You know you have a rat! Figured you got this! You saw the location of the rat as it scurried away. It scared the bejeebers out of you! You gathered up a couple of snap traps. You watched AIPM’s videos on how and where to place the trap but wait, you think…
Cheese is probably the most ‘talked’ about to catch rats and mice. It is always good to check to see if you can bait the trap with the foods that the rats have been eating. Sometimes it’s chewy, sticky items like gumdrops. Other times it is the leftover foods found in your trash containers like bacon, meats, fruits, and vegetables.
Our ‘go to’ product is peanut butter. Peanut butter has a good consistency. You only need to use a little bit. It is easy to place a small amount on the trigger of the trap, and it dries just enough so that it will stay on the trigger until the rat tries to eat it. Rats prefer to take their food and eat it elsewhere, and the stickiness of the peanut butter helps to prevent it.
Initially, place the trap with the peanut butter on the trigger without setting the trap. Leave it for a couple of nights or until you notice the rat has cleaned off the trigger. You ARE feeding the rat. Why, you ask, would I want to feed the rat?!??? Remember, rats are neophobic and will cautiously approach the item that is new in its territory. If you set it immediately, the rat may not have its entire body on the trap entirely and will be able to steal the bait and not get caught. When pre-feeding (or pre-baiting), the gets comfortable and moves its entire body onto the trap while eating the peanut butter thereby, ensuring the rat being captured.
Oh, and another thing, peanut butter has a strong smell. Rats have a good keen sense of smell. The peanut butter’s strong odor attracts the rat to the trap. Additionally, the pre-baiting may help in capturing more rats since a rats choice in food is influenced by what has been eaten by others that are found on the other rat’s breath and bodies.
I hope this helps answer the question, “What do rats eat that is perfect for trapping rodents.” If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email me at happytohelp@myaipm.com or go to our website or Facebook page.