Trapping a rat is a bit trickier than most of us might believe. We go to the store and purchase a rat trap, bring it back home and set it with the assumption that our rodent issues are about to be over. Except what we didn’t know is that rats are smarter than we think.
Rats have certain behaviors that trigger them to avoid a rat trap. If you do not set the trap correctly in the rat’s environment, you could find yourself playing cat and mouse for a while. Here are rat trap facts and steps you’ll need to get them right where you want them.
Your Rat Trap and Rat Behavior
- Rodents like to run against something, using their vibrissae (long facial whiskers) for guidance.
- Look for rodent droppings or oily marks in these areas. These signs confirm that is their runway.
- Set traps along their runway not in the middle of the room.
- Place the rat trap perpendicular never parallel to a wall. For rats, have the trap placed closer to the wall. Since mice are more curious, pull the rat trap slightly more away from the wall.
- The rat trap trigger end should, once set, be slapping towards the wall.
- Use rat traps inside attics and other structures like your home or garage. Never use rodenticide inside a structure or its attic since you want to be able to remove the carcass when caught. If the bait is used inside a structure, the rodent will die and cause a foul odor as it decomposes.
- Always be aware of the placement of your rat traps. If there are pets or children, it is best to place the traps in a station that will prevent any person or pet from accidentally touching the trap and set it off, scarring or injuring them.
If the methods mentioned above are not quite working, then you might have a much bigger issue. Contact AIPM for a free consultation. We are trained in handling all types of rodent issues. AIPM can eliminate the threats to your property while setting up a custom plan to ensure that you never have to face the same type of rodent issue.
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