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Mandalorian

Mandalorian

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Help please from the trappers on here. We have a rear garden with a stream at the bottom and field behind. I keep seeing a bloody rat. Sometimes it runs up and down the stream bed not 6ft away. Worst than that though, when we are watching tele, the bloody thing runs across the patio. One night sat on the flowerbed wall grooming, about 10ft from the doors. I can’t shoot it as there is a glass balcony and other windows etc. I have got a Fenn Mk4 and a tunnel. Where is best to put it? And what is the best bait? I have tried it in the stream bed with chicken then fish finger in, but the b…….d just seemed to ignore it. Advice please 👍
 
Mandalorian said:
Help please from the trappers on here. We have a rear garden with a stream at the bottom and field behind. I keep seeing a bloody rat. Sometimes it runs up and down the stream bed not 6ft away. Worst than that though, when we are watching tele, the bloody thing runs across the patio. One night sat on the flowerbed wall grooming, about 10ft from the doors. I can’t shoot it as there is a glass balcony and other windows etc. I have got a Fenn Mk4 and a tunnel. Where is best to put it? And what is the best bait? I have tried it in the stream bed with chicken then fish finger in, but the b…….d just seemed to ignore it. Advice please 👍
Click to expand...
Work out where it tends to go, put the trap down, set it but lock it off, bait it so it gets used to the trap, the bait and the trap being set. Then unlock it after the bait has been taken on a consistent basis as it will then show its comfortable on the trap.

Do you have the trap in a box? To prevent other animals from getting trapped. And keeps bait covered from the weather, and the rat feels safe taking a bit of time as it’s under cover.
 
Once set, consider rinsing it off with water and when touching it in future, consider wearing gloves to prevent your scent being transferred onto the trap or tunnel. I made a plywood box with a removal lid so I could whip the lid off and drop more bait in without needing to manhandle the box or trap.
 
As others have said you need to give the rats time to get used to the trap & bait being there. The technical term is that rats are neophobic, they are wary of anything new or different and they will avoid anything that meets that criteria.

I used rats and not rat because they are never alone, if you’re seeing one there will be others hiding out of sight.
 
Hi Mandalorian. I would put the trap near where the rat usually frequents your garden but not right on its run, somewhere near but where the rat would be relatively sheltered naturally. If you have a trail camera it would give you a good idea of where the most activity is and the regular routes used and can help save time setting up if you cant see where they are but its not essential, if you look csrefully you can usually see the runs. Bait the trap and leave it with the safety on and trigger not set untill the bait is being taken regularly, check it every morning, then, when the bait is being taken regularly set the trigger plate making sure the trigger catch is clean and smooth. Also, once youve caught a rat, keep the trap set as you may be surprised how many are about. This works for me. Hope this helps.
Cheers
Chris.
Edit. My preference for bait is Nutella.
 
Stan79 said:
Once set, consider rinsing it off with water and when touching it in future, consider wearing gloves to prevent your scent being transferred onto the trap or tunnel. I made a plywood box with a removal lid so I could whip the lid off and drop more bait in without needing to manhandle the box or trap.
Click to expand...
Good advice..Rodents will avoid human scent ..Always wear those surgical glove myself ...And it works ...
 
Get a blackcat rat trap, bait it with a yellow, liquorice allsort and some dry porridge oats in the trap basin. Put the trap under cover to prevent access by non target species and the weather.
A piece of chicken mesh bent into a tunnel and covered with a bin liner works fine, just block the entrances down.
Tie a piece of string to the kill bar and guide it outside the tunnel so as to act as an indicator when the traps gone off.
Set the trap near to the vicinity of were you see the rat most often but try and place it under some sort of cover so the rat feels secure investigating the bait.
Good luck

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Fri May 15 17:03:29 GMT+01:00 2026

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Mandalorian said:
Help please from the trappers on here. We have a rear garden with a stream at the bottom and field behind. I keep seeing a bloody rat. Sometimes it runs up and down the stream bed not 6ft away. Worst than that though, when we are watching tele, the bloody thing runs across the patio. One night sat on the flowerbed wall grooming, about 10ft from the doors. I can’t shoot it as there is a glass balcony and other windows etc. I have got a Fenn Mk4 and a tunnel. Where is best to put it? And what is the best bait? I have tried it in the stream bed with chicken then fish finger in, but the b…….d just seemed to ignore it. Advice please 👍
Click to expand...
Just shoot the little fekker, backstop & bait station...problem solved.
 
i just sprinkle wheat, dry porridge oats, or a crumbled digestive biscuit in front and behind the trap, i dont bait the treadle plate. fenns are designed to catch as the target walks over the trap. i find that baiting the plate can cause them to become wary and trap shy. if you suspect any shyness smearing a few blobs of peanut butter/nutella inside the box lid above the trap sorts it.
the most effective traps i use on domestics are, 2 victors placed back to back in a box 20''L x 4''W x 5''H. place unset traps in box, sprinkle bait inside the box, and when theyre having it just set the traps. again its rare that i would bait the traps as a few grains of wheat would be on or around the plate ;)
 
Hi Pogue. Anything you say about trapping, im all ears mate....regardless of my own experience. Ive never used the Victor traps, I will bear that and your fenn trap tips firmly in mind. My Son has a couple of my fenns in a mates attic which he has had some success with...would you recommend I get him a few Victor traps to leave up there permanently.
Cheers
Chris.
 
Colesy said:
Hi Pogue. Anything you say about trapping, im all ears mate....regardless of my own experience. Ive never used the Victor traps, I will bear that and your fenn trap tips firmly in mind. My Son has a couple of my fenns in a mates attic which he has had some success with...would you recommend I get him a few Victor traps to leave up there permanently.
Cheers
Chris.
Click to expand...
aye up Chris, yeah if you leave a couple up there they become part of the fixtures and fittings as far as roland is concerned.
victors are versatile, and good all round traps, and just a mere smudge of peanut butter/nutella works better than slapping it on.
i modify all mine with a ''breaker'' bar at the front ;)
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Is definitely a rat not a water vole, easily mistaken at a glance?
 

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