Brazen rat (ID?) -added pics (semi graphic)

[clickchicks]

I'm no stranger to rats. Roof rats are everywhere here and I go through cycles of eliminating them from the run area (the coop is rat proof). All the chicken food and water is stored in metal trash bins at night so its rare to see more than a stray individual here and there, and we trap (victor snap traps) aggressively to prevent problems.

But THIS fat little pig is coming out in broad daylight and pilfering food right out from under the chicken's noses!!

Is this a brown rat? I've honestly never seen one, but he's massive compared to the roof rats and has a very short, skinny tail. I've been baiting (not setting) traps for the last couple nights to acclimate but set them last night after seeing this. Peanut butter + sunflower seeds has never failed me. Got 1 roof rat, no other traps were touched so I don't think he came (or if he did he ignored them, which is a bigger issue). What sort of rat only shows its face during the day and ignores peanut butter?!

Ugg so disgusted right now. I've tried to run out and kill him with a shovel when I see him but, of course, I will never be faster than a rat.

EDIT- got him. Can anyone ID this species? Its definitely not a roof rat, but I'm not so sure its a brown rat either. I'm in central Texas. Dr. google makes a strong case for a cotton rat.

Links are to images of a dead rat. They aren't bloody or anything, but the rat is in a trap.
Image 1
Image 2

 

[nuthatched]

Maybe try a bucket trap?
Or maybe a terrier dog.

 

[cmom]

I did have a coop that was infested with rats. I tried a lot of different things to no avail. I moved the birds to another coop and then began renovating it. When I tore out the ceiling and walls dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I found several nests in the ceiling and wall cavities. I wish I had my camera handy. It would have made a good Hitchcock movie "The Rats". I bought some rat bait stations and loaded them with bait and put them in our barn which is right behind the coops and put the bait stations in pet carriers on shelves so only the rats could get to them. I never found any dead rats around but there were tunnels around the coops and barn so I suspect the rats went into their tunnels and died and that is why I didn't find any dead ones laying around. If you have one rat I'm sure there are plenty more around that you may not see. I also have some cameras up. Put up a camera and see if more are coming out at night. Good luck...

 

[clickchicks]

A bucket trap is probably my best bet if I can't figure out a safe (for the birds) way to snap trap. I'm considering sectioning off a portion of the run during the day and trapping just that area the birds can't reach.

No more dogs, no poisons. I have cameras (thus the images I included). I wish I knew for sure if it was a brown rat or just a massive roof rat. Roof rats do not burrow, they don't live in tunnels. They are also kinda stupid, as rats go. I've never had one outsmart a trap. Even the skittish ones fall for it eventually.

The internet seems to believe brown rats are just smarter. Yuck.

 

[clickchicks]

Went with the idea of sectioning off part of the run. It worked, got him. Added some pictures to the first post and will include them here.

Anyone rat savvy and can ID this guy? I'm not so sure its actually a brown rat, but its for sure not a roof rat.
Image 1
Image 2
-Warning that the rat is dead in the above images, in a trap.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Went with the idea of sectioning off part of the run. It worked, got him. Added some pictures to the first post and will include them here.

Anyone rat savvy and can ID this guy? I'm not so sure its actually a brown rat, but its for sure not a roof rat.
Image 1
Image 2
-Warning that the rat is dead in the above images, in a trap.

that actually does not look like a typical rat. I had rats as pets for years as a youth (domestic kind) and then as adult we have hd a couple its invade our rural house. This looks like no rat I've seen. It looks very mouse like, face wise. I think you might be right about a cotton rat! I've never seen one of those before as I'm in Ontario Canada.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I'm no stranger to rats. Roof rats are everywhere here and I go through cycles of eliminating them from the run area (the coop is rat proof). All the chicken food and water is stored in metal trash bins at night so its rare to see more than a stray individual here and there, and we trap (victor snap traps) aggressively to prevent problems.

But THIS fat little pig is coming out in broad daylight and pilfering food right out from under the chicken's noses!!
View attachment 2831989
View attachment 2831991

Is this a brown rat? I've honestly never seen one, but he's massive compared to the roof rats and has a very short, skinny tail. I've been baiting (not setting) traps for the last couple nights to acclimate but set them last night after seeing this. Peanut butter + sunflower seeds has never failed me. Got 1 roof rat, no other traps were touched so I don't think he came (or if he did he ignored them, which is a bigger issue). What sort of rat only shows its face during the day and ignores peanut butter?!

Ugg so disgusted right now. I've tried to run out and kill him with a shovel when I see him but, of course, I will never be faster than a rat.

EDIT- got him. Can anyone ID this species? Its definitely not a roof rat, but I'm not so sure its a brown rat either. I'm in central Texas. Dr. google makes a strong case for a cotton rat.

Links are to images of a dead rat. They aren't bloody or anything, but the rat is in a trap.
Image 1
Image 2

An older post, but it's a Hispid Cotton Rat. I get them every now and then. They don't stray very far from their dens and aren't as problematic as some species. They are actually super cute. I always feel kinda bad when they eat the poison I put out and die, but where there are rats of any kind, no matter how cute, there will be snakes. So I get rid of them.