# To kill a rat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650 "2010-06-10T14:11:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/1 "2010-06-10T14:11:04Z")
There’s an old travel trailer with a structure built around it to join it to the house. I never go back there; I use it for storage. But I did go back there and found some rat droppings. All I had in the way of rodent control was a mousetrap. I put some peanut butter on it, and very soon I heard a snap. Alas, it was too small. So I bought a rat trap, which is a larger version of the mousetrap. (i.e., it’s a snap trap.) I put peanut butter on the trigger and set it. The mousetrap has a plastic plate for the trigger, so the mouse has to step on it to get to the tiny amount of peanut butter in the little plastic box. The rat trap has the traditional brass trigger. After a few days of no snappage (I could see the trap by opening the door), I went back there to find that the brass trigger had been licked clean. How can I apply bait to the old-fashioned trigger such that the rat will trigger it and break its cute little neck? (NB: I also put down a couple of sticky traps. I might try putting a dab of peanut butter in the middle. I also have peanut butter-flavoured poison I can try.) ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/2 "2010-06-10T14:13:58Z")
Rats can’t vomit…so go the poison route. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/3 "2010-06-10T14:22:28Z")
I’ve had better luck with Snicker’s bars than peanut butter because they just tend to gently lick the peanut butter off. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/4 "2010-06-10T14:31:15Z")
snap traps have to be set just on the edge of tripping to be reliable. with a rat trap this is a hairy proposition because you can get hurt. place the trap on the floor, load the trigger, pull the snap wire over and hold the heel of your hand over it (and keep it there) with your free hand position the trip wire in the trigger, get it to just hold when you put slight pressure on it by raising the snap wire slightly. if it slips you won’t get snapped and just retry. after armed handle only by the outside edges of the snap wire side when armed. you need bait that will require movement of the trigger. chunky peanut butter with a chunk or two caught on the bait hook before more peanut butter on top. fresh bacon might work for a rat. the peanut butter baits might work. take a board and nail the bait to it so the rat can’t pick it up and take it away, the rat will be forced to eat it to get any. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/5 "2010-06-10T14:36:04Z")
Buy a lot of traps. Where you see 1 rat, there are 49 more hiding from you. I assume nuking from orbit is out, since you want the structure intact. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/6 "2010-06-10T14:37:45Z")
When using peanut butter for bait, I’ve had excellent luck taking a short length of twine and tying it through the trigger. Then you can smear the twine really good with PB. When the rat is licking the PB off, he will get to the twine and have to tug on it to get it loose…SNAP. Good trapping. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/7 "2010-06-10T14:39:39Z")
> [@rainy](#): > > When using peanut butter for bait, I’ve had excellent luck taking a short length of twine and tying it through the trigger. Then you can smear the twine really good with PB. When the rat is licking the PB off, he will get to the twine and have to tug on it to get it loose…SNAP. That thought actually did occur to me. I don’t know if I have any twine, but I might have some string. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/8 "2010-06-10T15:03:27Z")
You could go the natural route: [Elaphe obsoleta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaphe_obsoleta) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/9 "2010-06-10T15:24:01Z")
We have occasional problems with rats in the barn. Poison is the way to go. They make some bait stations that protect non target species. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/10 "2010-06-10T15:25:03Z")
There are no non-target species! Where’s the Evil smiley when you need it? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/11 "2010-06-10T15:29:19Z")
We don’t have rats in Alberta. Just sayin’. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/12 "2010-06-10T15:29:25Z")
I’ve certainly had better luck with the poison than snaps, experiencing the same as you with them licking the bait off w/o triggering the bar, but consider also that using poison around a residence means they may move into that domicile to die and then you’ve got the god awful, unreachable, long lingering stench of a dead rat. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/13 "2010-06-10T15:51:30Z")
I found a ball of white cotton string that I’d apparently bought for my crab traps. (Unfortunately, my house is not infested with Dungeness crabs. That would be handy.) I tied it twice through the trigger and smeared it with chunky peanut butter, making sure to coat the underside and push it up through the hole made by the bait hook. I left two 1/8" ends on the top of the knot to give the critter something to pull on. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/14 "2010-06-10T15:55:30Z")
^Sounds like it is getting personal.😛 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/15 "2010-06-10T15:58:45Z")
bait stations at consumer stores might only be suitable for mice. you need an anchored or heavy bait station for a rat. nailing the bait to a sizable chunk of 2x6 will work though the bait is available to anything. dogs and cats being carnivores don’t seem attracted to the bait though watch your own beasts and kids. the bait causes the rodent to be thirsty and go to its usual source of water (hopefully outside a home). ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/16 "2010-06-10T16:10:31Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > You could go the natural route: [Elaphe obsoleta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaphe_obsoleta) Not in **Johnny** ’s neck of the woods - too far north. In fact I don’t think any largish rodent-eating snakes make it into Washington. No rat snakes, no king snakes and gopher snakes don’t range north of Oregon. There are rubber boas, but they’re a little small to be taking full grown rats. ---
**Author:** ![The\_dread\_simoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_dread\_simoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_dread_simoom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/17 "2010-06-10T16:15:23Z")
I find, with mouse traps, melting a little baker’s chocolate onto the bait plate works best. They have to gnaw at it. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/18 "2010-06-10T16:21:42Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Not in **Johnny** ’s neck of the woods - too far north. In fact. Well, the article does say that the species is the largest snake found in Canada, but I guess that’s more in the eastern half of the country. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/19 "2010-06-10T16:26:33Z")
Beg, borrow, or steal a [Rat Terrier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Terrier). Put it in the room and shut the door. Wait 10 minutes. Problem solved. If you’ve never seen a Terrier go after a bunch of rats, it’s a sight to behold. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/20 "2010-06-10T16:30:35Z")
Rats are intelligent, if they find one of their own dead in a certain place at regular intervals they tend to avoid it. Traps aren’t the best solution, poison is. That said it should be delayed action poison like Wolferen(Probably haven’t spelled that right) which causes the rats blood not to coagulate, so that when later on it bangs against something it bleeds to death. If you use a fast acting poison, as I’ve said above, the rats will stop taking the bait when they start finding bodies there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650.md?page=2)