How to catch/trap a rat.....4 legged kind. :(

[John Schmidt]

From time to time I'll hear it scuttling through the leaves in the gutter, usually at night after all is quiet. I also hear him using the downspout as his personal elevator from the pool deck to the gutter. So, just to entice him a bit I laid out some scraps of food.....cheese bits, bits of a hot dog, etc.  The next morning they're gone so I know he's spending his nights dining on the "veranda."  Then I decided to pick up a new trap since the old one got lost in a garage shuffle, it's a newer version with a square plastic bait holder. Bad choice, it turned out, because of the pressure needed to trip it. The first two nights I baited it but didn't set it, next morning it was gone along with the bits I laid around it. Finally, two nights ago I decided to give him a surprise party....a last supper, if you will!  The first night I set the trap but didn't tie the bait down, next morning the bait is gone, the trap tripped, no rat. OooK....so last night I tied the bait on with some thread and scattered a few bits of food around. This morning....same thing except his tail is slightly shorter now. There was a piece of his tail still in the trap. Here in Florida we have something we refer to as citrus rats, they're somewhat smaller and often look like an overfed mouse. That's the only thing I can figure I'm feeding, he's small enough to fit inside the arm that releases and kills them. I know it's not a mouse 'cuz I can see his tracks in the slightly muddy surface left by the recent rains. I really hate it when I get outsmarted(so far) by a rat. This little game ain't over yet. Tonight I'm going to try setting it inside a small box so he has to come at it from above. Stay tuned....Frank Buck is on the prowl.     

Maybe if I change the menu he'll get PO'd and leave the area.

[Moonshot_1]

Reminds me of some videos I've seen of the products made by the ACME company that may of use to you.

[Robert]

What I found works really good is the electric trap, they go in and get electrocuted. Its big enough for the Norway rats and really easy to get rid of them. Reusable, can replace the batteries and I leave it out and once in while find a body in it. Cant be in rain but as long as its protected it lasts. Has a led on the top that flashes when there's a rat inside.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Victor-Electronic-Rat-Trap-M240/100400789

[Crackerborn]

Peanut butter has always been my go-to bait when the the rodents need exterminating. For rats, a few different styles of traps sometimes need to be used, especially if one has failed. Rats recognize that failed trap as a danger and will avoid them, sometimes even changing their travel pattern. I get great satisfaction out of using the .357 with rat/snake shot once the traps fail, but the neighbors tend to complain. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I think a night patrol with a pellet gun would be fun. In AK. winters the shrew infiltration can be unbelievable in some places. One place I lived was surrounded by woods and that year there wasn't a large snow cover for them. I had been trapping the little bastards non stop. One evening I fell asleep in the recliner watching TV only to wake up with a shrew on the arm of the chair staring at me.  After that it was game on with every a available means of warfare available . Multiple traps, BB gun, poison was used. My most effective means I found by accident. I had tossed a bag of garbage in my ATV trailer in the garage. They couldn't get out , it's the proverbial shooting fish out of a barrel. I think. I got 15-20 in one fell swoop. Good luck hunting 

[John Schmidt]

Well Robert, looks like I'm going to make a trip to Home Depot. I'll teach the little buggers to make a fool of me. 

PS: Are you going to try and make it up for the BBQ on the 30th?

[_Sheffjs_]

Peanut butter has always been my go-to bait when the the rodents need exterminating. For rats, a few different styles of traps sometimes need to be used, especially if one has failed. Rats recognize that failed trap as a danger and will avoid them, sometimes even changing their travel pattern. I get great satisfaction out of using the .357 with rat/snake shot once the traps fail, but the neighbors tend to complain. 

I usually use peanut butter with a small piece of beef jerky stuck in it.   They can't resist 

[_Sheffjs_]

Peanut butter has always been my go-to bait when the the rodents need exterminating. For rats, a few different styles of traps sometimes need to be used, especially if one has failed. Rats recognize that failed trap as a danger and will avoid them, sometimes even changing their travel pattern. I get great satisfaction out of using the .357 with rat/snake shot once the traps fail, but the neighbors tend to complain. 

I usually use peanut butter with a small piece of beef jerky stuck in it with the old fashioned snap trap, They can't resist  

[Jersey mike]

I've bought some stuff from H/D for rodents at our shop, I think it's called TomCat. Small little blocks of poison that they eat up and does a good job. I cut the blocks into 1/4's, spread them around and it keeps the mice,chipmunks,squirrels and other rodents (from the Chinese and Mexican food places next door) in check.

[bigguy]

I've bought some stuff from H/D for rodents at our shop, I think it's called TomCat. Small little blocks of poison that they eat up and does a good job. I cut the blocks into 1/4's, spread them around and it keeps the mice,chipmunks,squirrels and other rodents (from the Chinese and Mexican food places next door) in check.

+ a lot. The little Ba****ds were about to run me out of the house. Tomcat solved the problem.

[0leman]

When I was a Kid at home in OK, we had a trouble with rats in the barn.  Since we had other critters that we didn't want to poison, we used corn meal and plaster paris.  Mixed together.  The rats would eat both, develop a lump in their GI track that they couldn't expel.  Worked really good.  Does take a few days to work.

[GiG]

I've bought some stuff from H/D for rodents at our shop, I think it's called TomCat. Small little blocks of poison that they eat up and does a good job. I cut the blocks into 1/4's, spread them around and it keeps the mice,chipmunks,squirrels and other rodents (from the Chinese and Mexican food places next door) in check.

#69 on the Chinese Restaurant Menu?  

[Jess Tolbirt]

i have always wondered what that cho cho chicken really is...the texture dont look like chicken..

[John Schmidt]

Well, my neighbor possibly got him last night. Saw him this morning with a step ladder near his gutter, when he came down he held up the trap for me to see....with a rat in it. Since his daughter was out there he added....."lunch is on me today Liz."  She took off running into the house.    I'll wait a couple nights to see if any of its relatives come to the funeral.