Roof Rat Bait Suggestions

[GoldenFrog]

Hi All,

I set up a bait station for night hunting Roof Rats. It’s in a nice safe spot to take a shot at them but it’s not positioned directly on one of their main routes. Their main pathways are on top of the chain link fence on either side of my property, not ideal for a safe shot. I’ve set up snapper traps with peanut butter, sardines, pop tarts, dog food, peanuts, little pieces of various fruit, and had varying luck. It seems like they go for it one day then are done with it. I also wash the traps and wear gloves so I don’t get my smell on them. 
Anyway, I’m trying to draw them to a bait station to shoot them at and wondering if anyone has a “magic bait” for these California Roof Rats. Thanks

 

[Matt247365]

The cheapest peanut butter.

Smooth not crunchy.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Thanks Matt! I tried some cheap PB from the 99¢ store. No luck, but it’s chunky. I think I need some Skippys. 

 

[JohnL57]

Might try raisins or chunks of sausage.

 

[biohazardman]

I have read that cat food werqs well. But they like to eat what they are used to eating the most so it would be different from place to place. If one has chickens it would be the chicken feed.

 

[Glockaxis]

I tried PB as well but all the other insects polished it off.

 

[steelo32]

I presume you are talking squirrels here? We call them tree rats in the Midwest. If so... bird feed on a stick with honey..... 

 

[GoldenFrog]

NOT squirrels. We have those but all they do is tease my dogs. I’m talking Roof Rats. I got another brand of cheap smooth peanut butter. We’ll see if my motion detector gets some action. Also I’ve tried raisins, they didn’t touch them. 

 

[RobR]

If I remember correctly you said you had doves in another thread. I keep roller pigeons and they are messy with their feed. I’d try a bit of your dove feed. They are creatures of habit in the wild and have likely eaten it before. I shoot corn fed rats at a dairy and haven’t got them to show much interest in peanut butter.

 

[Spartan]

Am I the only one who still isn't entirely sure what a Roof Rat is??

 

[GoldenFrog]

Roof Rats nest in trees and travel around higher up than Norwegian Rats. They also have a longer tail. 
Yes they get into our dove food and chicken feed. I’ve tried putting it on the traps with little success. I also tried a glazed donut one night. No rats but a raccoon and skunk came and ate it. 

 

[harrymoreland]

@spartan, nope.

I assume in the State? GoldenFrog is removing the "roof rats" it is not the done thing.

I have an idea to what he is referring but will play along, NO names NO pack drill.

 

[fatboy58]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cW-jCLaGl4&t=823s

Nutella, chocolate cookies, Snickers , Mars, works best for me.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Harrymoreland, I’m in California and these “roof rats” are just rats. No laws protecting them, everyone is encouraged to kill them. I have a photo of one I killed in a snapper but I forgot the app I’m supposed to use for posting photos. 
These are all great bait suggestions, I’ve used Nutella to no luck. 

 

[survivor45]

I use bird feed. Works for mice and rats. 

 

[sonny]

raw bacon can be tied down

 

[terrible_t]

I was dropping my daughter off at a friends house once and noticed they had large height metal rings around all the palm trees surrounding their house. The man said that they helped stop the giant rats that were getting into their house. The rats would climb the trees and drop onto their roof and then somehow found access points to get inside. Once he put up the metal rings it kept them from climbing up the trees. My uncle had the same issue, we could never figure out how they were getting into the attic.

 

[harrymoreland]

Ohh, plain old scaly tails, in that case liquidised cat food, 

good luck.

 

[Nikswa87]

Why are they called roof rats?

 

[GoldenFrog]

Because they live up in trees and their paths are high off the ground. They also run across your roof.