HOW TO SET UP AND USE A RAT TRAP

Rats are smart creatures. They learn fast and are very suspicious of their surroundings. Trapping rats can be difficult if the right procedure is not used. In order to trap a rat, it is important to know the steps involved to trap it successfully. Setting the rat trap is not the first step, outsmarting the rat is. If you can’t outsmart the rat, setting the trap is useless.

When trapping rats, most people think that any old rat trap will work. Not so. If the rat you are trying to snag is smart enough, then no trap will work. Rats have evolved from millions of years of learning how to survive. Don’t think for a second that they will simply walk into a trap because you set it down in the perfect spot, or that it’s going to be easy because the directions on the trap said so.

Picking the right trap for the situation, knowing how to use it, and developing a trapping strategy are the first steps in learning how to trap rats. If you follow a basic plan of attic, then your war on rats will be swift, and they won’t stand a chance. As rats are naturally cautious of new objects, so it will take a little time for them to become used to the traps presence. A suitably attractive bait such as peanut butter, chocolate spread or tuna should be used in the rat trap.

Meanwhile, there is a health risk from rats as they carry diseases such as Salmonella, Trichinosis and Weil's disease. Therefore it is always advisable to wear gloves when dealing with the disposal of captured rats and wash hands thoroughly afterwards. All waste should be double bagged in bin liners before being placed in a bin with a secure lid.

Below are the various steps and tips for effective rat trapping:

Position rat traps to maximize the chances of rats to cross over the traps during their natural travels along their runways. Set snap traps extended at a right angle from a wall with the trigger end almost touching the wall. If rat traps are set parallel to the wall, set them in pairs with triggers situated to intercept the rats from either direction.

To trap Roof Rats, set traps on tree limbs, under vegetation on a backyard fence or trellis, or on other aboveground locations roof rats are known to frequent. Fasten the traps with wire to overhead pipes, rafters and beams.

Rat traps can be buried in grain, sawdust, or similar materials within an empty cardboard box or pie pan. Place the rat bait in small pieces near it and above it with the hidden trap. Once the rats start taking the bait, set the traps. This set up will acclimate the rats to the traps, once adapted, set enough traps to kill a large percentage of the population before the rodents become " trap shy" This method is called mass trapping, catching them at a higher rate than they can repopulate and become shy of the trap. Even after setting out the rat traps and following the normal procedures, you may still have rats that will not go into the snap traps. There are alpha and beta rats in a rat population. The first rats to be caught in snap traps are the beta rats (inferior rats). The superior alpha rats are much more cautious around the snap traps. At this point, use a live trap.

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