All Norway rat control methods rely on using baits. Whether you’re going with traps or poison, you will have to entice the rats somehow, so they either eat the poison or interact with the trap. However, baiting does not always work. In this article, we’re going to go over some professional tips on how to make sure that the rats take the bait.

Give them a taste of the bait

One interesting factoid about rats is that they do not have the ability to vomit. This makes them very skittish about trying out new things, so they will sample baits at first in very small quantities to make sure that they will not get sick. This means that they will need to get used to the baits you are going to apply in your traps or poisons. If you leave bits of the bait here and there, in areas that have a lot of rat activity, the rats will get accustomed to the bait, and then they will go for larger quantities when it is poisoned or placed in a trap.

Make it bite sized

Bait that is appropriately sized is much more effective at getting the rats in a position where they will be captured by a trap. Rats eat food by picking it up in their front paws, so if a bait is too big or too small, the rats may not activate the trap when they’re nibbling on it. If you are having troubles with your traps not being activated despite there being evidence that the bait is being eaten, you might be dealing with a size issue.

Use rat attractants

In most cases, using peanut butter as bait will do the trick, but if the rats are not biting, you can use products known as rat attractants to make the bait even more appealing. Different rat attractants work through different mechanisms, with some products replicating the smell of other vermin. This smell is a sort of testimonial for the rats, letting them know that the bait is safe and desirable.

Getting professional help

Rat control can be a complex process, because rats are intelligent and paranoid. In certain situations, you may not be able to catch any rats because of the bait, and in others the issue may be trap placement or some other small factor that is keeping the rats away. The best way to ensure that an infestation is dealt with quickly and that it will be removed completely is to work with a pest control professional. Contact us today if you have a rat infestation and you need help getting rid of it.