• Bucket traps
Food bait such as peanut butter is placed on a spoon which is loosely placed on top of a large bucket. Lean a piece of wood over the bucket such that when the rat climbs to reach the bait on the spoon, it will fall inside the bucket together with the spoon.



Alternatively, a bucket with a lid can be used. Inside the bucket, place an aromatic food item for the rat to be attracted to the smell. Cover the bucket with a lid containing a small cut out entry hole, just enough size to let the rat in but so hard when the rat tries to hop out.

• Glass bottles
In a large empty bottle, smear oil on the inside wall to make it slippery. Don’t forget the bait. A rail is placed on the bottleneck which the rat will use to climb up, drop inside the bottle to get food but not get out.

• Toilet paper roll
A toilet paper role is placed along the edge of a table or any surface, balancing technically, with one side hanging in mid-air. This end also has food bait and below it is a bucket. This way when the rat tries to reach the food at the other end, the roll will topple over and into the bucket. The beam balancing basically applied here.

• Box trap
Cut a hole through the top of the box. Tape two pieces of paper from each end of the opening to create a trap door. Smear peanut butter or food crumbs, just enough for the paper to support and attract the rats and when they climb to reach the food they trap door collapses and they fall in.

• The topple coin
A glass, a coin and peanut butter are used in this method. Setting up involves smearing butter at the bottom of the glass to act as bait. The glass is placed upside down on top of a surface but one end is supported by a coin that has been carefully balanced on the sides. With the slightest touch of either the coin or the glass by the rat as it moves under the glass to reach the peanut, the coin will topple over trapping the rat inside the glass.

• The flip lid
Balance a lid or plate on top of a bucket, with one end being supported by the edge of the bucket and the other free hanging side containing the bait. With a ramp to climb up, the rat will reach out for the bait only to break the principle of balancing hence the lid flips over sending the rat into the bucket.



Read the How to get rid of rats page for helpful information and to learn more about Humane rat traps.

Humane rat traps.