Tips for eradicating rats?

[Willydog]

We own a small nursery. I've been out the previous weeks looking for critters with the ATN 4k on my Avenger and found none. But last night, rats destroyed several trays of seedlings. I'm talking $100's in damage. We've had traps out for weeks and caught nothing. I'm guessing this late cold snap has triggered them to come inside.

So tonight I'll be on rat patrol. I've got a 60" shooting bipod/shooting sticks, they work ok. Any tips on setting up one them and getting shots?

I removed a few from my backyard last week who were eating dog food. I got some suburban pacification done, but it was more of a "onesie" "twosie" kind of thing.

 

[Bander124]

Rats suck! They chewed threw my garage wall and a basement wall. They also destroyed the electrical components on my neighbors car. Shot a few then they just left like all at once. Keep up the shooting.

 

[L.Leon]

Don't know if you'll eradicate all. But maybe try baiting to a location that suits you? Some guys here use cameras that alert their phones to rats at their bait stations. Hopefully they will soon chime in.

 

[Ranchibi]

Just like Luis said...bait them! I use a bait station but @ your nursery, I'd opt for a 2x4 with peanut butter smeared on it with a safe back stop (another 2x4 nailed to it maybe). With peanut butter, the rats have to eat it there and cannot make off with it like kibbles. 

 

[BlackICE]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7ux4RrbOWfLwk1DkLeKgIg/videos

An IR triggered Arduino controlled trap baited with bird seeds killed 100% of the rats that have seen the trap. Over 80% of them in less than 30 mins that longest lasting one 1.5 days. The reason why this type of trap works so well is that the rat doesn't need to bite or eat anything, just be curious enough to poke its head inside and break the IR beam. Rats seem to love bird seeds and the bait doesn't spoil quickly or attack ants like other baits.

 

[Hal4son]

@BlackICE Can you provide some additional details on how that trap is modified?

 

[BlackICE]

Added a wedge of wood under the spring to increase the force by 50%, add a bunch of nails to the trap and a saw blade in front of the trap. This pinches the rat between the saw blade, striker, and nails so it can't escape. The striker slams the body into the nails and saw blade poking holes through the rat.

 

[Bander124]

For a bait station I would take sunflower seeds smash them into a glue trap. This wouldn’t allow them not to take the bait and allow time for my WiFi camera to notify me of motion then the next step was shoot