Rat Trap Bait

[WH308]

I’ve got a few rats getting in my chicken sheds, so I’m going to put a few traps in boxes in the sheds. The traps I’ve brought have a little “tub” for bait rather than a spike. What do you think the best bait would be? I was thinking peanut butter or melted chocolate?

 

[McKenzie]

Peanut butter has always worked for me.

 

[John Gryphon]

a stout piece of uncooked bacon rind wired to the trigger plate if applicable.

 

[gs jon]

Chocolate spread or black treacle .
JB

 

[angusb1]

Those traps are great. I caught loads of rats with them and mice with the smaller ones. Peanut butter worked well for me but the pest controller who got rid of our wasps nests reckons a slice of those drumstick sweets pushed into the cup. He reckoned the rats can lick the peanut butter without setting off the trap but the drumstick is firmer so they have to tug at it and it goes off more often. Peanut butter worked well for me though.

 

[tattie]

The caramel bit off a Mars Bar, it sticks like sh!t to a blanket.

 

[shakey jake]

if you have a few traps try a few baits, every thing above should work as will butter, lard, grain, cheese spread, cat food, plus just about any thing else, rats havent got this far by being fussy but they can be awkward
good luck

 

[dartmoordog]

Very awkward indeed! Leave the traps outside in the weather for a few days, DON’T touch them with bare hands, use well weathered gloves. Good luck.

 

[Cut+Squirt]

Childs strawberry chewits.

Take a sweet, sit it in a pudding spoon and gently heat over a flame or cooker ring.

Pour the pink sweet strawberry syrup into the little cup on the trap. Sets like concrete but retains the strawberry aroma.

Works a treat.
The rats inevitably want a chew at it and bang. I caught countless rats with the one chewit.

 

[kes]

I have had success with bacon fat wired to the bait trigger and nutella which requires them to stay in one place enough time licking the sticky stuff. Anything instantly removable like cheese and you'll just be feeding the pests. Build a box for the traps and add a short length of drainpipe to get in and they will think its a hotel. Has the advantage you can put poison in afterwards without danger to other species (except mice).