Catching a rat

A

Acolyte2

Joined
Oct 30, 2005
Messages
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Hi folks, I have a teensy problem, with a wild rat living in my house. The little bugger is occasionally seen in the kitchen, where he likes to leave his droppings. He also sometimes does his business on top of the water heater. I have purchased a rat trap, and baited it with various food items, including peanut butter, cheese and nuts, but he has steadfastly left them alone. (Except that he nibbled the nuts a tiny bit, but without triggering the trap.) I am just about desperate enough to lay down poison for him, which I don't want to do. (My child is smart enough to leave the bait alone, and in any case I would put it somewhere out of sight.) However if he dies inside, then the stink would be awful until he decomposes completely. Does anyone have any great ideas??????
 
Try the large glue traps. Put two together with a small amount of bait in the center.
Rats are smart, so you will have to catch him on the first try. If he gets away and learns what the glue pads are, most likely he won't give you another chance with them.
 
Get a terrier (Jack Russell or Fox terrier). Great dogs (although be prepared to exercise them) and no more rat problems.
 
Get an electronic rat trap from Victor. Yes, it sounds like a gimmick, but we've caught many rats and mice (they have a small one for mice too) using the trap. It's safe around pets, no poison, not messy, and has a cool factor that can't be beat, assuming cool factor matters to you when catching rats (it should :p).

- Mark

BTW, almost forgot that it also does a number on squirrels if they are a problem on your property.
 
A small Hav a Hart trap might work ok too but the glue traps are a good choice also,the thing is,if there is plenty of other food around,a rat may not bother a trap,this time of year that includes food outside.
 
First, make sure that he is living inside and not coming and going. Look for any way he -- and eventually his lady friends and then the whole family -- can come and go in and out.

Second, you have to deny him all other food sources. Pet food (that 50 lbs bag of dry dog food, for example) is a good example of what has to be closed up.

Then, a trap should work.

And you are right about poison in the house: the thing will crawl off and die in some remote place and the stink will then kill you.

Keep in mind that rats are nocturnal, so he will be active mostly at night. In fact, just leaving lights on can deter them.
 
Are you any good with figure 4 traps ?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=597061

flint015.jpg
 
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jill jackson said:
Try the large glue traps. Put two together with a small amount of bait in the center.
Rats are smart, so you will have to catch him on the first try. If he gets away and learns what the glue pads are, most likely he won't give you another chance with them.
Click to expand...


What she said! I would shy away from poison for just the reasons that the op said. Also if a cat or another animal eats it, you can wind up poisoning that animal.
 
Make sure you put your rat trap right up against the wall. Rats and mice make use of, and travel right next to the baseboard/walls in a structure for the most part.

As for use of poison baits (like D-Con etc.), after eating the bait, the animal will seek out a water source almost immediately and if there is none inside, he will go outside to find one (and die out there if he is "coming and going" and not captive in the home). Normally, if I am unsure, I'll fill a 5 gallon bucket about 5 inches deep and then tape a yard stick "ramp" from the floor to the top of the bucket. After eating the bait, the rat/mouse WILL go up the ramp and into the bucket to get to the water. The water needs to be deep enough in the bucket that he can't jump out, or reach the edge if swimming. (the ramp/bucket of water method will also work well in winter as mice and rats will be drawn into the bucket for easy access to water to drink)
 
We had a rat problem at a former workplace years ago. We tried some poison and the thing went off and died under some firewood we had stabled indoor. The dead rat absolutely reeked...ill never forget the smell. :barf:

After a couple of weeks we were able to follow the smell and home in on its position and of course it had found worst possible place to die. We told the new guy to move the mountain of firewood we had, and there we found it all bloated and stinking. :barf:

My advice is to try to some glue on pieces of cardboard placed at possible points of entry. Hope you catch the thing.
 
A small, shaped charge of C-4 should do the trick (actually, I can't think of a problem that can't be resolved with a small, shaped charge of C-4).
 
Park my old truck outside your place, I can't seem to keep critters from living in it. :eek:

After a couple of days, I'll drive it away and your problem will be gone, and will be living at my place. :D:D:D
 
And if you don't like that idea, there's aways.............
rugerniner.gif
..................which also seems to work for varmints. :D
 
555 said:
And if you don't like that idea, there's aways.............
rugerniner.gif
..................which also seems to work for varmints. :D
Click to expand...

LOL! A few years ago, we had a rat frequenting a bird feeder. I stashed a .22 where I could get it easily, and proceded to put 4 holes in the feeder in about a week, kept moving out of the path of my bullet. Rat still came back. A 12 gage took care of the rat (and bird feeder).
 
Claymore.jpg


Rig for trip wire (place wire REALLY close to the floor). If you visit the fridge for a snack at night, be sure to pick up your feet - don't shuffle.

Some collateral damage to kitchen appliances, etc., may occur. :)
 
I work in pest control and my number one snaptrap bait is natural fruit juice gummies that have been wetted. lash them to the trigger with floss.
Remove all competing food sources, be thorough.
Set out 3 snaps with bait NOT SET!! a half inch from the wall.(see below) Never rely on 1 trap, they live in family unit's
Once you have seen bait feeding activity, it can take a couple days then set the trap's

Don't put victor snaps tight to the wall as the wire will hit the wall and push the trap away from the target.

There are much better snap's than victors from Snap-eez. Big sensitive trigger and a completely owner safe 1 second setting. All plastic and steel so you can wash them.
The T-REX snaps are good as well.
 
Aha, a multitude of good answers here. I lean to the C4 solution, but may have to check with the wife. The fruit juice gummies seem like a good backup plan. Thanks all.
 
Mark J said:
Get an electronic rat trap from Victor. Yes, it sounds like a gimmick, but we've caught many rats and mice (they have a small one for mice too) using the trap. It's safe around pets, no poison, not messy, and has a cool factor that can't be beat, assuming cool factor matters to you when catching rats (it should :p).

- Mark

BTW, almost forgot that it also does a number on squirrels if they are a problem on your property.
Click to expand...

That reminds me, I need to get mine out again. Got both squirrels and rats again.

Been using poison and the glue traps but need to change it up a bit.

BTW: The electronic trap gives a nasty little jolt. :eek:
 
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