When you have rats, you'll want to get rid of them in the fastest way
possible, and there's just one way guaranteed to do the trick. Don't
waste your time with things like poisons, deterrents or repellents.
Don't ever bother with “humane” live cage traps. Instead, focus all of
your attention to snap traps. As inhumane as they may seem, they are
your best option.
In theory, yes. Of course it would be. It would be nice to think that you could trap a rat, take it somewhere nice and wild, preferably many, many miles away from your home, and then release it. It can go on ahead and have a wonderfully long and happy life in the wild, where it belongs.
Sadly, the theory is just that - a theory. It doesn't happen like that in ‘real life'. What usually happens is that the rat will die within just a few days of being released into the wild. Why? Because rats aren't exactly what you'd call wild these days. They live alongside humans. More rats are found in residential areas than they are wild spaces. They wouldn't last five minutes ‘in the wild'.
When you release your rat, it won't know where to find or a source of water. It won't have a place to call its home, and it won't recognize its surroundings. Rats are very social creatures, so it won't be long before it will feel lonely. It will also become prey to a whole bunch of bigger creatures out there - creatures it won't have come across in your home, or the safety of those heavily populated urban areas. Owls, eagles, hawks, coyotes, and many, many more animals will hunt the rat out in the wild.
Using snap traps - the important points.
1 - Right, first and foremost, make sure you get rat traps. Not mouse traps. Don't bother with electrocution traps. Just get good old fashioned snap traps.
2 - Use a decent bait, but don't put too much thought into it. Jam and other sweet stuff will attract flies and other insects, including bees and wasps. Meat products, like cat and dog food, will attract rats for sure, but will probably attract cats and dogs, and also other wild animals - perhaps a wandering skunk or a rogue raccoon. You can use almost anything you already have in your home, however, because rats are scavengers. Eating the leftovers of others is basically what they do.
3 - Make sure you're setting the traps in the right places. If you place it somewhere the rat never goes, it's not likely to come into contact with it. Putting the traps in the most frequented areas of your home (by the rats) is smart, and gives you the greatest chance of getting rid of them.
4 - Make sure you check the traps regularly. Once the rat is dead, it will start to decompose rather quickly. That's when you'll attract flies and maggots, and your home will also be filled with a rather unpleasant scent.
5 - Don't even think about setting a single trap until you have made sure you have already sealed every hole that is leading the rats right into your home. What's the point? You'll just be catching a rat, getting rid of it, and needing to place the traps down again to catch yet another rat that has entered through the hole you STILL haven't sealed up.
Alternatively, give us a call. We'll do the whole job for you.
Go back to the Rats in the Attic home page.
Fastest way to get rid of rats
There are certain seasons in a year that tend to be the time rodents are likely to try to make their way into your home, but this doesn’t mean they won’t be appearing on other days.
Rats could be a bother to deal with especially because of their quick and sneaky nature. They often chew through your property and food, or even different items that are found in your home. Depending on how bad the infestation is, it’s also possible for them to be carrying bacteria which can lead to different diseases.
Luckily, there are lots of different methods that can help you in getting rid of the rats in your property. Here are a few of the quickest and simplest methods to eliminate rats in your home:
Use rat traps.
There are different kinds of traps available to use for exterminating a rat in the property. Using a trap can save you on costs and allows you to reuse the same method as much as needed depending on the kind of trap you get. They are also usually easy to set up.
- Snap traps are wooden or plastic traps that are effective in capturing and killing the rodent. They are also the least expensive ones. It’s best to use this if the environment isn’t somewhere a pet or a child would usually be as this could potentially harm them. This should also be used in a parts of the house where there aren’t many people around.
- Live traps are the typical cage-type of traps. These can work with or without bait depending on where you place it. Once the rat enters the cage, the mechanism will close itself and trap the rat inside. This trap will also make it easier for you to dispose of the rat if you intend on releasing it back into the wild.
- Glue boards work even when being used on different pests such as insects. While it works in catching rats, the bigger rodents may be able to break free from the glue of the board. This is best for catching rather smaller rodents and pests.
Make use of rodent bait.
Another method is by using rodent bait. There is specific bait made to capture rats. Bait is often used to ensure the rat will be attracted to a trap since there may be situations where they would be hesitant.
- Rodenticides are known as poison for pests. There are certain ways to properly use rodenticides so be sure to look through this or contact a professional for assistance. This can harm people which is why it should be placed and used in a location away from pets and children.
- Bait stations are made to place the rat bait in, specifically rodenticide. This simply allows the said bait to be protected from accidental ingestion by non-targets. It works effectively in attracting rats if placed in the right locations.
