Rat Traps

Many different types of rat traps are available on the market today from live catch traps to traditional break-back traps.

The live catch traps on a whole tend to be cage traps. The rat is tempted into the cage with a bait (many types of bait will work from chocolate to cereals). The bait is placed onto the platform or hook (depending on the design), as the rat is feeding it will trigger the trap and the cage door will close trapping the rat inside.

Knowing your pests

The common rat - rattus norvegicus has been around since the early 18th century, these rats can be found in both urban and rural areas, they can be found both indoors and outdoors and often associated with sewer systems.

The common rat will reach sexual maturity at 8-12 weeks, the gestation period is 21-24 days, litter size on average is 6-11 with around 4-6 litters per year, and the weaning period is 3-4 weeks.

The average life span for the rat is around 1 year; it is likely that less than 5% of rats will survive more than 12 months.

Before starting trapping you will need to learn a bit about your pest, identify where they are living, feeding and travelling. Things to look for are droppings, smear marks (these are oily / dirty looking marks) these smear marks can be found along the rats run, around doors, skirting boards holes in the building fabric etc.

The rats droppings are around ½” long spindle and slightly banana looking in shape with pointed ends, they are a dark brown in colour and supple looking, after 3 days they will harden and lose their colour. Once you have identified the run the cage trap can be placed along this run but you have to take into account rats suffer from neophobia, this means that anything you put down for the rat he may well avoid for a good few days.

The trap needs to be checked every 24 hours so not to cause the trapped animal any further distress. Break-back traps and electronic traps are designed to kill the pest instantly.

The break-back trap is set off by the rat placing its paws on the baited platform thus setting off the trap and a spring loaded bar comes down on the rat breaking its back and killing it instantly, the electronic rat killer is a tunnel design, the rat will enter to feed from the bait placed within the devise and as the rats paws touch a pad inside the unit it is electrocuted and dies instantly.

These types of traps need to be placed as above along rat runs and again the neophobia will come into effect.

The destructive tornados in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Kansas are reminders that disaster can strike anywhere. The U.S. averages 1,000 tornados each year. And while we tend to think of tornados as a weather phenomenon of the Midwest, they have been recorded in every state. This year, although only half over, is already the deadliest tornado year in the U. S. since 1998 and seems on track to break the record for the number of tornados in a year.

By their very nature, tornados come at us fast and furiously and often with little notice. Consequently the only way to safeguard your family pet is to be prepared before a tornado strikes. Take action now, our companion animals depend on us for their survival.

Prepare in advance. Keep pet supplies in a tornado-proof room or cellar. For example: Food, water, and treats in sufficient quantities. Sanitation items i.e. litter box, litter or puppy pads. Crates for a cat or frightened dog to provide your pet with a cozy, secure hiding place to weather the storm.

Practice getting your family and pets to the safe area. Train your dog to go to the safe area on command. Learn how to quickly and safely secure your pet. Know your pet’s hiding places and how to safely extricate them.

Make your tornado safe area pet friendly. Eliminate unsafe areas where cats may try to hide. Remove dangerous items such as tools or toxic products stored in the area.

Identify your pet If your pet gets lost, his identification is his ticket home. Your options include: collar tags imprinted with your pet’s name, your name and phone number; a tattoo with an identification number i.e. your social security number; a GPS tracking device attached to your pet’s collar; or a microchip. Microchips provide identification that is permanent and uses a unique number that cannot be altered. Approximately 1.5 million dogs and cats now have microchips.

Use pet rescue window stickers Attach pet rescue stickers on prominent windows in your home. If a disaster strikes when you’re not home, the stickers will alert rescue workers that pets are inside. Be sure the stickers are visible to rescue workers and include the types and number of pets in your household. If you and your pets evacuate (and time permits) write “Evacuated” across the stickers.

Heavy rains and flooding often follow tornados so be prepared to evacuate with your pet if that becomes necessary.

This wonderful young cat seems to have the patience with this pup we should all have with life in general. I vote this kitty for the most patient and tolerant cat of the year. Feel free to post video responses if you think you know a more patient and tolerant kitty