Traps

Does anyone know of some traps that are good for catching herps? (unharmed of course). I got one idea from watching the National Geographic channel. It features a couple 5 gallon buckets buried in the ground and a plastic wall running alongside them. Most creatures that run into the plastic dont turn around and follow the plastic and fall into a bucket.
Has anyone had experience with this trap or any other ones?

thanks!

I have made traps to collect snakes. I also put old plywood out in the woods, you can use your old mouse or rat shavings under the plywood. Cover this up with leaves or pine straw. Any rat or mouse eaters will wait on a meal. As for the trap. Take a five gallon bucket, and a real small gauge of hardware cloth. The kind they use on rabbit coops. Or you can use real tough screen wire. Make a cone out of a small piece of the wire. Take a large piece of the wire to cove the whole top of the bucket. Cut a round hole (5-6 inches in diameter) in the piece on top of the bucket. Fasten the cone in the hole in the center of the bucket. (Like a fish trap) but smaller. I use a small nylon rope to secure the wire to the top of the bucket. Dig a hole in the ground and place the bucket in the hole, do not make it level with the soil, or it will flood with rain. Leave it about one inch above the soil. Pack it tight. Lay logs or boards next to the bucket on both sides, make sure these are above the rim of the bucket at least 2-3 inches. Then lay plywood on top of the whole set up. Add leaves or pine needles to hide the trap, as well as making it look natural. You can add a mouse and old mouse shavings to the bucket for a sure lure. I would ask that the mouse be changed each day, do to the fact of no water or food is in there for it. Also you don't want the snake to rub his nose trying to escape. It would be best to check these traps first thing in the morning (every morning). Most snakes that feed on mice and rats are night hunters (nocturnal). I do not ever use these traps unless the snake is in danger of being killed. Housing and developing areas. I use these traps to relocate them to a safer area.

Sounds great, I just need the snakes for a presentation on native herps of pennsylvania. They'll be returned to their home soon after i'm done with them. Thanks!