Rat Control – Why is it So Difficult to Trap Rats?

Everybody’s seen the classic cartoons. An unwelcome rodent causes mischief throughout the property before the owner decides enough is enough. A delicious-looking cube of cheese is spiked on to a rat trap and is hilariously unsuccessful in actually catching the rodent. Unfortunately, this scene isn’t really that far removed from reality. Rat traps are incredibly ineffective when it comes to actually catching rats for a variety of reasons. We’re going to talk you through why they’re such a poor choice for removal and why you should choose the rat control experts instead.

Why is it So Difficult To Trap Rats?

The poor rat is always thought of as a troublesome, disease-spreading pest – nobody ever stops to appreciate how intelligent these animals truly are. Rats are incredibly smart and therefore they can prove to be a particularly challenging pest when it comes to removal. These rodents can crawl through the tiniest of gaps, swim for many kilometres, find food in extremely challenging situations and tend to treat new surroundings with caution. So, if you’ve underestimated your household enemy as a common catch, think again. Rats are very hesitant around new items in a surrounding they’re very familiar with. If you set up a rat trap it’s probably going to be treated with suspicion rather than curiosity. To catch a rat you need to understand their behaviour, their habits, their diet and most importantly, their intelligence.

The Most Common Rat-Trapping Mistakes

That being the case, let’s have a look at the most common mistakes people make when trying to catch a rat. Let’s be clear on one thing here: we’re talking specifically about rats – not mice. Mice are a rodent too but are normally significantly smaller than rats (about half their size). If you’ve picked up a rat trap, there’s a good chance that it is actually designed for mice. They’re smaller and lighter, and the trap might not even work on them. Bigger, heavier, stronger and faster rats are unlikely to actually be trapped by the mousetrap mechanism. Another common mistake is to put cheese in the trap as bait. There are a range of rat species and they all have different diets. While they’re not fussy eaters, cheese isn’t likely to be high on their list of favourite foods. And as we’ve already mentioned, they’ll be rightly suspicious of the new, dangerous-looking item in their territory. If there’s a different food source they can reach, they’ll head there instead. Rats will travel carefully, no matter where they are. The last thing they’re likely to do is dart out into the middle of the hallway floor, careless of their surroundings. These cunning pests are far more likely to stick close to walls, move carefully and avoid leaving themselves exposed. Have you researched where to set up your rat trap? Chances are, you haven’t set it up in the best position.

How Can We Help?

Finally, this method of rat control isn’t known for being effective at all. If you do indeed have a rat infestation, then you’ll have many more than just one rat on your property: killing one isn’t going to rid you of an infestation. Rats also notoriously quick breeders, so if you take a month to catch just one, a female could have given birth to a new litter of five or more in that time. Call Truly Nolen today for a complete rat control solution. Our experts will deal with your rodent problem quickly and effectively. Ensuring that your home is rat-free for years to come.