What should I do about a trap-shy rat

Rats can be cosmetic in nature, especially when you use the same type of trap and bait all the time. When a bait melts into a rat trap, the possibility of a rat being caught is low, however, you can try better options such as peanut butter , that sticks to the top of the trap for a long time- this increase your chances of catching a rat trap shy because of the enticing nature of peanuts. New methods of trapping also make some rats shy, however you can consider the following options when trying to deal with trap-shy rats;

• Change your baits,
• Change the position you place your rat trap,
• Consider switching to a snap trap, or expanded trigger traps, because they are far better than regular traps.
• Consider replacing a regular trap with a glued trap.

Aside from peanut butter, you can also consider using fruits, vegetables, cereals, bacon, and chocolate. You can also make use of string baits. If you have been placing the trap close to the entrance , then you should consider changing the position by placing the trap perpendicular to the walls , especially in areas where the rat is very active. In order to use a snap trap successfully, make sure you remove the little staple holding used to unlock the bar to the wood of the base of the trap, gently place your bait at the curl located at the end of the bait pedal. If you believe the rat has gotten used to the smell of the bait then you can disinfect the area first , in order to mask the odour of the environment. Make sure the V-shape lip on the bait pedal is carefully unlocked to achieve a speedy trap of the rat.

If your snap trap bait is being eaten but the rat manages to escape, then you should consider using the least about of bait possible. The more or the larger the bait you use, the easier it becomes for the rat to eat the bait without being caught in the trap. Your goal is to force the rat to apply more energy before they can eat the bait, thus you must use little bait that will entice the rat to use its mouth or nose to catch a bait.

Rats normally travel through certain pathways over and over , most especially along the base of a wall. Try as much as possible to place traps along the pathways and not close to the rat entrance. Consider using glue trap , especially where temperatures do not get too high to soften the glue-Glue traps are usually ideal in catching as many rats as possible in one application, without injuring or killing the rats.

Go back to the How to get rid of rats home page.

Need rat removal in your hometown? We service over 500 USA locations! Click here to hire us in your town and check prices - updated for year 2020.