Rat Trap Recommendations

[Seamus]

I live next to the village allotments (which back onto open fields), and in my garden I have a large chicken run. No surprises really but I am getting rats coming into the chicken run through a dry stone wall that borders my property. Poisoning and shooting aren't really options due to proximity to house and other animals (dogs, cats etc).

 

I have got two different sorts of "old school" spring traps, last night from the house I watched the mother of all rats wander around the chicken run completely ignoring them (baited with peanut butter).. Has anyone got any advice on how these should be placed/baited, or can recommend any effective rat traps?

 

Much appreciated!

[codling99]

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never had a problem with one of these,used to use chocolate as bait,but omega ring dog food hung over hook in this trap works a treat too,allways spread a few out side trap to tempt them too

[Blackpowder]

Rats always like being under cover, if you can place a sheet of tin or an old door against a wall or fence on their route to your property they will more often than not choose to run under that. Place your trap accordingly, remember that the old style super efficient gin traps are now banned. Happy hunting.

 

Blackpowder

[the_commoner]

trapping is ok, but can be time consuming and also ineffective, rats can be very wary and having spent two years trying to outfox the ******* around my chicken run i gave in .........and bought some poison, literally 3 days later all rat activity ceased and i havent seen one since.

 

if you buy the blocks and some bait stations they will be out of the way of other animals.

[stubby]

I watched the mother of all rats wander around the chicken run completely ignoring them (baited with peanut butter)..

 

rats suffer from neophobia, meaning they wont approach new objects for 7 to 10 days (sometimes less), try moving any feeders,drinks etc to new positions every couple of days, as that will also make them "new objects" helping to confuse the rats, if they are eating chicken pellets, then put those on top of the peanut butter

 

rats are also constant drinkers, so maybe remove water souces at night altogether,

if you have a dry stone wall bordering the property, then shooting with an air rifle should not be a problem, as shots will be towards the ground, no chance of pellets leaving the property boundary, use either a water souce or liquidized cat food as a bait to tempt them to an area, to shoot, perfectly legal

[tikka tom]

fenn trap in a tunnel dose the job round my gardon

[miapia221]

I get a couple of fenn traps and make some tunnels so the rats will run though.just make sure you tie the traps down, if you get a leg they will pull them away, put some sticks at each end of tunnel so only rats can get in, or you might get a bird or hedgehog in them,

[rigwallet]

Ive used the sticky glue pads and they work great i put food down the surround it with sticky pads wear gloves when handlin g the food and pads to try and keep your sent off them

[Seamus]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I've just ordered a Fenn Trap and borrowed an air rifle so I'll see how I get on this weekend (my wife is away which makes shooting (safely into the ground duly noted) from the house a little easier!). I'll let you know how I get on!