Rat traps - recommended?

[Another John]

A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I

*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one (whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

Cheers John

[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them]. However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by killing a couple.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Best solution is not to have a food source.

No matter how many you trap new colonies will move in

Second best alternative is to get a terrier.

[Another John]

Thanks TNP -- "I knew that". A feline hunter is also good -- just the knowledge that it's around is enough to keep the rats away. As is, in my experience, the killing of the odd one in a trap.

See one in the garden in daylight: too many around. Kill a couple: don't see them again for months. (Leave 'em alone: an invitation for them to set up a settlement.)

Cheers John

[Martin Brown]

The main thing seems to be having one that is reliable to set and fast enough to trigger when a rat touches it. Many are a bit too hair trigger and inclined to give you a nasty nip if you are not careful.

They need to be in something to stop other wildlife from getting at the bait too. I leave some poison bait in the garage to avoid rodent trouble. One spring I found a dessicated rat in the lawnmower grass box when I tipped it out. After that I set traps and poison bait in winter.

Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which provides the rats with more than ample food.

Worst place for rats I have seen was Wetherby services on the A19 at dusk. They were scurrying about in the carpark amply provided for by discarded junk food cartons and part eaten food. Bold as brass!

[fred]

Rats like to move close to walls and fences and seek cover so we find setting poison in traps along the wall covered with a piece of slate effective . That plus the feral cat

[newshound]

+1. I've used bait boxes effectively; one time they nibbled open the tupperware type box that the bait came in, and filched the lot. I didn't have any problem with them for a while after that.

Being typically gadget-minded I tried one of the "electrocuter" type traps but have never caught anything in that.

Also +1 for visiting cats.

[jon]

I have one I call Roland, down the bottom of the garden. 'He' pops out of the wall regularly to see what I have left 'him'.....I hate wasting food so let the rat eat it.

[Tricky Dicky]

Not to worry John, I got an email from Sainsbury?s today confirming there is an ongoing shortage of cat food, see also;

Once the panic buyers get in and clear what remains on the shelves there is going to be lot of hungry cats looking for more traditional fare, so maybe not so good for the rats and mice over the coming months. Our Tom cat is quite a good hunter but being well fed rarely eats his catch but that might change!

Richard

[The Natural Philosopher]

"there ARE going to be a lot of hungry cats" - has someone cancelled irregular verbs?

[Andy Burns]

But they say it's only the posh pouches that in short supply, which are probably eaten by the sort of cats that would turn their noses up at eating actual wildlife :-P

[Robin]

it's the noun what dictates it:

singular where it's a single collection - "there is a lot of 100 cats for auction..."

plural where it's a large number of individual things - "there are a lot of hungry moggies willing to try long pork...

[Andrew]

My Grandfather had a cat with 6 toes on each paw on his farm. Excellent rodent catchers.

[Adrian Caspersz]

<snip>

Dunno, but one of the posters here runs this company.

[Clive Arthur]

<snip>

Sounds like the cat had myxomatosis.

[williamwright]

It's essential that the hen food is locked away except during the day, and that it is in a place accessible to a cat or dog.

Bill

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Its all down to eliminating food sources on your property and disrupting their runs if the food source is accessed via your property. The runs they use they follow by scent, so stopping that can be very effective. Also anyone around your way got wooden decking, a great place for commuting rats to use and some even live under them. Brian

[The Natural Philosopher]

sixomytoesies, surely?

[Andrew]

Parents have similar problems with crisps and chocolate biscuits too.

[Vir Campestris]

No, it's genetic.

Andy

[Mark]

I use this type but I weld a serrated knife edge around the metal trap wire rod part other wise the rats can pull themselves out and you need to screw it down or the Foxes run off with the dead rat and trap