A varied mixture, rotating between different things at frequent intervals. Rats are intelligent enough to be able to associate particular smells/food items with traps in a surprisingly short period, if you stick to the same bait all the time.
For the feeding stations, I use Contrac Blox rodenticide by Bell Labs. If you mean, what's the best attractant to put on a large sized Victor snap-trap ? I would say Skippy creamy peanut butter. For a Hav-A-Hart trap, also peanut butter. They are bait shy at first, in contrast to mice, but after a while they'll go over to it.
for our area LPN Ratak is the most potent single feed poison, Brodiafacoum is the active I think. Bromone and Bromodialone based baits are multi feed and not sold as much anymore. With Ratak you just place the baggies of pellets where the rodents frequent and that is unlikely other animals and humans will. the LD50 oral dose of Ratak is 0.27mg of 100% ingredient to 1kg of body weight. one of the MOST toxic things I have found on the LD50 charts. compare to aspirin (acetasalicic acid (spelling?) at 200mg per kg.
If you want something a bit more lethal than that, try some polonium . . . LD50 about 1 nanogramme per kg body weight (so 0.27mg of it could poison a total of about 50,000 people of whom half would die . . . rather frightening)
Polonium - something no-one knew until recent news events . . . now everyone knows about it (has it made the international news much? - since it happened here, it's been in the headlines almost every day for the last two weeks). Fortunately, the stuff is extremely difficult to get hold of, generally only available to Russian secret service agents.
unhydrogenated, smooth peanut butter works great. It sticks to the trigger, and lasts for quite a while. Teach them to swim, in soapy water after you catch them.
Thanks for all the replies! I'll be back in a "Jiffy" (couldn't resist) to let you all know how it worked. Cheers, LPN.
Well ... I set two Victor rat traps baited with peanut butter. One still set - all traces of butter butter gone (imagine that) and the second one tripped - all traces of peanut butter gone - no rat! Strange. All my wife can do is laugh. Traps reloaded for a second try. Humm Cheers, LPN.
Trap-wise rats, that know how to lick it off without springing the traps. Maybe they even know how to spring the traps with a stick first, before getting the food. They're horribly clever beasties! Try something that has to be tugged to get it off the trap.
The horrible thing about Polonium is that you die oh-so-slowly! Rats are fickle and choosey. What works for some often fails for others in the same location. I find that the best approach is to use 2 or 3 different types of baits or traps, have lots of patience and just wait. I have had traps which hasn't sprung for weeks, but turned successful just as I was about to give up.
Which type ? Does it have a yellow plastic pad(#M326) ? Or just the little metal clip ? The type with the yellow plastic pad trigger can be adjusted for sensitivity. The older metal trigger type can't be. Almost every time, the bait gets stolen due to a mouse, or something smaller stealing it. Stick with the peanut butter and keep the baited end against a wall or structure. Sometimes a fat squirrel can steal bait, but the trap would be sprung. Sometimes pre-baiting(bait on a trap without setting it helps for shy ones. After the third day set them, and you should have something. I also like the M326 better because it holds plenty of bait, which may be necessary for outdoor rat control. If you need further assistance, PM me, and i'd be glad to help any way possible. M326 pictured below.
If using traps outdoors, they must (a legal requirement in the UK at least) be placed in positions where non-target protected species (mainly birds, but also some mammals, including peoples' pets) can't get at them.
Absolutely !! No laws here in the U.S. when it comes to traps, it is a recommendation, not a requirement, but you can be held responsible for injuries as a result your traps, even on your own private property. Actually, if you trap a rat in a cage trap and it's still alive, the law says you must let it go here in the U.S. Baits(poisons) are to be placed only in locking tamper-proof stations, unless they can be placed in burrows and covered. Still a risk, as rats can uncover bait blocks, and leave them exposed on the surface.
Well the regular old style rat trap doesn't work. They've managed to out smart the trap every time. I'll have to look for the M326 or just keep using the bait pellets. The latter makes it difficult finding the little buggers later, but is effective. Cheers, LPN.
I SO have a method that works for sneaky rats. Peanut butter is great, a trick I use so they don't lick all the peanut butter off is wrap some dental floss or string around the trigger. Place peanut butter all over and under the string. When they try taking it off the string, the trap sets off. I've never had one get all the peanut butter. Another thing I've done is use chocolate. I glue, yes glue, the chocolate to the trigger, sometimes I top it with peanut butter. Hot glue works well too (but just for the chocolate). One final thing I do, sometimes, is place some peanut butter near the trap, so they get a taste for it. Like few tiny Hors d'Å“uvres.
I like the idea of the floss w/ p.b. I went ahead and set 1 trap about 10 min. ago, in a visual path throuh the fence from the neighbors yard. I'll let you know the results. 01/10/2010
Hello, I'm Mr. Myzzer. I have over 30,000 hours of poison & pesticide free rodent control experience. Unlike your local exterminator who is a general practitioner, I work on this one issue all the time. First, that's way too much peanut butter. Remember, ideally the rat will never get the bait. Stay away from Rat poison, you don't need it. A dab of peanut butter smaller than a quarter, and 6 traps.
Years later, a reply! Put two holes in each end of a pop can. Run a dowel through the can and be sure it spins easily. Set this across a 5 gallon bucket half-full of water. Put Peanut butter on the can. Rats go out to the PB, the can spins them off into the water and, since it's half full, they eventually drown. Too shallow and they can stand up in it. Better they're dead when you check the trap!
I realize this thread started before the dinosaurs - and many of you fine people have since sprouted grey hair - but I am a johnny come lately who would love to hear if GregZ's wacky method worked for anybody else. I will have to try it anyway. It's been a bad year for the rats - and it is like the age of Willard is finally upon us!
