What to do about a trap-shy rat?

When a rat is trap-shy, it means that it will shy away from getting close to a trap and take the bait. This can happen for several; reasons. First, rats are trap-shy because they fear new objects in their environment. The second reason rats become trap-shy is when they see other rats getting caught inside a trap. There are some things you can do about trap-shy rats, but it will definitely take a certain amount of planning and patience to get those rats to finally become interested in a bait. Now, what can you do about rats who are trap-shy?



Some rats will become trap-shy because they fear new objects being introduced into their environment. Rats are creatures of habit, and they study their environment carefully, to be able to manage it safely. They will learn about best times and places to feed, when and where to move around, and where to hide. They will grow accustomed to the objects in their familiar environment. Once a new object is introduced, chances are that rats might need some time before they get used to it. In some cases, if other rats notice one rat being trapped, they will learn that the trap is a threat, and they will refuse to take the bait. This might be a problem for you because a good amount of time might pass before rats begin to take the bait again.

If you notice that rats are refusing to take the bait, you are going to have to be patient and give it several days, even up to a week, before these rats finally get trapped. What you want to do first is to make rats feel comfortable around the trap. You will do this by laying out unset traps. You want rats to start feeling safe around the trap. Use baits like grains, and pile up sawdust around and all over the drap. Rats like to nib on sawdust, and it's very appealing to them.

Once you notice that rats have started taking the bait, you can set the traps again. Since rats become rat-shy even if they notice other rats being killed by a trap, your will probably have to repeat the process several times before you finally trap all the rats. Don't forget to use as much sawdust as possible, because your goal is to make rats feel comfortable.

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