What to Do When Your Rat Trap Isn’t Catching Any Rats

Rodents, Reptiles & Bats
1

Hey everyone,

I’ve got a bit of a situation going on here. I set up a couple of rat traps in my garage since I noticed some signs of rats sneaking around. However, it’s been a week, and I haven’t caught anything yet. I’ve followed the instructions carefully, but it seems like the traps are not doing their job.

I’ve tried both snap traps and glue traps, using peanut butter and some bits of bacon as bait. Still, no luck! I’ve even checked the traps regularly, and they seem undisturbed. I’m starting to wonder if I’m doing something wrong or if the rats have just become too smart for my traps.

2

Hey NatureLover64,I’ve been where you are! One common mistake is not placing the traps in the right location. Rats tend to run along walls and corners. Have you tried putting the traps along those paths?

3

Thanks for the tip, EarthFriendlyTom! I did place them near a wall, but maybe I didn’t go far enough into the corners. I’ll give that a shot.

4

Hi all,Bait choice is super important! I’ve had success with dried fruit—especially raisins. Sometimes, a strong-smelling bait can be more enticing than just peanut butter.

5

Interesting, @HomeHelperHank! I never thought about using dried fruit. Do you have a specific type that worked well for you?

6

I’d recommend raisins or even dried apricots. They really seem to draw them in. Plus, you can use a little peanut butter to hold them in place!

7

Hi NatureLover64,Just throwing it out there, are you sure you have rats? Sometimes it could be mice or squirrels. A quick way to check is to look for droppings. Rat droppings are much larger than mouse droppings.

8

That’s a good point, MousePatrol. I saw some droppings, but I didn’t really measure them. I’ll take a closer look and see if I can figure it out.

9

Hey everyone,If you’re still having issues after repositioning traps and changing bait, you might want to consider other methods like electronic traps or even calling a pest control service. Sometimes, a professional can provide insights or tools that we might not have access to.

10

Thanks, @EcoWarrior! It’s good to know I have options. I’ll give it one more week with the traps and then consider getting some help if I don’t see any progress.