Rat trap recommendations

[AnthonyL]

oops - indeed.

[Colin Bignell]

I'm not a dog lover and an air rifle needs more than a fleeting glimpse. However, since I found and blocked a broken air brick with a mouse proof mesh, they have stopped visiting.

[AlanC]

There is also the idea that humane traps arent really that humane.

Rodents are neophobic (they have a fear of new things). If you release them into a new surrounding then only a small percentage of them survive because they tend to starve to death, which is less humane than a quick kill.

[Graham Harrison]

You don't need a trap, you need one of these:

sources no doubt available!).

Whilst we didn't get a feline specifically to rid ourselves of rodents (we live in a rural environment) that is what has happened. It might take somewhat longer to achieve your aim but the chances are the presence of the feline will maintain the rodent free environment.

You might also want to consider a small, terrier style dog.

[Martin Brown]

The poisons available in retail outlets these days probably won't harm modern rats at all :(

I prefer the traditional hair trigger oversize classic mouse trap.

Amazingly to catch rats reliably they have to be considerably more hair trigger than mouse traps. I have known rats take the bait off a trap without it springing at all - which given how difficult they are to set is quite remarkable. Used outside they must be in an enclosure that only rodents can get into to avoid harming other wild life.

Beware - they have strong springs and are very unforgiving if you make a mistake when setting them.

[Colin Bignell]

On 10/09/2022 14:21, Graham Harrison wrote: ..

Mine used to bring mice and frogs into the house, then release them.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yup. Dog is a better bet

Plenty of you tube videos of terriers/hounds/almost anything dealing with farmyard rats

[AnthonyL]

Hopefully it will come with, or I can improvise, some tool.

[AnthonyL]

No pets allowed if they are working pets.

Anyway, far too much trouble IMHO.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Best pals in the world, terriers.

Much better than a bloody wife.

[Martin Brown]

Classical cheap ones don't.

You just have to be *VERY* careful when setting them. Wear stout gloves and keep all bits of you outside the kill zone.

The safer single press to set plastic ones have worked for me OK against mice. The odd one invades the loft at this time of year after the post harvest population explosion. Not sure how they get in I have 1cm mesh against all of the air gaps that I know about.

But for rats I prefer the traditional spring metal traps. The plastic safer ones just seemed to be a way of feeding them. Perhaps there is one that combines lethal efficacy and easy setting but I haven't found it.

I also resort to chemical warfare inside the garage in addition to stop any from taking up residence in there. They seem to like nibbling solvent bottle caps otherwise - I'm not sure why.

[Martin Brown]

Not if you value your ankles...

I grant you that wives do not often gnaw at your ankles.

My neighbour has a pair. They are brilliant escapologists and even with GPS tags still manage to find rabbit holes deep enough to disappear for a few days. They will chase just about anything.

[Colin Bignell]

I would prefer the mice and, possibly even the odd rat.

[AnthonyL]

I've gone for the one Mark recommended earlier:

Fenn Mark 4 Spring Traps

I'll await it's results before thanking him or otherwise, assuming that I'll still have fingers to type with.

[zall]

Dont buy that claim.

Specially if you gas them painlessly.

[zall]

Doesnt work here. My neighbours always have some cats and I still get mice in a mouse plague. So does my mate who always has a cat. .

[zall]

They certainly do kill mice as I discovered in our recent mouse plague.

[zall]

But not a great idea for a child's pet, it will savage you when youi whack the brat.

Bit short for f****ng.

[Mark]

Watch the video of how to set them, they Will break your fingers if you get it wrong

[AnthonyL]

Yes but I'm learning when I'm already older than him!

Thanks for the tip.

The device is very good - since I ordered it yesterday I haven't seen a single rat!!