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Kill a rat contest.
- Thread starter ilbruche
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there are a lot of good ideas:thumbup:
I remember my father made a "better mouse trap"
he made an enclosed rectangle box (wood) with a
trap door in the middle (bottom), set over a 5 gal bucket of water
(chemicals optional), and he'd set some kind of bait inside.
when the critter walked in= Ker Plonk!
That works great -but Dantor gets credit for the idea.
We've had problems with water rats coming up from the brook. These guys like to think outside the box also. Something that's worked for me is getting a Miniature Dachshund. Those little buggers can get themselves into anywhere. Watching her spring into action and chasing something down the inside of a baseboard heater is pretty darn impressive.
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Buy him a bus ticket to out of town.
No really, have you tried the dry oats and bowl of water yet
Mark
He ain't going for it.
They've taken two down at my house so far...
Send em over.
If it wasn't my house I would have done this long ago.
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Gas the damn thing out with bug bombs. Then pop it with the 12 gauge. Did this at my parents house this summer on some tricky bastids.:thumbup:
I figured out their exit point first though, that might be tricky in your case.
I figured out their exit point first though, that might be tricky in your case.
This should do it!
:thumbup:
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Wait, you said the thing is in ducts underneath the house? Get a bunch of dry ice and force it up from ground (make sure you get the dachshund out first).
Don't use poision! If you do its gonna smell like dead rat for a long time.
Get 2 big rat traps and secure them end to end on a plank (screws) or peice of heavy cardbaord (glue) so the trigger ends are on the outside. Use a coat hanger wire to hold the traps to something to keep the rat from dragging the trap
Bait the traps with peanut butter...don't glob it on top...instead put a thin coat under the trigger so that the rat has to work its head under to get at it. Even if the rat manages to steal the bait from one trap he may set it off trying to get the bait on the other. When one trap goes off it will set off the other so that you have a better chance of nabbbing the rat. If you have enough room you can use 4 traps, 2 rows of 2 traps in a square.
Oh and use fresh peanut butter it has a stronger smell.
Good luck.
Frank
Get 2 big rat traps and secure them end to end on a plank (screws) or peice of heavy cardbaord (glue) so the trigger ends are on the outside. Use a coat hanger wire to hold the traps to something to keep the rat from dragging the trap
Bait the traps with peanut butter...don't glob it on top...instead put a thin coat under the trigger so that the rat has to work its head under to get at it. Even if the rat manages to steal the bait from one trap he may set it off trying to get the bait on the other. When one trap goes off it will set off the other so that you have a better chance of nabbbing the rat. If you have enough room you can use 4 traps, 2 rows of 2 traps in a square.
Oh and use fresh peanut butter it has a stronger smell.
Good luck.
Frank
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
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If you take one of those rat traps that's just a bigger version of the common ordinary mousetrap you can mess around with the trigger a little and adjust it to make it very sensitive. I don't remember exactly how to adjust it but I think you can figure it out. You can make it such a hair-trigger that just licking the peanut butter will set it off -- and you already have the rat licking the peanut butter.
Snipped from Gutenberg.org:
Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making
"THE BARREL TRAP.
This most ingenious device possesses great advantages in its capabilities of securing an almost unlimited number of the vermin in quick succession. It also takes care of itself, requires no re-baiting or setting after once put in working order, and is sure death to its prisoners.
A water-tight barrel is the first thing required. Into this pour water to the depth of a foot. Next dampen a piece of very thick paper, and stretch it over the top of the barrel, tying it securely below the upper hoops. When the paper dries it will become thoroughly flat and tightened. Its surface should then be strewn with bits of cheese, etc., and the barrel so placed that the rats may
jump upon it from some neighboring surface. As soon as the bait is gone, a fresh supply should be spread on the paper and the same operation repeated for several days, until the rats get accustomed to visit the place for their regular rations, fearlessly and without suspicion. This is "half the battle," and the capture of the greedy victims of misplaced confidence is now an easy matter. The bait should again be spread as before and a few pieces of the cheese should be attached to the paper with gum. It is a good plan to
smear parts of the paper with gum arabic, sprinkling the bait upon it. When dry, cut a cross in the middle of the paper, as seen in the
illustration, and leave the barrel to take care of itself and the rats. The first one comes along, spies the tempting morsels, and with his accustomed confidence, jumps upon the paper. He suddenly finds himself in the water at the bottom of the barrel, and the paper above has closed and is ready to practice its deception on the next comer. There is not long to wait. A second victim soon tumbles in to keep company with the first. A third and a fourth soon follow, and a dozen or more are sometimes thus entrapped in a very
short space of time. It is a most excellent and simple trap, and if properly managed, will most effectually curtail the number of rats in any pestered neighborhood."
Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making
"THE BARREL TRAP.
This most ingenious device possesses great advantages in its capabilities of securing an almost unlimited number of the vermin in quick succession. It also takes care of itself, requires no re-baiting or setting after once put in working order, and is sure death to its prisoners.
A water-tight barrel is the first thing required. Into this pour water to the depth of a foot. Next dampen a piece of very thick paper, and stretch it over the top of the barrel, tying it securely below the upper hoops. When the paper dries it will become thoroughly flat and tightened. Its surface should then be strewn with bits of cheese, etc., and the barrel so placed that the rats may
jump upon it from some neighboring surface. As soon as the bait is gone, a fresh supply should be spread on the paper and the same operation repeated for several days, until the rats get accustomed to visit the place for their regular rations, fearlessly and without suspicion. This is "half the battle," and the capture of the greedy victims of misplaced confidence is now an easy matter. The bait should again be spread as before and a few pieces of the cheese should be attached to the paper with gum. It is a good plan to
smear parts of the paper with gum arabic, sprinkling the bait upon it. When dry, cut a cross in the middle of the paper, as seen in the
illustration, and leave the barrel to take care of itself and the rats. The first one comes along, spies the tempting morsels, and with his accustomed confidence, jumps upon the paper. He suddenly finds himself in the water at the bottom of the barrel, and the paper above has closed and is ready to practice its deception on the next comer. There is not long to wait. A second victim soon tumbles in to keep company with the first. A third and a fourth soon follow, and a dozen or more are sometimes thus entrapped in a very
short space of time. It is a most excellent and simple trap, and if properly managed, will most effectually curtail the number of rats in any pestered neighborhood."
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We have a winner!
Since the bugger escaped my secured trap twice before I rigged up two side by side and connected the triggers with nylon cord.
No more gnawing for him.
Now I just need a suitable reward for Frank K.
So... no kukri beheading video? :grumpy:
For a prize, may I suggest an Ontario RAT 1 folder? RAT, get it? $30 might be too expensive, in which case I'd recommend a BladeTech Mouse (about $14). Mouse, ha!
I'm still a bit sad that there won't be any beheading. Can you just decapitate the dead critter anyway?
For a prize, may I suggest an Ontario RAT 1 folder? RAT, get it? $30 might be too expensive, in which case I'd recommend a BladeTech Mouse (about $14). Mouse, ha!
I'm still a bit sad that there won't be any beheading. Can you just decapitate the dead critter anyway?
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how about a guitar and pringles can?
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I believe ratshot is getting hard to find but is designed for and is very effective for indoor use.
Many many years ago - had a couple of big old male lab rats escape out of their cages in the Uni I was working at. It was an older building in need of repair = holes in timber floor. No chance of bait working - too much food around. The pest man was called in and failed totally - they avoided all the traps. Wouldn't have been a major problem except they were getting bold/crazy enough to bail up the girls working in the area. Ended up taking in a .22 loaded with ratshot and as soon as the girls called up to say one was out I went down and shot it. The girls were very grateful!
Many many years ago - had a couple of big old male lab rats escape out of their cages in the Uni I was working at. It was an older building in need of repair = holes in timber floor. No chance of bait working - too much food around. The pest man was called in and failed totally - they avoided all the traps. Wouldn't have been a major problem except they were getting bold/crazy enough to bail up the girls working in the area. Ended up taking in a .22 loaded with ratshot and as soon as the girls called up to say one was out I went down and shot it. The girls were very grateful!