Rats

Soldato
Joined
16 Dec 2005
Posts
2,790
We live in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere land, we have a small rat problem.
I've put traps down but the little ***** seem to just nick the bait and the trap fails to murder them.

I can't or don't really want to do poison because of my dogs. Any suggestions, the rats aren't coming in the house just in the out buildings. Managed to murder 8 so far with chocolate spread in the traps, but it's like they have become self aware. There big ******** too.
 
They fought the dogs and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cooks' own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats.
 
I had good success with rat traps by Roshield ( https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071DJVBT4 ) inside their boxes ( https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Roshield-Tamper-Proof-Rat-Poison/dp/B00XL3CENO ) using peanut butter as bait. Using the traps inside the boxes make sure that the rats approach the trap from a direction which is likely to trigger them. You do need patience when dealing with rats as they will often not take bait from traps until they have been in place for quite a while. You just need to keep checking/re-baiting regularly and you'll get them eventually...
 
I had good success with rat traps by Roshield ( https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071DJVBT4 ) inside their boxes ( https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Roshield-Tamper-Proof-Rat-Poison/dp/B00XL3CENO ) using peanut butter as bait. Using the traps inside the boxes make sure that the rats approach the trap from a direction which is likely to trigger them. You do need patience when dealing with rats as they will often not take bait from traps until they have been in place for quite a while. You just need to keep checking/re-baiting regularly and you'll get them eventually...


Great thanks ordered will see how we get on.
 
As mentioned above, peanut butter makes good bait, as they can’t just pick it up and run.

Get the air gun out and get some target practice in! :D
 
Peanut butter and spring traps tied to something. Its good if they are eating the bate and living, makes them think its not dangerous. The hardest part is getting the trap not to smell of humans, they tend to work best when they have aged a bit.
 
We currently have a similar issue, been using crunchy peanut butter and got one so far on first night of laying them, we also have dogs so can only set them at night after dogs put away.
I've also bought a humane one as I'll be able to leave that out constantly.
Rats are amazing creatures, very intelligent but extremely wary about new things, good luck
 
Sticky boards.

https://www.pestcontrolsupplies.co....t-glue-boards--sticky-boards-6-pack-448-p.asp

Just be aware these are horrific. The caught rat will often chew at least one of its own limbs off trying to get free so you need to check them regularly (at least every 8 hours) and bring a spade to break the rat’s neck. Horrible but extremely effective.

Obviously, you have to put the sticky board in a rat box or the dogs will get stuck on them.
 
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I used rat poison on jar lids and pushed the lids up short lengths of 4" plastic sewer pipe and pipe was pushed under the shed and other places where pets can't get.
I have seen youtubes of glue traps and I wouldn't use that at all.
 
I love all the folks saying they wouldn’t use the sticky boards but we’re talking about eradicating vermin here. Someone mentioned a humane rat trap -so what do you do when you catch it? Take it to the end of your garden and let it go?

Rats are rats and have to die.
Pigeons are rats with wings.
Squirrels are rats with good PR.

If you want rid of the rats, the sticky boards will do the job. Just keep on top of them and kill the trapped rats as quickly as possible.
 
Get a cat or a terrier.

Sounds good, but cats won’t usually take on a rat of any size unless the rat corners the cat or the cat is hungry and needs the kill. So again, unlikely in animal loving Great Britain. Terriers are very good, but they need to be trained. And I bet the OP hasn’t got a huntsman on hand to train one.
 
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