Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping Bait for rats

I've got rats in my toolshed.

Been using a small have-a-heart trap to catch them, in case I catch a silver greay that I want to "re-locate" instead of killing.

Problem is, the mice keep eating the bait, peanutbutter.

Have caught three rats, but most days the bait is gone, and NO rat.

Finally set out a Victor mousetrap and caught two with one setting! Both heads under the spring snapper.

Any Ideas on bait that might work better in the have-a-heart to catch rats only????

Thanks! Virgil B.

Problem isn't the bait, but your trap's trigger is not sensitive enough to catch the rats.

Nothing is going to keep mice away in lieu of rats.

Normally, I don't go OT on a thread before it's rendered some good info, but I have to ask, why are you relocating vermin?

My best advice is to get a cat.

Just want to relocate silver greay squirrels.

Don't want to kill them, but DO want to kill ALL rats, etc.

Shot shells for the 22 mag, through the trap works GREAT. The darn mice are so small that they crawl through the hav-a-heart trap's sides.

Have caught 6 mice in two days with snap traps.

Will keep baiting with peanut butter.

Thanks, but don't like keeping cats around.

Virgil B.

Here's how you fix the problem of vermin in your tool shed. First, try to figure out how they are getting in there and fix that. Next buy 10 boxes of D-Con mouse and rat poison and place it all over the shed. Now place mouse and rat traps in every conceivable location in the building. Work the traps for one week and the poison should take you through the rest of the year. Collateral damage on the squirrels will be minimal and, in reality, who wants squirrels inside their buildings anyway.

ranger1,

I've got so many holes, it would be impossible to plug them all.
My shed really should be tore down, and start over, just lack funds.

I live in the country and I think "critters" are moving in for the winter.

Looks like this will be an on-going thing...

Got two more mice, and one rat last night. 22 mag shot shells from one foot sure tear up a rat!

I'm re-baited and ready for more. (GRIN!)

Virgil B.

Got two more mice last night.

At least I'm getting them thinned out!

Virgil B.

Best thing I have used in my shed is a plastic bucket 1/2 full of water. Run a piece of dowel or broom handle across the top. Drill a 1/4" hole across from each other and pin the dowel with a 16 penny nail on each side, and through the 1/4" holes. Make sure the dowel spins freely. Put some peanut butter on the middle of the dowel. When the mice or rats walk the plank so to speak they fall off the dowel and into the water. Works great.

mix peanut butter and reloading powder--place on bread and put near holes and runways. rodents cannot vomit, so they bleed internally--end of story.

If you insist on peanut butter, take a 1/2" piece of panty hose, place pb in that and make a small ball, then attach to bait pan. Rats and mice will snag the panty hose with their sharp claws or teeth. You will catch them every time.

Even better. Get some hard kernals of corn from the feed store. Rats and mice love grain. Glue the corn to the bait pan and around the pan. You will catch them easily and will not have to rebait. I use this method in my shop.

Craftsman,

Thanks! Never would have thought of your Ideas!

Virgil B.

Also, what kind of glue? rubber cement? or maybe Elmers?

Silicone caulk or RTV, Elmers works untill you accidently trip it then the shock sends corn flying.

For bait,,soak some bird seed overnight in some anti-freeze. Works well, also.

Get plastic tarps and wrap your shed with them. Run hose from car exhaust into shed and run car for an hour. Will kill everything in shed. Do on day without much wind.