There are many different types of bait boxes and as a pest controller (PCO), you probably also have your own experiences with good and bad types of bait boxes. In this blog post, you can read more about what we believe makes a good bait box and get a few ideas for how to effectively attract rats.
Safety is the no. 1 priority
Safety is the most important aspect of bait boxes. No children, pets, or other pests other than rats should be able to enter a rat bait station. In addition, the bait box must be locked, strong, and fastened to the ground or wall. If it is placed indoors, the attractant must be kept fresh and protected from moisture and dirt. In cases where the bait station is placed outside it must be capable of handling shifting temperatures and all types of weather. Some customers prefer that the bait box is small, discrete, and placed in various surroundings. Other customers rather want a bait box, which is big and can contain a large number of rodenticides.
Bait stations come in many types, sizes, and materials. Many of them are made of plastic or metal, as they need to be resistant to shifting weather and circumstances. If you use rodenticide in a bait box, it is important to ensure that the poison does not fall out in case of someone accidentally hits the box. If the rodenticides are not safely located, it is better to use a digital trap. TrapMe’s digital trap has a trigger plate, which needs to be activated in order for the trap to snap. If someone were to overturn a bait box with a TrapMe trap inside, the trap will remain open and active, as the trigger plate has not been activated.
Many PCOs find it challenging to find the perfect bait box, and they prefer to avoid having too many different types of boxes and keys. It would be beneficial to have a rodent bait station, which could be fitting for all types of block poisons, dissolved rat poison, non-toxic blocks or snap traps. Furthermore, the bait box needs to be able to be fastened to the wall or ground. However, it is not as easy as it may sound.
Finding the best bait box can be a challenge in itself, but besides this, it is also challenging to make the rat enter the bait box in the first place. Rats are neophobic, which means that they are afraid of new things, and therefore are reluctant to enter a bait box. However, Pelsis has developed a rat bait box – the NEO Rodent Station – on the basis of analyzing rat behavior for a long period of time. This bait box is designed to accommodate rats’ fear of the unknown, as the NEO Rodent Station has no base. Hence, the rat does not experience going into the bait box as such, as the ground remains the same. The NEO Rodent Station can be used to block poison, non-toxic blocks, and snap traps.
Read more about the benefits of the NEO Rodent Station
What is the best type of bait for rats?
The best type of bait or rat attractant can vary, and most PCOs gain their own experiences along the way. Here we provide you with a few ideas of the best rat attractant based upon a prior PCO’s experiences.
The bait must be firmly placed and sticky bait such as raisins, peanut butter, or the like can be a good option for rats and mice. The omnivorous brown rat can also get lured by liver paté, a piece of sausage, or bacon. Some traps have a reservoir on the trigger plate, and in this case, you can pour a little water into the hole. Rats have a huge need for water and especially under dry conditions, water can be appealing to them. You should also pay attention to the circumstances/environment the rat is surrounded by. If you try to combat rats on a farm with cattle, then the rats might eat leftovers from the cattle’s food. Therefore, the bait should be something similar to the cattle’s food, as this is what the rats are used to eating. A new type of bait might therefore not be successful. Another very special characteristic of some rats is that they can be very picky. In one incident, there were rats, who only ate prunes soaked in rum – yes, that’s right. Have you also experienced picky rats, or been lucky with a certain type of bait? Then we would love it if you shared your story, by writing it in the comment block below.
Sources:
- Rentokil (n.d.). Rat bait station
- Tanaco. Neo Rottegiftstation
- Tanaco. Ny type rottegift er tilpasset rotters adfærd
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