So I’ve recently been looking at rodent traps, particularly mice and moles, because of some issues I’ve been hearing about now we’re coming into the summer months. Quite a few people are seeing more and more rodents in their gardens, garages and wherever else. I’ve had a few mice (nothing overly serious) as well as spotting some moles in the garden, so I found it was suitable to place some traps down for them, but they were nothing compared to the rats I’ve seen. I’ve seen a few rats in my garden, big ones as well, which I want rid of ASAP so that they don’t get worse, but I have a mate who’s currently seeing loads out in the yard of his terrace house which run by his feet when he takes the bins out. This isn’t pleasant for him, and he’s been nagging me about rat traps and what he should get because I’ve had experience with them, so I felt it was fitting to look at what rat traps there are on the market and give them all a good testing. Rats are cautious creatures and, as such, prefer to travel along the edge of walls, so place your trap flat on the floor against a wall where you know there has been rodent activity.

There is another, slightly old-fashioned humane method to deal with rodent infection: cage capture and wild release. Now this is another one I reviewed last time, and not only did I like the idea of it and how humane it was, I still do now and I feel like this is a great option for a couple of particular circumstances. Because this is different to other traps, in that it’s a very simple yet effective cage trap that will not kill your rats, it’s definitely useful in its own right…but skip this one if you need your rats dead or if you have an infestation. Only thing I would say is that you only get one for the price, so it’s on the expensive side. It’s suitable for both indoors and outdoors, but realistically if you have a few rats running about you’re going to need a few of them, and so it eventually will get a bit expensive. On top of that they are powerful but they don’t have as much power as our first two options that’s for sure, probably because of the mechanism (if it snaps too harshly, the plastic could snap or break). Rats aren’t something you want to find in or around your home – unless they’re your pets. Uninvited rats can be difficult to deal with, particularly as most of the deterrents that work on mice have little effect on larger vermin, and once they’re in, they’re hard to get rid of. Protip 2: When you’re deciding where to place your traps think about walls and how they move in the cover. The absolute best places to set them are in corners or against walls. This is their natural safety path. Here’s a clear example of that from my testing – I caught a rodent a night: Make sure to place your mouse trap in a corner or against a wall as rodents will generally look to move under as much cover as possible for safety from predatorsRat trap I’d personally use indoors: IAGORYUE Humane Mouse Trap for Indoors, Rat and Rodent Trap– best rat trap for indoors Key specs – Pest control method: Mechanical; Pest control type: Non-lethal; Usage: Indoor/outdoor; Bait included: N; Dimensions: 380x 170 high x 180mm It’s essential to handle the bait and trap with gloves, and the bait should be carefully stored away from where children and domestic animals can access it. It’s also essential to avoid breathing in any bait dust. Rats are also naturally wary of new objects, so while you may not achieve overnight success, be patient with your trap and the place you have positioned it. How do I deal with rats I catch?

Instead, there are other options when it comes to removing an infestation, both lethal and non-lethal, including poison-baited traps, catch and release cages, and – for those of you who play too much Call of Duty – a fully automated, gas-powered, bolt-action trap that records the kill on its “Digital Strike Counter”. Use the right bait, and this is potentially a cheap and easy way to round up the majority if not all of your rat problem in one fell swoop, prior to releasing them somewhere more suitable in the wild. Poison-free, each bait bottle dispenses automatically for six months while the CO2 canister (of which three are included) is good for 24 strikes before needing to be replaced. And for ultimate ease of use, the mechanism automatically resets itself until the canister is expended. Designed to be resistant to both tampering and/or the appearance of curious children’s fingers, once loaded, the bait – an irresistible mix of culinary-grade wheat flour, blended with chopped wheat, other cereals and proteins bound together by edible waxes – gives off a unique chocolatey aroma to attract vermin. If you opt for catch and release, take the cage to an unoccupied, natural area of woods or fields, place the cage on the ground and release the trap’s door. The rat will see to the rest.Wild rats can be highly aggressive when cornered: they won’t cower and run when confronted by humans, so the only effective way to rid yourself of them is either to catch and kill or catch and release far away from your property. Whichever method you choose, lethal or non-lethal, you’ll be pleased to know that the majority of rat-trapping methods lean towards more humane options these days. Best Rat Traps: At a glance

Coming with a lifetime guarantee, the Big Cheese Rat Cage Trap is a top choice for those dedicated to animal welfare, but who still want to get rid of their unwanted rodent lodgers. We’ve gathered the best examples of all of these here, leaving you to make your choice based on budget, ethical sensibility and confidence of dealing with a rat you’ve caught that’s still alive.The drop-down door is triggered automatically by the treadle tray/bait hook, and once your rat has taken the bait and is secured inside, the noise it makes as it tries to find a way out alerts its young, all of which can then enter the cage via the single entry door, trapping themselves inside along with the adult. Having a rat infestation, whether it’s just a few determined rodents or a whole mischief (which is, funnily enough, the collective noun for a family of rats) can be both damaging to your home and dangerous for children and animals. It’s also more than a little unsettling knowing that they’re in the walls or loft or running rampant around your property.