Hi everyone,
I’ve been dealing with a rat problem in my garage and basement lately, and I’m planning to set a few traps. The problem is that I also have a curious dog that tends to sniff around everywhere, so I’m worried about placing traps where my pet might accidentally get too close.
I know rats usually travel along walls and behind storage items, but I’m not sure what the safest placements are when you have pets in the house. I want the traps to still be effective without putting my dog at risk.
For those of you who have pets at home, where do you usually place rat traps? Are there certain spots that work well for catching rats while staying out of reach of pets?
Any tips would be really appreciated.
I usually place traps directly along the wall behind appliances or storage boxes. Rats tend to run along edges, but pets usually don’t squeeze back there.
Behind the washing machine worked well for me. My cat couldn’t get back there but the rats definitely could.
If you have shelves in the garage, placing traps behind the bottom shelf can help. It creates a barrier that pets rarely go past.
@NorthwoodCaleb Same here. I always keep them tight against the wall because that’s where rodents travel the most.
Another trick is putting traps inside a small box with a hole cut in the side. Rats can enter but pets usually ignore it.
I’ve seen people place traps under heavy furniture too, like behind a freezer or tool cabinet.
Basement corners behind stored bins are usually safe spots if your pets don’t go there often.
@StoneBridgeLily I like the box idea. It also keeps kids from accidentally touching the trap.
In my garage I slide them behind stacked wood boards. Rats run through there but my dog can’t reach them.
The key is using natural rat travel paths while keeping traps in tight spaces pets can’t easily access.