How to Catch a Rat in the House: A Florida Homeowner's Guide
The short answer: use snap traps. University of California experts recommend them as a safe, effective and economical way to trap rats. Set plenty of them where rats travel, bait each with a pea-sized amount of food, and keep them away from children and pets. Close the gaps rats use too, or new ones replace them. Call (844) 264-6254.
Which rat you have changes where traps go
UC IPM says to put traps for Norway rats close to walls, behind objects, in dark corners and where you've found droppings. For roof rats, which climb and nest up high, it says traps often need to go both on the ground and up high: on ledges, shelves, pipes, fences, branches or overhead beams (UC IPM). Not sure which you have? See Norway rat vs roof rat.
How to bait and set them
- Bait: UC IPM suggests nuts, dried fruit, bacon or a piece of dry pet food, or a soft bait such as peanut butter. Use only a pea-sized amount, and tie dry bait to the trigger with thread or fine wire so the rat has to work at it (UC IPM).
- Prebait: leave traps baited but unset until the bait has been taken several times, then set them so the trigger springs easily.
- Use enough traps: if every trap's bait disappears, UC IPM says to double the number of baited traps, and keep doubling until some bait goes untaken.
- In the attic, traps can be left set long-term where rats have been a problem before.
Traps to skip
- Glue boards. UF/IFAS Extension in Pinellas says glue boards aren't humane because they prolong death (UF/IFAS), and UC IPM says they're not generally recommended for nonprofessional use. It adds that they should never be used outdoors, where other wildlife gets stuck.
- Live traps. Florida doesn't allow non-native wildlife, which includes roof and Norway rats, to be released; FWC says it can only be moved to be euthanized (FWC). A live-caught rat still has to be dealt with.
- Poison indoors. Pinellas Extension calls rodenticides a last resort. A poisoned rat can die inside a wall; our dead animal smell guide explains why, and our bait station safety guide covers the rules.
UC IPM also lists electrocution traps, but they cost considerably more, need prebaiting, and have to be checked often.
Handling a caught rat
UC IPM says never to touch a rodent with bare hands: wear disposable gloves, seal the rat in a plastic bag for the trash, and wash up thoroughly after handling traps (UC IPM). For droppings and nests, follow our rat droppings cleanup guide.
Why trapping alone isn't the whole fix
Rats breed quickly (see how fast rats reproduce), and new ones move in wherever the way is open. UF/IFAS Extension says rodent-proofing has to block every possible entry point, and rats get through gaps of about half an inch (UF/IFAS). UC IPM advises sealing any opening larger than ¼ inch (UC IPM). If you're catching rats week after week, the openings are the real problem. Our guides to rats in the walls and signs of rats in the attic help find them.
See rat removal and rats in the attic, or call (844) 264-6254.