# 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:** 2
**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, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/21 "2010-06-10T17:05:56Z")
THe poison I have is slow-acting, blood-coagulant type. But I’d rather snap their necks, since I don’t especially want to find a nest of dead rats when I’m going through a box. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/22 "2010-06-10T17:21:16Z")
> [@The\_dread\_simoom](#): > > I find, with mouse traps, melting a little baker’s chocolate onto the bait plate works best. They have to gnaw at it. I do the same thing, but use Reese’s peanut butter cups. That seems to pull them in quickly. ---
**Author:** ![GregH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@GregH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregH)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/23 "2010-06-10T17:25:48Z")
Not to get all mushy on you guys and girls, but please stay away from the sticky traps. Regardless of how annoying your prey is, I don’t think any of us should take pleasure in causing a slow, torturous death. Make it quick and painless! -Greg ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/24 "2010-06-10T17:32:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > 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. With all the rain and flooding we had yesterday, Dungeness infestation isn’t out of the question… 😃 ---
**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, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/25 "2010-06-10T17:38:16Z")
I have plenty of butter. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/26 "2010-06-10T18:30:23Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > 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. I want to warn Johnny that travel trailers (the basis of his storage area) have many, many crevices and hiding (dying) places in the subfloor. I would not recommend poison to use when it involves an RV. You really don’t want to know how I became an expert on this. pullin (who now knows _waaay_ more about the subfloor and underfloor utility structure of his trailer than he would like; following an infestation/poison-use while in storage) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/27 "2010-06-10T22:09:22Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. Warfarin. Just remember that it sounds like “warfare”. The same stuff, incidentally, is used as medicine for folks at risk for heart attacks or strokes (though for that application, it’s usually called Coumadin). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/28 "2010-06-10T22:42:12Z")
Getting rid of the rat is the easy part. Keeping rats out in the future is the hard part. Do you know how they are getting in? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/29 "2010-06-10T22:59:15Z")
As there are several useful answers already, I suggest a Rat Writ, and failing that, a handgun: \ ***Rooster Cogburn** : Mr. Rat, I have a writ here says you’re to stop eating Chin Lee’s cornmeal forthwith. Now it’s a rat writ, writ for a rat, and this is lawful service of the same. See, doesn’t pay any attention to me. [shoots the rat] **Chen Lee** : [Runs into the room] Outside is place for shooting! **Rooster Cogburn** : I’m servin’ some papers! \* (From **True Grit** ) ---
**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, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/30 "2010-06-10T23:03:45Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > and failing that, a handgun: I have an [H&R 999](http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/8975H_R_999.jpg). I should pick up some .22 shot shells. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/31 "2010-06-10T23:29:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Warfarin. Just remember that it sounds like “warfare”. The same stuff, incidentally, is used as medicine for folks at risk for heart attacks or strokes (though for that application, it’s usually called Coumadin). Or that the W-A-R-F is for Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which funded the project that discovered this, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/32 "2010-06-10T23:32:12Z")
I’ve had great luck trapping mice/rats with glue traps with a dab of peanut butter right in the middle of it. Its true that you’re likely to find the miserable creature still alive when you check them, suffering, but I can’t be arsed to care about that. I just pick up the trap, put it into an airtight baggie and throw the vermin away. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/33 "2010-06-10T23:34:12Z")
5 gallon bucket half filled with water. A large sheet of paper, newsprint will work. Using masking or duct tape to secure the paper make a cap for the bucket. Using a sharp knife or razor cut an “X” into the paper. Note, do not cut all the way to the bucket rim. Make a ramp to the top of the bucket with a piece of wood. Place some bait (grain or other food will work,) on the paper near the bucket rim. In the morning remove drowned rat. Repeat as necessary. ---
**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, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/34 "2010-06-10T23:48:13Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > In the morning remove drowned rat. Repeat as necessary. But… [http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/20-things-rats](http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/20-things-rats) [QUOTE=Discover Magazine . com] A rat can tread water for three days and survive being flushed down the toilet. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/35 "2010-06-10T23:55:13Z")
I find that a bit of flour tortilla, pinched around a tiny shmear of peanut butter or Nutella, is helpful. The tortilla dries out and gets kind of tough and leathery, and the vermin has to tug on it to get it free of the bait pan. Shnap! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/36 "2010-06-11T00:32:45Z")
I found my daughter out back shooting cans yesterday with her Red Ryder BB gun rifle with the cat’s laser pointer taped to the sights. You’re welcome to borrow it! ---
**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 11, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/37 "2010-06-11T04:13:29Z")
> [@rainy](#): > > But… > A rat can tread water for three days … Not if you bash it on the head with a ball peen hammer. ---
**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 11, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/38 "2010-06-11T04:18:29Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I found my daughter out back shooting cans yesterday with her Red Ryder BB gun rifle with the cat’s laser pointer taped to the sights. I like the cut of your daughter’s jib! 😃 You’ve got to get a picture of her looking all serious with her ‘sniper rifle’. I found my (20-something-year-old) ‘Mini-Mag’ .22 LR shotshells, and put them in the revolver in case I need to despatch a rat that was incautious enough to have stepped on a sticky trap. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/39 "2010-06-11T07:32:22Z")
We had a rat problem when we were kids and though my mother was a pacifist animal rights activist she eventually called the Health Department. An employee dutifully arrived, located the rats’ burrows, and shoved poison packets down them while explaining that the rats would have to chew through the poison to get out of their holes. He then told us kids “Never stick your hand down a rat hole.” We didn’t need to be told. We’d already noticed he was missing several fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650/40 "2010-06-11T10:34:03Z")
I had this problem with a rat in the house. Eventually I taught my dog to hunt it and she got the sucker. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-kill-a-rat/542650.md?page=3)