Domestic trapping. like in my kitchen.

I used to always have great success with the standard spring rat traps and peanut butter bait. But the last few years the rats here have decided that they don't like peanut butter so much any more and just ignore it.

I got the newer version of the spring rat trap, with the large yellow bait holder that covers half of one end. I do not even bother to bait it. I just lay it down with the yellow trigger close to the wall where the rats run (rats like to run against the wall rather than across the open floor whenever they have the choice). When they step on it, they spring the trap. This works great when they won't take bait.
 
My best suggestion is to go out and get some Oil of Peppermint Extract (make sure its the real stuff and not the fake crap) and coat some cotton balls with it and place the cotton balls in main travel areas (in this case Capt. Crawl's supply depot otherwise known as your stove) and other parts of your house as well.
Rodents hate I mean HATE the smell of this stuff and it sends them running for the door and if your dogs should happen upon the cotton balls it is an entirely all natural substance, oh and it will make your house smell super minty fresh too.
Also in the mean time stuff some steel wool in your stove where he is stealing the insulation. From what I'm told mice and rats really don't like chewing through/dealing with this stuff, remember the key to winning a long term battle is the control of supplies.
 
I like the way Bare Rib thinks, cut off the supplies and he'll come crawling out from starvation :D. Just read the Art of War and do battle with the little beast. You have to put your strongest against his weakest, your medium against his medium, and your weakest against his strongest to minimize casualties ;). In other words, sac the dog against this strong foe and then smash him when he's weak.
 
Just be careful this war of attrition doesn't make you slowly descend into madness,
I have a mental image of you in a loin cloth and a stone tipped spear, the house a complete mess, dogs gone feral, sitting on the kitchen table and watching the oven day in and out.:D
 
Liam,
Brother, in the lower states we try not to picture our buds in loincloths... :)

I am thinking of Carl from Caddyshack....

2Door
 
Remove the insulation, and start to heat the oven. Don't let it get hot enough to be dangerous, but it should flush him out. Might make him consider new, less tactically sound digs.
 
I got my rat the other night, I was going to take pics but the ol' lady was peeved and said GET RID OF IT! So, reluctently I canned it. Was a bout a foot long plus tail and weighed a healthy 2lbs...until it met my Beeman!
 
Put on the history channel right now!!! Modern marvels is talking about trapping.
 
Midwest Ninja said:
Remove the insulation, and start to heat the oven. Don't let it get hot enough to be dangerous, but it should flush him out. Might make him consider new, less tactically sound digs.
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I had a thought along these lines as well, assuming the rat is sleeping inside the housing of the stove. Most ovens, these days, have a self cleaning mode. It literally heats the oven up so hot that everything burned on, inside, is turned to ash, and can be easily brushed away. In the process the whole oven/stove tends to heat up. It would make things very very uncomfortable for your four legged friend, and I bet he'd crawl out before too long, at which time you can cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war, all you want. :)
 
Well I have caught 2. Using standard traps. I basically just lined the kitchen floor with traps. 10 I think. some with meat, some with peanut butter. I don't think either was captain crawl as neither had a katana strapped to his back and didn't appear biped.
 
If the rat has been stealing insulation, self-clean might set the area on fire. You'd probably kill the rat, but the wife will be none too pleased.
 
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