Also check if your bait is spoiled, dusty or dried out. Old bait loses smell and can get ignored. Fresh bait often equals more bites.
Alternative food sources inside or outside the structure. If rats have access to pet food, trash, garden produce, they may bypass your bait.”
Use secure tamper-resistant stations and place them flush to the wall anchoring down. Rats feel safer moving along the edge than going into open space.
@TravelTrailTara I installed small wildlife cameras near my bait sites and found rats were avoiding one station placed under a light fixture. They prefer dark, low-traffic zones.
In cold months, high-calorie, oily baits often work better. Rats need more energy, so they go for richer foods. For example, bacon bits or salami work better than bread.
Follow their trails, observe droppings, gnaw marks, then place bait accordingly. If you bait blindly you might never get uptake.
If you change bait, placement and still get no picks, don’t give up. Re-evaluate entry points, cover, landscape, rodent motivation. Solve the root before expecting uptake.