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Monarch Rat Trap


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Hello all.

 

I want to set a couple of rat traps on a precautionary basis. It would make life easier if a younger teenager could check them sometimes. I have some Fenns but I do not want her messing about with spring traps just yet.

 

I am currently considering getting a Monarch rat trap. Are they a reliable trap or a bit gimmicky? Any tips on using them?

 

Thanks.

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In my experience? Great for young rats. They'll try to do the students in the mini thing.

 

Adult rats though? No luck :( But, never mind; Wiping out the youngsters is knocking down the next wave before they even form.

 

I've also caught weasel and house mouse in Monarchs. Weasel I deliberately set for. Mice taught me to leave the f**king door open and trip floor wedged open, when in store! :bad:

 

One note of caution? Mine are genuine S. Young and Sons kit. F**king near as old as I am. Equally as quality too! ( :laugh:). Now? I'm seeing a load of imported shit appearing. China can even do ye electric blue ones! FFS!

 

Finally: How's that " teenage girl " going to despatch any catch? She legally allowed, and responsible, to carry an air arm for the job? :hmm:

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There's nothing wrong with a monarch in the right circumstances :yes:

 

Chousetrapping006.jpg

 

BUT... I'd suggest it's not the ideal trap for the circumstances you describe.

 

A few break back traps set in tunnels or even bait boxes are simple and easy to set and check:

 

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No need to bait; with boxes like the AF and similar available from SX and all the usual suppliers you can set the Kness Snap-E as a simple run through.

 

Of course, the other issue with using the monarch, or any cage trap for that matter is that if successful, you have the dispatch problem which I'd suggest for someone who is not even confident with a Fenn, could be an issue:

 

Chousetrapping007.jpg

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There's nothing wrong with a monarch in the right circumstances :yes:

 

BUT... I'd suggest it's not the ideal trap for the circumstances you describe.

 

A few break back traps set in tunnels or even bait boxes are simple and easy to set and check:

 

No need to bait; with boxes like the AF and similar available from SX and all the usual suppliers you can set the Kness Snap-E as a simple run through.

 

Of course, the other issue with using the monarch, or any cage trap for that matter is that if successful, you have the dispatch problem which I'd suggest for someone who is not even confident with a Fenn, could be an issue:

 

 

Thanks for the baitless break back tip. It is a pretty cool idea. What tempts me about the monarch is that it is checkable at a glance even from a distance, so easy and quick to do as part of the routine of working in the area. I understand that dispatch in a cage trap is a job that would need doing for her in a timely way, but they are only precautionary traps. I am not expecting to use them to catch all the time.

 

Out of interest, do the springs of break backs, Fenns etc. fatigue if left set for very long periods without firing?

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The Kness Snap-E traps are very durable and last for years.

 

Another point to consider is that there is NO legal requirement to check kill traps that have been set for rats on a daily basis, whereas causing (what a magistrate considers to be) unnecessary suffering to a rat caught in a cage trap could be complicated.

 

A break back set in a plastic bait box or other tunnel is no slower to check than a properly camouflaged cage trap that needs to provide shelter from the weather for any captives and two legged thieves.

 

A plastic, or even wooden break back trap costs a fraction of a monarch. The more traps you've got down, the more chance you've got to catch rats before they establish themselves.

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I've never had any real success with the monarch. My grandad always had one hung up in the shed. And I had come to the conclusion that it was hung up because it were crap! By the sounds of it I'm just as crap with 'em as my grandad. What's the best type of site to put them in?

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My record was 16 in one catch. Not something I'd recommend; they were in a terrible state :no:

 

I've used them very successfully in depopulated commercial poultry sheds. As something to pick up the odd passing rat it would be my last choice, as would most cage traps.

 

When I was catching rats for research I ran 100 single catch cages on a regular basis. The key to success was to eliminate all the alternative food sources and pre-bait them. With the monarch, I always piled the food onto the door thereby making the door stay open until the first few were safely in. Once you've got one or two in, more usually follow.

 

For the ameteur (not necessarily novice) trapper, I'd suggest staying away from cages and sticking to break backs, Fenn Mk4's and Bodygrippers. There are very few circumstances where it's necessary to catch rats alive, and doing so causes them stress and gives you a dispatch issue.

 

I'll take this opportunity to remind everyone that catching rats alive to release for dogs to kill is illegal; just in case anyone is thinking about suggesting it :thumbs:

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Matt, I'm an amateur, but definatley not novice trapper. Thanks for the tip about weighting the door open with bait. After your feedback I'm thinking about my choice of trap site. It's a domestic chicken owner nearby who's over run with rats and won't pay for help or use poison. Is it worth placing a monarch near the feed hoppers? I've asked the owner to remove feeders overnight, but she's a little reticent

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Matt, I'm an amateur, but definatley not novice trapper. Thanks for the tip about weighting the door open with bait. After your feedback I'm thinking about my choice of trap site. It's a domestic chicken owner nearby who's over run with rats and won't pay for help or use poison. Is it worth placing a monarch near the feed hoppers? I've asked the owner to remove feeders overnight, but she's a little reticent

 

You will catch nothing in a monarch if there is an alternative food source nearby.

 

Get yourself some breakbacks and educate the chicken keeper.

 

One thing to note is that rats drink 60ml of water each day. Often water is as much of a draw as food :yes: I always used to tell customers to turn the drinkers upside down at night to stop rats using them (a side benefit is that it also ensures the chickens get clean water every morning) and if there is any trace of food left on the ground they are overfeeding.

 

If it's a serious problem it may be worth moving the housing in the presence of a couple of handy dogs. Any housing should either be flat onto concrete or slabs, or high enough off the ground to allow for terriers to get underneath. A side benefit of that is that it provides a dry dusting area for the birds and shelter from the weather.

 

I can think of very few circumstances where a cage trap would be better than a kill trap for rats.

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Matt, I'm an amateur, but definatley not novice trapper. Thanks for the tip about weighting the door open with bait. After your feedback I'm thinking about my choice of trap site. It's a domestic chicken owner nearby who's over run with rats and won't pay for help or use poison. Is it worth placing a monarch near the feed hoppers? I've asked the owner to remove feeders overnight, but she's a little reticent

 

You will catch nothing in a monarch if there is an alternative food source nearby.

 

Get yourself some breakbacks and educate the chicken keeper.

 

 

One thing to note is that rats drink 60ml of water each day. Often water is as much of a draw as food :yes: I always used to tell customers to turn the drinkers upside down at night to stop rats using them (a side benefit is that it also ensures the chickens get clean water every morning) and if there is any trace of food left on the ground they are overfeeding.

 

If it's a serious problem it may be worth moving the housing in the presence of a couple of handy dogs. Any housing should either be flat onto concrete or slabs, or high enough off the ground to allow for terriers to get underneath. A side benefit of that is that it provides a dry dusting area for the birds and shelter from the weather.

 

I can think of very few circumstances where a cage trap would be better than a kill trap for rats.

Sounds like we're singing from a similar hymn sheet Matt. I don't keep terriers but have a couple of smallish terrier based lurchers. Had a poke around the site with them and a shovel. Caught a few but saw ten times more. The ground is drenched and messy. Sat out with the air rifle and walloped a couple or three each time. Selfishly I don't want to turn the place upside down, as it's only a couple of hundred yards from us, and there's nowt in between. Our pigs and chickens are rat free in the main, as I run fenn traps on a permanent basis, and keep available food waste to a minimum
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Another point to consider is that there is NO legal requirement to check kill traps that have been set for rats on a daily basis, whereas causing (what a magistrate considers to be) unnecessary suffering to a rat caught in a cage trap could be complicated.

 

I had not realised that there was no requirement to check a break back trap set for rats daily. That does sound like the best solution.

 

Excuse what maybe a silly question, but would a unbaited run through set for mice work? (Using a mouse trap and smaller access holes).

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I had not realised that there was no requirement to check a break back trap set for rats daily. That does sound like the best solution.

That doesn't surprise me.

 

The BASC etc all produce 'Best Practice Guidelines' that often wrongly state that spring traps have to be checked daily.

 

They don't.

 

Only if they are set for rabbits or hares do they have to be checked daily.

 

Break back traps are specifically exempted from the Spring Trap Approval Orders as well :thumbs: providing they are set for rats, mice or moles.

 

Excuse what maybe a silly question, but would a unbaited run through set for mice work? (Using a mouse trap and smaller access holes).

Yes, and there are plastic bait boxes specifically produced for the purpose (AF Snapper is one). One point to consider is that whilst rats are naturally cautious, mice are inquisitive....

 

In reality, if you have mice indoors, then kill them and proof them out. If you have mice outdoors, it's unlikely they are housemice and there is a good chance they are Apedemus Spp (Fieldmice, Woodmice etc) which are not only harmless, but also important food for raptors.

 

A runthrough set up for rats costs very little and is easy to set up and effective:

 

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