Common Challenges to Trapping Rats

You’ve noticed rat droppings on your floors or in your cupboards. Or maybe you have heard skittering noises at night. You may even have seen a large rat inside your home. Like most people, you probably set out rat traps around your home, knowing you need to get the problem under control quickly before the rat infestation can get worse.

But what if the traps are not working? Either your traps remain empty or you have caught a few rats and yet the problem seems to be getting worse. Rats are a resourceful animal and a challenging one for DIY rodent control. Here are some of the most common challenges to watch out for and how to solve them.

What Makes DIY Rat Control in NYC Challenging

Unfortunately, catching a rat is not as simple as putting a piece of cheese on a trap and waiting for it to snap the rat. If you want to trap rats effectively and quickly, understanding how rats think and behave can help you fix common mistakes in rat trapping:

• Neophobia – Rats treat anything new in their environment with caution. When a trap suddenly appears in their space, they may take a few days to work up to approaching it. Pre-feeding, or placing food at the trap site without setting the trap, may help the rats get comfortable.
• Wrong Trap Placement – When they move around your house, rats use set pathways and rarely stray from them. They also stay under cover as much as possible, moving inside walls, under furniture, or near walls. If your trap is not in one of those areas, the rat might never go near it.
• Incorrect Bait – While rats will eat anything in the right conditions, using their preferred bait for your trap will increase your success. Norway rats like fatty and sugary foods like peanut butter or gum drops. Roof rats more often choose plant-based foods like nuts and berries.
• Alternative Food Source – If rats are feasting in your pantry or have easy access to your dog or cat’s food bowl, they likely are not looking for additional food. Make sure you remove any other food sources the rats may be eating.
• Not Checking Traps – Crafty rats can often steal food off the trap without it snapping. Additionally, a trap with a rat in it cannot help you catch more. Check your traps daily and reset them when necessary.
• Leaving Rat Entrances Open – If rats can easily go in and out, they have no reason to try to capture the food in the trap and are unlikely to risk it. And while trapping rats is important, but you also need to keep more rats from getting in by finding their entrances and sealing them off.

With all of these different factors, it can be hard to get the conditions correct to completely get rid of a rat infestation. That is why calling NY and NJ Animal Control is the most effective way to exterminate rodents. We are experts in the local rat species in NYC and experienced with the most effective trapping methods. Because we can get the right solution for your property fast, we can remove a rodent problem before it gets worse. Call us today to get started.