent traps" would be needed. Victor sell electronic mouse traps and electronic rat traps. The electronic mouse trap is physically dissimilar, and uses 20 seconds of 4000 volt electric pulses, while the rat trap uses 2 minutes of 7500 volt pulses. A rat could not physically enter the mouse trap. Edison (talk) 18:20, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Merge I came here because I wanted to see how to get rid of a rodent - the thing is that I had no idea whether it's a mouse or a rat (city guy) and only after lots of reading did I figure out that it's probably a rat. So having both in the same page, discussing how the two rodents differ and whether the traps for one can capture/kill the other would have been 'very helpful. 94.197.213.249 (talk) 15:00, 16 October 2009 (UTC) Christos


 * Merge, but only if the new article title is rodent trap or rat and mouse trap or something inclusive of both. Bob98133 (talk) 21:14, 16 October 2009 (UTC)
 * Merge They appear to be essentially the same device, albeit different sizes and strengths. The argument against it appears comparable to an argument for "TV Remotes" as opposed to "VCR Remotes" because they operate on different frequencies; both are quite frankly "Remote Controls." Merging both into a renamed "Rodent Trap" with redirects from "Mouse trap" and "Rat Trap" seems reasonable. - Qi na el  &lambda;&alpha;&lambda;&epsilon;&omega; &#124; δίδωμι 04:14, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

Oppose: I think it shouldnt merge since its 2 different things. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.253.251.28 (talk) 14:30, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Orphic?
Quote: ''Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited with the oft-quoted remark in favor of innovation: "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." In the June 1912 issue of The Philistine, Elbert Hubbard admits that his "kabojolism"[15] (a neologism coined by Hubbard to describe what a writer, "would have said if he had happened to think of [it]") was "a mousetrap that caught a lot of literary mice intent on orphic cheese."[16]''

I don't get the second sentence. At all. Maikel (talk) 16:40, 12 August 2009 (UTC)


 * This second sentence does seem rather irrelevant. Why should we take note of Elbert Hubbard's attempt at wit in a century-old periodical?  In the larger context of an article detailing mousetraps, this information appears trivial. --Xaliqen (talk) 06:11, 2 September 2010 (UTC)


 * I agree, will remove it --Tony Wills (talk) 09:00, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

significant injury from mousetraps
 This link above details a lawsuit in which a man was seriously injured when a spring loaded moustrap snapped on his genitals. Admittedly, this is an extreme case, both of injury and stupidity, but nonetheless, such injuries are possible. I didn't revert the recent edit because it does sound silly, but I think that the dangers of these traps should be included, at least as far as possible injuries to sensitive areas, as well as possibility of injury to children or domestic pets. I think that there are sufficient references to justify this without it sounding so bizarre. Bob98133 (talk) 13:02, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Many stored-energy devices have the potential to cause injury when the stored energy is suddenly released, whether it is electrical or mechanical. Wikipedia does not always include warnings for those unaware of the dangers of objects discussed. The article on Incandescent lamps includes no warning against sticking your finger in the socket, despite people having been harmed that way. If the guy had been tricked into sticking his genitals into a meat grinder, or a Mangle (machine), that would also have been unfortunate, but there is no caution in those articles about the obvious danger. But the article on Ice picks does mention their use for murder, so the reader might infer it would be harmful to stick it into his body. The article on Ironing mentions that irons cause fires and burns, but does not go to the lame extent of warning people to remove clothes before ironing them. This article should clearly state that the stored injury from the spring on a trap causes it to snap with enough force to break a mouse's neck. It might be appropriate to mention that it could injure a human body part, but with reference to some safety organization, or stats on people with broken fingers, rather than publicizing a silly stunt. We do not generally put obvious warnings in every article. See also Darwin Awards. Edison (talk) 18:44, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree, Edison. The example that I cited was an extreme one. However, there is a difference between a device intended to cause lethal injury to a mouse and a light bulb. I think that it is reasonable for an article about a device designed to cause injury to include some mention that the device does not discriminate between mice and pets or small children. I believe that there is similar text about leghold traps in animal trapping - that non-target animals may be injured by them. As I said, it's a minor point, so it's fine with me being included or not. Bob98133 (talk) 13:40, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Ortho Max Kill & Contain
Would it be good for there to be a description of how the Ortho Max Kill & Contain works? Leif Nabil 23:39, 5 October 2009 (UTC)

Hiram Maxim invented automatically resetting cage trap.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

following up the lead by Wikipedia that Hiram Maxim deserves some priority in inventing the flat snap mouse trap, I did some inquiry and found the memoires of Sir Hiram Maxim called "My Life" (1915). That was quite easy, the original being archived just two mouseclicks from here. Looking for the search term "trap" yielded results of which the following is of particular interest concerning the question whether the Wikipedia information of Maxim's role in mouse trap invention is correct:

"The grist mill at Abbott, like all other grist mills, supported a swarm of mice. There were no rats in Maine in those days except in seaport towns. While working in Flynt's carriage factory I used to make a few box traps in the noon hour and on Sundays, but the trouble with these traps was that when they had caught a mouse they were full and could not catch another until the first had been taken out. I therefore decided to make an automatic mouse-trap, one that would wind up like a clock, and set itself a great number of times. This trap was to be worked by a coiled spring after the manner of a clock. At that time the women were wearing hooped skirts. The hoop itself was usually made of hard rolled brass, very thin and light and susceptible

''80 MY LIFE [page and title]

''of being made into a suitable spring. I attempted to buy a single hoop at the village store, but they were only sold in sets of three. After a great deal of negotiation the store-keeper agreed to let me have the three hoops for thirty cents. With considerable trouble I raised the money, purchased the set, and attempted to sell two of the hoops for twenty cents, but failed. By getting up very early on Sunday mornings and going to work at daylight and working all day, I succeeded in making a trap that was quite automatic in its action. The body part was made of very white crinkly basswood, which is very beautiful when varnished, and this was ornamented with dark mahogany strips which made the basswood appear like panels. When it was finished it certainly had the appearance of a very pretty piece of cabinet work.

''It was about four o'clock one Sunday afternoon when I finished it, and I took it round to the store-keeper to see what he would think of my work. He said it was splendid, wonderful, and would, he believed, work perfectly. So he cut off a bit of the butt-end of a candle, attached it to the double hook that was made for holding the bait, and put the trap in a place where the mice were numerous. On my return from supper we went into the store to see what had happened, and found five mice in the cage looking at us with their noses projecting through the bars. The trap was a success. It was shown to every one in the village, and borrowed to be put on exhibition in the neighbouring villages.''

''Although this trap was successful, it was too expensive and elaborate to make and sell ; so I studied out another plan, and made one that required no coiled spring, the mouse himself doing all the work. His mouseship walked in, and, touching the bait, shut himself in ; this frightened''

[next page with picture of the author]

.• • •

''MY FIRST INVENTION 81

''him ; he would attempt to escape, and did escape into a small cage, but in doing so he set the trap for the next customer, and so on.''

''Many years later I went into a shop to purchase a mouse- trap. On'' being shown the one which the dealer recom- mended as the very best, I was surprised to see the very thing which I had invented when a boy."''

The book can be found at:

http://www.archive.org/stream/mylife00maxigoog/mylife00maxigoog_djvu.txt

I take this to mean that Maxim invented two automatically resetting cage traps and has nothing to do with the now ubiquitous flat snap mouse trap.

There is of coure the mention of a coil spring made from a skirt hoop and that may have lead someone astray in thinking it must be a spring like those powering flat snap mouse traps.

It is also quite fitting, in my opinion, that the inventor of an automatically reloading gun should have invented an automatically resetting mouse trap.

As I do not know how to edit a Wikipedia page and it seem to require some expertise in the sandbox, I leave it to the experienced community to improve the mouse trap page on the point of Maxim's inventions.

Yours sincerely Joe —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.13.251.166 (talk) 19:00, 5 January 2010 (UTC)

No View, No Touch” mousetrap
Please stop inserting this advertisement for this mousetrap. If the content is relevant, please phrase it so it does not sounds like an ad, and reference properly. Please reply prior to reverting article text. Thanks Bob98133 (talk) 18:28, 15 July 2010 (UTC)

NOOSKI trap
This content, with no independent citation, has been re-added several times now. I think it's WP:UNDUE to mention any editor's favorite new idea or to cherry-pick an arbitrary new invention until it has become notable itself (spirit of WP:NLIST seems appropriate for this article-section). Wikipedia is by policy and guidelines a tertiary source for what is already notable and written-about by others. The company-page was already speedied for lack of notability as well: the best argument raised for keeping it was that other companies have pages on wikipedia. I have invited the proponent to comment here. Per WP:BRD, it should probably be removed pending resolution here, but I don't really care at the moment. DMacks (talk) 03:54, 16 June 2011 (UTC)

Rat or Mouse?
The "mouse" in the picture looks an awful lot like a rat, though perhaps a young one. The tail is thick and body long, unlike a mouse. Awernham (talk) 12:42, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Glue traps
I'd like more information on the "natural or synthetic adhesive" which glue traps use. Chemicals, please. I don't know of any adhesive which has such properties. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.213.76.24 (talk) 19:47, 29 December 2014 (UTC)

Glue traps do not kill
Glue traps do not kill, they capture. Therefore the statement that "Glue traps sometimes do not kill the animal, so that one might want to kill the animal, especially a rat, before disposal" is both inaccurate and emotive. There is also no logical reason for wanting to kill a rat rather than any other trapped animal - at least this sentence does not suggest a reason.Royalcourtier (talk) 18:50, 25 February 2016 (UTC)
 * The animals captured in glue traps do die however, distinctively more rapidly than in a conventional (cage type) live trap. They rarely make it out longer than several hours and die of stress, or need to be dispatched out of misery upon finding them. --78.43.71.172 (talk) 16:22, 9 August 2016 (UTC)

Tone of article needs improvement
Although already stated i believe this article seems like it's more geared towards an advertisement-esque tone. Thoughts? Saltedcake (talk) 17:44, 7 March 2016 (UTC)
 * This article is horribly neglected. 'Nuff said. --Border of Phantasm (Complaint Center) 16:34, 27 March 2017 (UTC)

Well, at points it looks kind of documentary-esque, with a bit of adjectival frill and an almost literary tone starting some paragraphs. But, overall, I find the content informative and straight to the point enough. My only complaint goes to the earlier references to traps (before spring-loaded ones) being poorly described, nothing is said about how they function. 191.183.100.218 (talk) 07:39, 13 July 2017 (UTC)

External links modified (February 2018)
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Why Molly and Giles surname given as Rolston when in the original book it is Davis?
It's seems ridiculous to alter their names from the book. Avagday (talk) 12:52, 15 July 2018 (UTC)
 * I can't find any of those names mentioned in this article. Are you sure you're on the right talkpage? DMacks (talk) 13:17, 15 July 2018 (UTC)

@ DMacks....That is because I am being extremely blond. I was on the mousetrap theater play page and wanted to question an error on it. So I joined Wiki and re looked up Mousetrap!! And here we are TOTALLY wrong mousetrap 😀 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Avagday (talk • contribs) 13:57, 15 July 2018 (UTC)
 * No worries:) I don't know anything about this play. Might want to post a note on Talk:The Mousetrap. DMacks (talk) 14:06, 15 July 2018 (UTC)

Victor Trap Specifics
Of Note, the trap depicted in the upper right of this article at the time is a "Baitless" trap. 2604:6000:8483:4F00:41B4:B8BC:D09E:9AF7 (talk) 06:57, 30 November 2019 (UTC)

chain reaction
There was a "citation needed" pending on that, so here's what I got: --BjKa (talk) 11:31, 16 February 2020 (UTC)
 * I appended a youtube link. It's a pretty bad video, but freely available. A cheap DIY recreation of the original demonstration.
 * This video shows where the whole thing originated, but is only a commercial teaser for a dealer, and of course omits the really interesting footage.
 * http://www.bibliothek-der-sachgeschichten.de/a2-dvd.html -- This is the original, still available commercially from the original production company. Every kid who grew up in Germany in the 1980s, who had any interest in science at all, will have seen parts from this at some point in his life. If you click on the image of the back cover of the DVD you can find a still image of the chain reaction happening.

History
The article could use some info about older cultures. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3rrdMKhUoI for example. As for medieval sources, there's Merode (1427) and Mascall (1590) see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3t_Tapb93g&list=PLQv9MGcwQg4v142Hdr4bV_wv8QBG7MFeF&index=11 --BjKa (talk) 15:39, 16 February 2020 (UTC)
 * NO. YouTube is not a reliable source.--Shantavira|feed me 14:41, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

GIF
The mousetrap in the gif doesn't appear to be working correctly. The part goes off to the side, instead of coming down on the pen. If we're trying to show people how a mousetrap works, this is not really helpful. Tad Lincoln (talk) 16:51, 18 January 2024 (UTC)