Rat Traps and Baiting DIY Techniques: Effective Solutions at Home

Understanding Food Preferences

Rats are natural scavengers that have abundant breeding habits. If you don’t get control of a situation in your home, it can quickly become a complete nightmare, destroying items, and costing you significant money. 

Rat traps are a common way to get rid of these pests. However, baiting techniques used for these rodents aren’t the same as those used for mice, as they have different food preferences and mannerisms that come into play. Rats are omnivores and prefer certain foods over others. The higher the protein count in the foods, the more likely they are to indulge. 

High Protein Foods

The best bet to catch a rat is to use foods they can’t resist like peanut butter, nuts, bacon, and dried fish. Peanut butter is always a good choice as it sticks to the traps easily and doesn’t have as great of a chance of falling off. However, please don’t believe cheese will work for rats like it does for mice, as they don’t care for this dairy product. 

Ironically, mice don’t like cheese as much as they do peanut butter. So, while mice and cheese have been commercialized, it’s not always the best choice for bait. 

Sweet Treats

Another thing to consider is how much a rat loves sweets, which is also true of mice. If you’ve ever had rodents in your home, you probably know all about tunnels through your bread and cereal boxes. The sugary treats are hard to beat for a hungry rat, but they will also indulge in dried fruits or things like soft marshmallows. 

Never Leave Bacon Grease on the Stove 

One problem we often see so much in homes is a pan of bacon grease sitting on the Stove. Sure, bacon grease makes everything taste much better, but it’s also a significant attraction to rodents and insects like cockroaches. Foods with a high fat or oil content are another thing they can’t resist; if they’re hungry, they will eat just about anything. 

Bacon grease almost always has some small meat scraps, which are highly enticing to rats. So, if you must keep your bacon grease, it’s best to put it in a covered dish and store it in the refrigerator. Now that you know what rats love to eat, you can use some effective baiting techniques to capture these large critters. 

Baiting Techniques

1. Using Peanut Butter

You’re among the masses if you use peanut butter on your trap. Nut butter has a strong smell and texture, making it irresistible to rats. You must securely ensure that the peanut butter is on the trigger when using a snap trap. Otherwise, they will take the bait and leave the trap unscathed. Smear a little peanut butter on the trigger plate to help hold the more significant portion. It acts as a binding agent and will ensure it stays put. 

2. Using Chocolate, Fruits, and Other Sweets

The sweet smell and flavorful taste of chocolate are something that no rat can pass by. Many people use chocolate chips as bait, which is a good idea. However, they work better on sticky traps than traditional snap traps. There’s no good way outside of melting them a bit to get them to secure to the trap mechanism. Chocolate works well on enclosed and captured traps inside a small box. 

The same can be said for dried fruits such as pineapple, raisins, and apricots. They won’t work well with snap traps, so it is best to use them in an enclosed situation. 

3. Using Bacon Grease

One thing that bacon grease has going for it is its strong smell. Rats can smell bacon grease from miles away, so it’s a compelling item to use to help you capture them. You can use it on a snap trap as it easily sticks to any surface. Grease can also be used on an enclosure or any DIY trap you might create. 

Other Tips for Baiting

As a professional pest control company, we often get calls from people who do not understand why they’re not capturing the rodents. Once we inspect, we often find the cheese, peanut butter, or other food items have been there for weeks and are old and unappealing. Remember, rodents are intelligent creatures who want fresh food like you. 

The bait you use needs to be fresh or the scent dissipates, and the food becomes unappealing to them. Another common problem is that the bait needs to be secured. We touched on this a bit, but it bears repeating since it’s such a significant issue. Ensure the food is securely attached to the trigger mechanism, or it will fall off and become ineffective. 

Rats have different preferences. You may get a picky rat in your home that doesn’t like peanut butter, so putting it out doesn’t entice them to the trap. You may need to experiment with different baits to find the right one that works for your rodents. 

Rats are also brilliant animals; if they remember a close call with a specific food from before, they will leave it alone. They don’t see well and try staying on the familiar pathways. So, it would help if you played around with trap placement and bait to find what works for you. 

Remember to be patient. Don’t give up if you don’t catch any rats the first time. When you learn the proper baiting techniques, you’ll increase your chances if you’re persistent. Ensure the bait is fresh and the traps are where you see the most activity. You can always tell your hot spots by grease smears on the walls and fecal matter. 

DIY Rat Traps

Now that you’ve learned what rats like to eat, their preferences, and how to find their frequented areas, it’s time to build a trap. One thing that you should know before making your trap is that rats are skittish and will stay clear of anything new in their environment. 

So, placing a trap probably won’t bring results on the first day, as they need to get used to the new object. Their excellent tactile perception helps them compensate for their poor eyesight, so building traps requires you to keep these things in mind. 

If you love a good DIY project, a rat trap is perfect. You can be as elaborate or simple as you want. Here is a list of traps that our customers use and have worked great for them. 

1. Bucket Trap

The great thing about the bucket trap is that you can catch several rodents simultaneously. So, if you have a significant problem, this gadget is beneficial. 

Materials Needed:

• Bucket
• Ramp
• Bait
• Water

The design of this one is simple and doesn’t take much to put together. Fill the bucket about one-fourth of the way with water. Take the wooden ramp and lean it up so the end rests on the side of the bucket. Put the bait on the edge of the bucket. 

The rats will smell the bait and climb up the ladder, and once they get to the edge of the bucket, their poor balance will cause them to plunge below. Since there’s no way out for them, they will perish inside. 

2. Tin Can Trap

The tin can trap is cheap and efficient. You can use items you already have in your home to concoct this device. 

Materials Needed:

• Wire
• Tin can
• Bait
• Pivot point
• Bucket
• Water
• Drill

The can must be large enough to hold a rodent, so you can’t use a small soup can. Put holes in each end of the can using a drill or other device. Once you have your holes in place, run a wire through them so they can be hung suspended. Now, make sure to attach the wire to a pivoted point that’s stable. 

The bait goes inside the can. Place a bucket of water below the can about one-fourth complete. This system allows the rats to go to the can to get the food, which will naturally rotate and cause them to plummet below into the water. This is an effective trap, but it will require precise placement and playing with it to align things correctly. 

3. Plastic Bottle Trap

If you’re like most people, you have plastic bottles around your home. However, few know they can use them to create a DIY rat trap. 

Materials Needed:

• Wire coat hanger
• Knife
• Bait
• Plastic bottle

Start by cutting one-third of the plastic bottle and flipping it inside to invert it. This creates a funnel-type structure that will be used as an entrance. Use the wire hanger to make a device to suspend the bottle securely. The bait goes into the bottom half of the bottle to attract the rats. 

Remember that rats can get through a space an inch around, so the hole needs to accommodate their larger size. Once the irresistible bait lures the rat into the bottle, there’s no way out. The smooth walls leave them trapped, and they will perish. It’s worth noting that many people have used these types of traps to capture different kinds of critters. 

Optimizing Trap Placement

You already know that you need to put the traps in areas where rats frequent, but concealing the traps is another benefit. Using a cardboard box or other materials that rats are familiar with can help them overcome their natural fears of using such devices. It doesn’t matter what kind of food you put inside these traps if they’re scared, as they will go the other way. Another safer food source is always nearby if they’re inside your home. 

Ensure that you keep these traps out of the way of children and pets, especially if you’re using the old-fashioned snap traps. Many fingers and paws have been broken from being entangled in these devices, and it’s better to put them out of the way. Additionally, wearing gloves when disposing of or redoing a trap where a rodent has always been wise. 

Never forget that these creatures carry bacteria and diseases, so they’re dangerous to you should you encounter any of their germs. Always wipe down counters and any surfaces they’ve been on with bleach or another cleaner that will sanitize the area. 

 

Getting Help for a Significant Rat Problem

While one rogue rat may be easier to capture with one of the DIY methods listed above, it won’t be as effective as a home or building overrun with them. Once rats find an entry and food source, they will make your home their new place to squat. They will also bring all their friends and family members who need a place to call home. 

Since there are health and safety issues, it’s best to bring in a professional pest control company for assistance. We can help you understand rat behavior and employ effective trap designs that can get the problem under control. We also allow you to monitor and adjust things to obtain optimal results.

The most valuable service we offer our clients is peace of mind. We find entry points that you might not even consider, making it easier to eliminate the problem. When you seal off those accessible spots, you’ll notice that your problem diminishes. If you need assistance with a rat or mouse problem, give us a call and let us help.

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