I just posted my first Spark Core project on Hackster.io. Check it out
Humane Rat Trap Notifier
Get notified when a rat trap has been triggered using a Particle Spark Core, IFTTT, and Pushbullet.
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Cool. I sometimes use Sparkfun boxes for project cases too. 
@NickW. Nice…but just about the time you might end up trying to catch bushy-tailed rats (a.k.a. squirrels–I couldn’t help it!) you may want to modify the trap so they can’t get out of it. Yes, squirrels can get out of that exact type of Havahart trap pictured–I’ve had it happen at least twice before wising up. If you take a close look at the trap, you’ll notice that the latches rest in a punched-out “lip” on the doors…and the latches are completely open to the inside! Somehow, super-smart (or determined) squirrels manage to inadvertently (or otherwise) flick a latch up to release the door from the inside. (When they do, good luck trying to catch them again!)
Basically, the modification involves hammering the “lip” in the doors back flat, and using a nut-and-bolt combo to hold the latches up. (A drop of Superglue on the nut won’t hurt!) Last but not least, I added long springs between the latches and base of the doors–the trap goes off with a “zing”, and I haven’t had any escaped convicts since
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Best rat trap i ever made was a big rubbish bin, oil the sides and place a snickers bar at the bottom, sit it next to a wall. something about chocolate and nuts they couldn’t resist… then they climb the wall and jump in the bin and cant climb out. then put the lid on and take it out bush and let them go…
we got 6 the first night, 4 the second and 2 on the third night… after that there was no more!
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Couldn’t you just attach a flat piece of something to the inside of the door to cover the gap in the door made by the lips to prevent the bushy tailed creatures from messing with the latches?
I can definitely see adding better torsion springs to increase the amount of holding force.
I’m a huge fan of modifying things to make it work for my needs. It’s great that you were able to make yours work for the squirrels.
Sure, you could. . .but make sure that it's bolted in place, as glue won't survive a determined squirrel. Actually, just the spring from the latches to the base of the doors would have done the trick--but just about the time some bushy-tails graduated from the school of hard knocks, I wasn't taking any further chances!
I used the springs just to ensure that no amount of bouncing around inside the trap could cause the latches to move upwards (releasing the doors). The springs also ensured that squirrels couldn't make jet-run raids through the trap to steal the bait, setting the trap off without getting caught. Zing--bam!
Squirrels are quite intelligent, I must say--it was fun to systematically outsmart them, at least 'till they started chewing through power cords and reducing my work gloves to fluff.