Rats are naturally skittish creatures that are afraid of any changes made to their environments. They’re also rather intelligent – you may have heard that pet rats can be trained to do tricks. Setting traps is thus more complicated than you may have thought. There are many things you will need to keep in mind if you want to trap rats yourself. If you suspect a rat infestation on your property, call Rat Exterminator Oakville.
Rats are unfortunately very common pests in the Greater Toronto Area. Two species, in particular, give homeowners trouble: the brown rat and roof rat. The brown rat has shaggy brown fur and a rounded snout. This rat measures about 20cm in length and has a hairless tail that is just as long. As a burrower, the brown rat commonly lives underground in people’s yards or in the insulation of basement walls. Roof rats, on the other hand, prefer to stay high above the ground in trees or attics. This rat is usually darker than the brown rat and has a smoother coat.
Both these rats can learn to avoid traps if they are suspicious of them. To use traps most effectively, bait them while wearing gloves and use cotton swabs or toothpicks instead of using your hands. Putting your scent on the trap could spook the rats. Use baits like peanut butter, raw meat, or unsalted nuts. Then, place the traps in areas of high rodent traffic, like in dark corners and behind appliances. Place multiple traps at once. You may also want to place the traps without setting them for a week or two so that the animals get used to them. They will learn to enjoy the baits placed inside. Once the traps have been set to go off, be sure to check them every day so you can remove dead rats immediately. Replace used traps with new ones to remove your scent or the scent of a dead rat. You may then have to restart the process of placing unset traps to regain the rodents’ trust.
It is recommended that you pest-proof your home during the trapping process to make trapping even more likely. Inspect the baseboards of the home closely for any holes and seal them accordingly. You can use steel wool or caulking to seal small cracks. Remove clutter from the kitchen, basement, and garage, and clean thoroughly. Vacuum the floor and wipe the surface clean to encourage the rats to consume the baits you placed. Store pantry goods in sealed containers and use lidded garbage cans. Outside, seal any holes you find in the foundation with concrete and fix any holes you find in the roof. Remove bird feeders and fallen fruit from the yard.
Rats are pretty smart, but they’re not smart enough to leave if you ask them nicely. Getting rid of rats yourself takes persistence and a lot of hard work. If you’re worried about a rat population in your home or at your place of work, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Pest Control Oakville. Our technicians know rats in and out. We’ll inspect your property thoroughly to see exactly where the rodents are coming from and treat them in the safest and most effective way possible. We promise to send those rats packing. Call Pest Control Oakville now: 647-560-0354.