In Use:

While this device does include a Z-Wave Plus radio, it is important to point out that you can use it effectively whether you have a Z-Wave network or not. By installing the 4x AA batteries and turning it on, you have a stand-alone rodent killer that will work just fine. Whether connected to a Z-Wave network or not, you can get local indication that you have made a kill by checking the red LED light found on the on/off switch. When you first turn the Mouser on it will light up for about 2 seconds, and then the light will stay off until it has something waiting for you inside. At the point that it kills a rodent it will light up and blink every five seconds to let you know you have to clean it out and reset it for another tour of duty!

Connecting it to a Z-Wave network is where things get interesting, as you will get instant notification that the Mouser has done its job! I connected the device to two different Z-Wave networks (Fibaro and SmartThings) to demonstrate how it might look, and the screenshots below cover both.

The three images below are from the Fibaro web interface (review on this system coming up very soon), where the Mouser was detected easily, but not quite configure explicitly as a rodent trap. That is fine, as the Fibaro is a very powerful and flexible Z-Wave controller that let's you customize things very much to your liking. The below left image shows the default configuration as discovered, which has it as a motion sensor waiting for me to customize it. The next image still has it as a motion sensor (I eventually set it as a door switch) where it is now given a name, assigned to a location, and given a set of icons that made from some clipart found online. If interested, this is the inactive PNG file and this is the active PNG file used. The below right image shows the Mouser has been assigned to the group of devices found in my garage, just waiting for a visitor! Once included in the Fibaro network (or any other really), you can configure alerts to be sent to your smartphone, or for any other action to take place... Perhaps turn on a light, sound an alarm, flash a beacon, etc.



I also connected the Mouser to a SmartThings system because I had discovered that someone had created a third party device handler that looked to be very well done. Inclusion with the SmartThings hub was just as easy as with Fibaro, and with the proper device handler waiting for it, setup was a snap. The below left screenshot shows the device's main page, where you can see the Mouser icon and indication that it is armed, as well as feedback on the battery status (I haven't zapped anything yet, so its still 100%). Clicking the gear in SmartThings lets you customize things further, as seen in the other three images. You can rename the device, set a wake up interval, configure how often the system polls the device for battery status, and configure how long the LED should blink was tripped. I prefer the default indication of blinking the LED until you do something about it, and if/when I do catch something I will be sure to reset it very quickly.



I do get rodents in my garage, as we keep feed for some chickens we own in there. We try to keep the feed securely sealed, but mice and chipmunks both come in to help themselves. I don't like poison traps since its possible the chickens may find it, snap traps are gross and messy, and my luck with glue boards is poor... Usually the rodent (or small birds) will be partially stuck and will drag the board somewhere else and get the attention of someone else in the family before I get home! The Dome Mouser seems like the perfect solution since there is no poison, no mess, and only I will know when it has been triggered thanks to the Z-Wave connection and the fact that the trap is too heavy to be dragged around (let alone that everything that enters is supposed to be killed cleanly). Plus, you can bait it with what ever you want, so since the rodents come for the chicken feed, I have baited it with chicken feed.

The Mouser has been in place for about 2 weeks and I have not caught anything yet. That is OK really... There are no signs of rodents presently in my garage, but I am sure they will be back in the fall/winter and the Mouser will be waiting for them. Being impatient to see some sort of results, I tried tripping the Mouser in a variety of ways, while also making sure I didn't experience just how much of a zap 4x AA batteries can give. I tried throwing in a piece of leather... nothing. I tried probing around with a rubber handled screw drive... nope. Then I threw in a 2" long lag bolt and I could not only hear the zapping, but also received the expected indicators (LED flash and SmartThings notification).