Baiting Rats

[Rowan 308]

Like you say, if it's new to them they don't touch it. This behaviour is called neophobia. I have put peanut butter mixed with olive oil out on the bird table and the rats will go straight to it. The Mrs puts such a varied amount of food scrapes on there that they don't take any notice of what it is. I did a rat job in the attic of a foody pub where I screwed down 6 Fenn traps with peanut butter on and they wouldn't touch it. Checked every day and nothing. Put a trail cam up there and the rats were coming up to the traps and even putting their noses a few millimetres away from the bait, give it a good sniff, but wouldn't take it. In the end I used 2 trail cams to see where they were going in the attic. I could see where they were walking across the rockwool insulation. Put a Fenn on top the insulation then cut around it so the trap, with no bait at all on it, fitted nicely in the hole. Then covered the trap with a thin layer of rockwool. Turned out there were only 3 rats in total but I caught them all this way....booby trap!.

I maybe wrong , but i though even in a loft a fenn needs to be set inside a tunnel , artificial or otherwise . Just what i've always practiced would be nice to know for sure.

[Torquemada 288]

The tunnel is to protect non target species. In a loft unless there are birds (and birds big enough to set a Fenn off) then you won't need a tunnel imo.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

When using any Fenn,...in any location,...I would advise placing it in a Tunnel of some kind... ​

Edited August 9, 2017 by Phil Lloyd

[unclepesta 100]

The tunnel is to protect non target species. In a loft unless there are birds (and birds big enough to set a Fenn off) then you won't need a tunnel imo.

Non targets like kids electricians plumbers, Oh yeh that customer that always likes to nose about behind your work.

 

Those traps jump and bite lol keep it caged or at least under decent cover.

 

Its a genral requirement for good reason

[Mr Wasp 187]

The fenn mk4 and mk6 was designed to be used in combination with a tunnel of the right dimensions. If no tunnel is used, the target will most probably be foul caught.

Think about the result if trapping in a loft and things don't go to plan!

[Hydropotesinermis 724]

The fenn mk4 and mk6 was designed to be used in combination with a tunnel of the right dimensions. If no tunnel is used, the target will most probably be foul caught.

Think about the result if trapping in a loft and things don't go to plan!

This is very sound advice.

 

Forget whether it's legal or not, they work better in a tunnel.

[Rowan 308]

Just as i thought then , i must admit in a loft , i would generally use a WCS tube trap for rats , find it's safer if the house holder decides they want to see if the rat's caught yet , less danger off then getting their fingers where they really don't want to be.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Just as i thought then , i must admit in a loft , i would generally use a WCS tube trap for rats , find it's safer if the house holder decides they want to see if the rat's caught yet , less danger off then getting their fingers where they really don't want to be.

 

Using a tunnel on a Fen Trap in a roof space,...has NOTHING to do with folk catching their fingers....

The concept of the Fenn is for the trap to literally jump upwards and catch the target species in its embrace.

This springing action can sometimes fling the target of the treadle or worst still catch him on the belly. You will frequently see rabbits escape and leave a bit of fur twixt the striking bars. For this reason, with Fenns, it is imperative that the burrow is of the right size to accommodate the 'jump' and any tunnel, of sufficient dimensions, so as to literally force the critter up against the roof. Even in a loft, where one would not expect interference from humans, I would still place the trap in a tunnel.

Edited August 13, 2017 by Phil Lloyd

[EDDIE B 3,120]

As Phil says, the Fenn is designed to be used in a tunnel. A tunnel of the proper dimentions, not only prevents the target animal from jumping clear. It also directs him over the pan, and prevents the target from coming in from the wrong side. This can mean the difference between success, and failure.