Gold Key Rat Depot Heavy-Duty Tamper-Resistant Bait Station

The mice steel the bait without setting off the trap approximately 75% of the time. That means this mouse trap doesn't do what it's supposed to do most of the time. The trip-release mechanism is probably not sensitive enough. I tried manipulating the triggering mechanism to varying positions of sensitivity but it didn't seem to make any difference positively. I did catch mice in it. Three the first day that I set out all six of the traps baited with peanut butter in my pantry where the mouse problem is. But the next couple of days I saw a mouse running in the area of the traps, and upon inspecting all six traps, four traps were totally empty of any bait and two still had bait, but were further away from the area that I usually see the mice. I tried and did put the bait all the way to the bottom of the bait holder to make it more difficult for the mice to get to the bait, but they did withput setting off the trap. 'The best laid plans of mice and men'.

Pros - I like the wide doorways which make it easy access for rats and inviting. Alot of brands have lid problems and this one does work but you do have to use alot of downward pressure to get it to open. Once you get it open, you can see how the lock mechanism works and then you understand why you have to press downward.Cons - I don't like that the bait bar (only 1) is so floppy. It has a notch to place the end to hold the bar but it needs to be longer to hold it because it's just a short nub and it falls out easily. The hooked end just fits over the wall divider inside the box so it is not very stable either creating lots of wobble. I really didn't like that the paper label on top of the box with instructions on the back of that paper is glued down with a glue that is stronger than anything I've ever experienced. I was using a knife and slowly prying it off, it was ridiculous and I ended up ripping alot of the instructions off. This bait station is pretty lightweight and I do worry about the leaf blower flipping it over.

So the ice cream parlor behind my property is drawing in rats, and I bought two of these bait stations to combat the issue. They lock with a cheap plastic lock and key, but it seems to be enough to keep kids or pets out of the bait stations. The rats are definitely “taking the bait”, and I'm thinking about getting two more to maximize my distribution.**edit***It has now been 8 years and these bait stations still work perfectly. I just filled them this morning. Over the years I’ve seen the rat population go up and down this year has been particularly bad so I’m back to hitting them full force. Sometimes these stations are a little difficult to open but I would still recommend them to anyone concerned about a kid or pet getting into the poison.

This item almost got returned because the description does not clearly indicate that no bait comes with it. It is in the picture, but you open the product and their is no bait. For that price it should include at least one. So had to make a special trip to find one locally that would fit. Ace hardware came to the rescue. Otherwise I would have given it five stars. Our chickens can't get to the bait, so mission accomplished. It has wiped out a pack of rats quite quickly which we were seeing every day, now they are gone.

This is a very heavy duty bait box for mice. The mice love it...but not for long. The biggest problem is keeping the thing full of bait!

I really think these traps have been a great answer to my need around the house. They have large entry holes and I've noticed a substantial reduction in rodent activity around my detached garage and shop. I use TomCat bait blocks in conjunction with this station and they lick those posts clean - so they are definitely able to get to the bait and eat it. Mice, Rats and Squirrel activity is down.I'd recommend this product to any DIY-er. It's quick and easy. The plastic lock is cheap and I've figured out how to apply the correct amount of force to get it open without the plastic key, so keep these away from little hands and paws.Still though, it's a good product and not very expensive. I'd recommend it.

Works well and at a great price! East to use and a key comes with every trap. Unlike others that come with one key per four or five traps. I knew I would lose that key. Now I have five keys to lose.

Since installing this station in our garage we have had a few visitors. The bait has so remained on the rods and they station stayed locked. This was important because my dogs have infrequent access to the garage and I wanted to make sure it was secure.