I’m fighting a rat war. Sticky traps got 5 so far. They definitely go in the trash. Theres no way to remove the mouse/rat without a huge sticky mess.
The big bruiser is still here. That dude is 5 inches long. He’s already chewed into a couple cardboard boxes.I see the big hairy bastard every night. He could care less about the lights being on, me or my dog. My dog won’t even bark at it. Useless coward mutt. I bought 4 of the full size spring rat traps. Baited with a freshly scraped almond.
Once I get him. Should the trap be reused? I vaguely recall claims rats leave a warning, danger!! scent behind. That makes reusing useless. Any truth to that?
I have observed my sticky traps no longer catch anything. Its like word has gotten around to avoid them.
I’ve had better results with these traps, the larger trigger area seems to be effective. They are designed to be reused. I just drop them in a bucket of water and bleach for an hour or so and they are good to go.
edit: You can also find these types of traps in single packs, if you don’t need six.
These are the inexpensive wood spring traps. I’m leaning towards just pitching them in the trash with the rat. So I don’t have to handle it any more than necessary.
It seems pointless to reuse if theres any chance a lingering scent on the trap warns away other rats. Its hard enough trapping these things.
Washing can’t get wood scent free like it can plastic. Wood is too porous,
Mice and rats are quick to learn what is lethal to them. This is why bait works, as the rats and mice eat it then leave. A few days later they die. They don’t associate the poison with the death.
So as long as you’re removing the rat rather quickly, the scent isn’t the big issue. Just don’t let the rats get a chance to associate the trap with death.
Got home from Church and found the big rat dead in the trap. Man, that was one big MF. longer than the trap. a good seven inch roof rat. <shudder> I’m sure that’s the one that I’ve seen constantly in the corner of my eye streaking down the hall or in my living room. He’s entombed in a coffee can with the lid taped.
I also found a mouse on a sticky trap. I discovered weeks ago they are coming in from my hot water closet. I have sticky traps under that door and caught 5 so far. I feel strongly they should be killed as humanely as possible. Don’t let them suffer for a couple days in your trash can. I put the entire sticky trap in doubled grocery bags. Head down (so I know where it is in the bag). One quick pop to the head with a brick and he’s gone to mouse heaven. Then its out to the garbage can.
I’m calling for professional help. I need a pro in my attic to declare war on these rats. Otherwise they’ll just keep getting into my living space.
warning check your Amazon boxes. I’m almost positive that roof rat hitched a ride in one of mine. I saw a hole in the side of the box and thought nothing of it. Brought it inside and left for work. Big mistake.
I used the common victor wood traps and used them over and over. I caught about 16 rats in 1 week. I had 3 traps. I did have a couple that I couldn’t catch that would rob the bait. The traps were hard to set because they were too sensitive so I bent them a little bit and now they are not quite sensitive enough. I will buy a better quality trap next time.
Luckily I saw a youtube vid. The guy lightly scrapes an almond to release the oils. used a screw to make a little hold and pushed it onto the bait tang. It’s on there pretty firmly and the rat has to tug on it. I gave it a try and it worked.
I may need to scrape the almonds again in a few days. keep that juicy almond oil smell in the air.
why is it we guys get nominated for this anyhow? I don’t recall rat catcher in my wedding vows.
I’m kind of weirded out by rats too. But can’t say anything in front of my wife. Gotta man up and do the dirty job. Mice aren’t a big deal. But geez, that rat had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. Nasty, mean looking bugger.
I’ve seen photos of rats the size of cats. :eek: I’d buy three Rat terriers and let them deal with it. Screw the traps. That’s more than I’m willing to take on.
Funny story. We had this rat that was a master at nabbing the bait without setting the trap off. He was brazen as hell. He would barely wait for us to finish cleaning the kitchen after dinner before he’d waltz in looking for crumbs.
So I thought since he appears like clockwork, I’d set the trap, set up a video camera pointing at the trap at close range, turn the video camera on and leave the room, and then I’d see how the heck he was getting away with it.
'Course, that’s the day the rat didn’t get away with it, isn’t it? SNAP! Instant up close and horrible snuff video of rat getting mangled. Oops.
I washed and re-used the plastic traps from last year, setting up in my basement for the expected mouse invasion. Nothing caught yet, though that may be because we’ve only had a couple nights of freezing weather so far, not enough to persuade them to come indoors for the winter.
Should Rat Traps be reused?
Absolutely! Here are some ideas:
*clothes pins
*dangly earrings
*paper clips
*percussion instruments (best for songs with slow time signature)
*nipple clamps
*male enhancement device
*child’s toy (best for kids just old enough to have the dexterity to work the spring, or very young children in conjunction with the nipple clamp use)
*table game (Who can move my cheese?)
I haven’t had rats, but I reuse snap mouse traps all the time. I put them on newspaper in case of bleeding, so I just change the newspaper, put in new peanut butter, and replace it in (usually) the same place, meaning somewhere that Leet the Wonder Dog[sup]TM[/sup] can’t get at it but the mousies can.
I’ve no interest in handling any part of a dead mouse and for darn sure not a big assed rat. I buy a number of snap traps at a time and when it’s caught one pick it up with pliers and put it in a Ziploc, then out to the trash.
I bought 4 of the full size spring rat traps. Baited with a freshly scraped almond.
I don’t recall rat catcher in my wedding vows.