Tomcat Rat Snap Trap

Details

A snap trap has advantages no bait can match. It kills immediately rather than over days, there is no poisoned carcass to be eaten by a barn cat or an owl, nothing toxic is left in a building, and you get certainty: you can see what you caught and count what is left. On a farm with dogs and cats around, or in a house where you would rather not have rodenticide at all, traps are often the better choice outright. Rat traps need a heavier build and stronger spring than mouse traps, and they also need more care in setting — a rat is strong, cautious, and quite capable of setting off a poorly placed trap and walking away. Set traps perpendicular to the wall with the trigger end toward the run, right on the paths you have identified by rub marks, droppings and worn trails. Two or three traps close together on a good run beat one trap in six places. The trick most people miss is pre-baiting. Rats are shy of new objects, so leave traps unset and baited for a couple of nights until they are feeding confidently, then set them. Skipping that step is why people conclude rats are too smart for traps. Bait with something sticky and aromatic — peanut butter, bacon, dried fruit — tied or smeared so it cannot be carried off. Handle with sense. These springs are strong enough to injure a finger, so set them carefully and place them where a dog, cat or child cannot reach — behind appliances, in a box with a rat-sized opening, under a covered bait station shell. Check daily, wear gloves to dispose of catches, and wash your hands. And close up the entry gaps, or you will be doing this again.