NOTE: below is a summary of a chat I had with Gemini+ about mouse traps. At the end of the chat I asked it for a summary I could post here, in my “voice”. It was too lengthy (imagine that!) [expand] 
[/expand], so I asked for a summary ~50% of the first. This is the result.
Dealing with mouse traps can be annoying, even the simple wooden snap kind. Recently, I bought a pack where two worked perfectly, but the other two just wouldn’t set, even on the “Firm” setting. Super frustrating!
The Fix for Unsettable Traps
After some tinkering, I think I found a solution: Carefully bend that U-shaped staple with pliers a tiny bit towards the center of the trap’s base. This small adjustment gave the bail the extra reach it needed. Both stubborn traps now set like a charm!
My Secret for Longer-Lasting Traps
Another common issue: those staples eventually pull loose from the wood after a few uses, making the trap useless. My preventative hack is simple but effective:
Right out of the box, I put a tiny drop of thin super glue where each metal staple enters the wooden base. This glue wicks into the wood, bonding the staples much more securely. This means my traps should last far longer, handling many more “snaps” without falling apart.
Hopefully, these tricks save you some headaches (and maybe a trip to the store!).
