How to Get a Rat out of Your House
Okay, sometimes you have to get tough. The old-fashioned snap trap is your friend. But don’t just set it and forget it. Rats are clever. They’ve seen your tricks before.
Bait it with something sticky and smelly. Peanut butter is the gold standard. I like to add a little bacon grease. It’s like a Rat Michelin Star meal. And don’t touch the trap with your bare hands. Your scent will make them suspicious. Use gloves.
Place the trap against a wall, with the trigger side facing the baseboard. Rats hug walls while they run. It’s a weird little rodent rule. Set the trap, then walk away. Don’t check on it every five minutes—they can sense your anxiety.
And for the love of cheese, check the trap daily. A dead rat in a trap is bad. A dead rat that’s been there for a week is a biohazard. Trust me. I made that mistake once and my laundry room smelled like regret.
The Electric Rescue (No, Not That Kind)
If you’re squeamish about snap traps, try an electronic trap. It zaps them instantly, and then you just empty the drawer into the trash. It’s like a very unglamorous sci-fi scene.
These are expensive, but they work. Just make sure you get one big enough for a rat, not a mouse. A rat will laugh at a mouse trap and use it as a toothpick.
How Rats Are Getting in Your House & What You Can Do About It | Simple Pest
And please, avoid glue traps. They’re cruel. The rat doesn’t die fast. It just sticks there, panicking, until you have to deal with it. That’s a bad coffee chat topic.