Hunting Rats?

[Jagermeister]

Get a ferret and a dog. Send the ferret in and the rats will bail. Then it is up to the dog.

[thick]

Caught 16 rats in the old wooden victor traps since August. All using dried cranberries for bait

[MOOSE MILK]

I too had rats lick the peanut butter off of the trigger and not set it off, I used an old pair of wife's nylons and cut them up into about 3" squares and put a dab of peanut butter in and tied it up like tying steel head row bait and tied them to the trap trigger.
That worked really well but I still cannot catch the bigger smart one. I even wash the trap in the dishwasher and use rubber gloves when handling the trap. I have set them out unset for a few days and put bait around which they eat but will not touch the trap.
Entertaining watching on my trail cams how they avoid the traps.
Must have the Covid boredom...LOL
MM

[Jagermeister]

I too had rats lick the peanut butter off of the trigger and not set it off, I used an old pair of wife's nylons and cut them up into about 3" squares and put a dab of peanut butter in and tied it up like tying steel head row bait and tied them to the trap trigger.
That worked really well but I still cannot catch the bigger smart one. I even wash the trap in the dishwasher and use rubber gloves when handling the trap. I have set them out unset for a few days and put bait around which they eat but will not touch the trap.
Entertaining watching on my trail cams how they avoid the traps.
Must have the Covid boredom...LOL
MM

I think I'm going to leave mine in the composter for a while. I do know that they hang out in the neighbor's compost heap.

[Ridgehunter604]

I mange a wildlife and pest control business so we deal with rats daily.
If they are in the house it can be harder to trap them. Generally they are there for shelter not food (but will take advantage of food if available so ensure you secure anything they can get into)
they will be going in and out everyday for food and water.
The key is to figure out how they are getting in and seal that up along with anything else like it.
Once they are trapped inside they get pretty desperate and will hit a trap quick.
Peanut butter is a good bait. I’d suggest the crappier sugar stuff like skippey rather then some organic fancy thing. Also mixing in some Nutella helps. This time of the year extra sugars really seem to attract them so I’ll often add honey to make it that much sweeter.
The local black rats seem to go for this more then the bigger Norwegian rats. (Though the Norwegians will hit it too.)
often a really oily smelly meat can work well on the Norwegians (left over bear scraps seem to do well)

the big key though is figuring out how they how they are getting in and stopping that.

[russm86]

I mange a wildlife and pest control business so we deal with rats daily.
If they are in the house it can be harder to trap them. Generally they are there for shelter not food (but will take advantage of food if available so ensure you secure anything they can get into)
they will be going in and out everyday for food and water.
The key is to figure out how they are getting in and seal that up along with anything else like it.
Once they are trapped inside they get pretty desperate and will hit a trap quick.
Peanut butter is a good bait. I’d suggest the crappier sugar stuff like skippey rather then some organic fancy thing. Also mixing in some Nutella helps. This time of the year extra sugars really seem to attract them so I’ll often add honey to make it that much sweeter.
The local black rats seem to go for this more then the bigger Norwegian rats. (Though the Norwegians will hit it too.)
often a really oily smelly meat can work well on the Norwegians (left over bear scraps seem to do well)

the big key though is figuring out how they how they are getting in and stopping that.

We've been doing renos and lots of moving things in and out, as well, the other half has the habit of leaving the door ajar for the dogs to get back in when they go outside so I believe, if there is actually one in the house, it got in through the open door. The house is all mostly old glass stucco with the front having aluminum siding, we've done a lot of work there and haven't noticed any holes inside or out. One has been hanging out near the entry area, I've seen it a few times and tried to catch up to hit it with something or sick the dogs on it so wouldn't take much for it to find the open door between trips of hauling stuff in or out.

[Ridgehunter604]

If that’s the case, and it’s stuck in there it should hit a trap pretty quick.
If it doesn’t that means one of two things. It’s found a food stash in the house or it’s freely getting in and out.

[horseman2]

My son's Jack Russell Terrier in the parks around downtown Vancouver after a rat hunting session had to be washed as he was covered in Blood, Guts and Excrement.
The snap traps with the new bait from Buckerfield's works once then they must contaminate them with a scent. Will have to wash them with dish washing soap.
I though the rats were eating the bait and not tripping the trap but it was slugs but on occasion the slug would trip it.
No luck yet with the Instant Potatoes.

[Deer_Slayer]

Use the victor snap traps baited with peanut butter. Place a milk carton or a box over top with some holes cut big enough for a rat to fit through. If you use a box just put some weight on top to stop it being blown or pushed over by a dog.

[Jagermeister]

I found earwigs are just as bad as the slugs for de-baiting a slug.