Crafty Rat...

[RosemaryDuck]

Anyone here have any advice on catching a rat that won't go into traps/is very wary of anything baited? Going on several nights in a row trying to catch this thing. It showed up a few days ago in my duck pen and has been taking eggs. I had one before get in many months ago but I managed to get rid of that one (in a humane trap).

I've tried peanut butter, duck eggs, leftover pizza, and various other foods to try and lure it in. I do pick up the duck food at night as well. Any ideas?

 

[aart]

but I managed to get rid of that one (in a humane trap).

Did you kill it?

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Did you kill it?

No, it was released miles away in unpopulated woods.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Did you kill it?

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[mowin]

The only rat issue I had was one in our former house yrs ago. I called him rat bastard. Thing had a PHD in pissing me off. I finally got him after I put a unset trap under the kitchen sink next to the hole he conveniently chewed in the back wall. After 4 weeks I set the trap. No bait. Caught him the next day.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

So, we aren’t the only ones with rat issues. RB (Rat Bastard) brings friends into the run every night to munch on leftover grain on the ground. The too have learned to avoid the snap traps & Havahearts after losing one of their own. These rats are quite large now, thanx to us!
So…. We don’t have any snakes around, and are thinking of buying one. A black rat snake. Good idea or no? The chicken run is actually a fenced in large area for free ranging, not predator proof. The coop is open in the daytime, closed up tight (predator proof) at night when rats are busy.
Thoughts??

 

[RosemaryDuck]

So, we aren’t the only ones with rat issues. RB (Rat Bastard) brings friends into the run every night to munch on leftover grain on the ground. The too have learned to avoid the snap traps & Havahearts after losing one of their own. These rats are quite large now, thanx to us!
So…. We don’t have any snakes around, and are thinking of buying one. A black rat snake. Good idea or no? The chicken run is actually a fenced in large area for free ranging, not predator proof. The coop is open in the daytime, closed up tight (predator proof) at night when rats are busy.
Thoughts??

I wouldn't recommend buying a snake to release into your pen. You could introduce disease to the native/local population of snakes, and the one you're purchasing may not survive in the wild as a lot of them are captive bred nowadays.

You could have a friend or neighbor catch one locally and bring it over to see if it will stick around, if its legal in your area.

 

[neo71665]

Pellet gun is my fav rat removal device but my rooster hates them too and he normally beats me to it.

 

[Folly's place]

Sometimes it's just necessary to use bait stations, and rat removal is why. Wild rats are a danger to your birds, and carry diseases that we can catch. They are very smart, and difficult to trap. Get one in a trap, and the others see what happened and avoid the trap.
Or, sit out there and try to shoot them. It's never just one, it's a big family, all happy to enjoy the feed, eggs, and then the birds at night.
Mary