Rat trap: Difference between revisions
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A '''rat trap''' is a [[Animal trapping| |
A '''rat trap''' is a [[Animal trapping|device]] intended to catch [[rat]]s. Designs are often similar to some types of [[mousetrap]]s, with adjustments for the larger size of a rat compared to a mouse. Traps fall into two basic categories - live catch type and kill type. |
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==1. Live catch traps== |
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Non-lethal traps invariably take the form of an enclosure such as a wire mesh box with certain key features. This type of trap is designed primarily to catch rats without killing them. Food [[Bait (luring substance)|bait]] (not poisoned) is put in the enclosure. The rat is attracted to the bait and its movement is channelled towards it through a funnel shape leading to a non-return feature<ref>{{Cite web|last=STV|first=|date=|title=STV Big Cheese multi-catch trap|url=https://www.stvpestcontrol.com/live-multi-catch-rat-trap|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=[[Big Cheese]]}}</ref>. This could be a spring loaded trapdoor or hinged protrusions which are easy to deflect in one direction to go forward but impossible to retreat against. |
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[[Spring (device)|Spring]] traps for large [[rodent]]s such as rats or [[squirrel]]s are powerful enough to break the animal's neck or spine. They may break human fingers as well, whereas an ordinary spring-based [[mousetrap]] is very unlikely to break a human finger. Rat spring traps may not be sensitive enough to spring when a mouse takes the bait. |
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The rat is caught alive and without injury in the enclosure. The best designs are capable of catching several rats in succession. The rats can then be transported elsewhere or subsequently killed. |
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== 2. Kill traps == |
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(a) Spring traps. The vast majority of kill traps depend on [[Spring (device)|Spring]]<nowiki/>s to provide a lethal force to a moving part. This moving part or "jaw" impacts on the rodent and smashes it against a static jaw. The impact force of the moving jaw is powerful enough to break the animal's neck or spine. More powerful spring traps such as the Fenn Mark4 may also used against grey squirrels and weasel. |
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Another form of non-lethal trap is one where the wires it is constructed of are cut and formed into a funnel shape directed into the body of the cage. This design is usually dome shaped with the funnel at the crown. Rats are extremely flexible and can push through the narrower opening into the cage, but cannot escape due to the ends of the wires poking them in the face. The advantage of this design is that it can catch more than one rat at a setting. |
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Other types of traps (as shown below) are designed to kill the animal. |
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| ⚫ | (b) Glue traps. These utilise a form of long-lasting adhesive which entraps the vermin once it has stepped on to it. This non-poisonous adhesive is spread over flat piece of cardboard in areas frequented by rats. Once they get stuck in the adhesive they cannot escape. The rat will subsequently die from fatigue and dehydration' A bait may also be placed on the cardboard to attract the rats. |
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| ⚫ | Electronic rat traps detect the presence of a rodent via metal plates on the floor of the trap, then deliver a lethal dose of high-voltage electricity stepped up from batteries to several thousand volts. Some brands offer remote indication to tell you when the trap has operated. The Eliminator (South Africa) and Victor (US) are two brands of electronic rat traps. |
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| ⚫ | (c) Electronic rat traps detect the presence of a rodent via metal plates on the floor of the trap, then deliver a lethal dose of high-voltage electricity stepped up from batteries to several thousand volts. Some brands offer remote indication to tell you when the trap has operated. The Eliminator (South Africa) and Victor (US) are two brands of electronic rat traps. |
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Glue traps, however, are not considered a humane method of rodent control, especially if the rodent is left to die. They can also harm non-targeted animals. Although they are still commonly used by professionals for insect monitoring in containers that prevent access by rodents. |
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(d) Self-resetting traps. These traps use an energy source to provide the killing blow multiple times without the need for human intervention to reset the mechanism after each kill. The energy source may be electrical or compressed gas cannisters. In most cases the killer blow is delivered by a captive bolt to the head of the rodent. One example of the gas driven type is the [[Goodnature]] A24 however it is expensive compared to spring traps but has the advantage that it can achieve 24 kills before the gas is expended. |
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Another trap design, often considered more humane, is a self-resetting rat trap like the [[Goodnature]] A24. These traps kill rodents with an impact from a [[carbon dioxide|CO<sub>2</sub>]]-powered piston and are self-resetting. |
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==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
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[[File:Fenn Mark4.jpg|alt=F4|thumb|Fenn Mark4 trap]] |
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<gallery> |
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File:Rat cage trap 3y08.JPG|A rat cage trap containing bread as bait. |
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File:Rat caught in a rat trap.jpg|A rat caught in a rat trap. |
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File:Rattrap and mousetrap.JPG|Size comparison between a rat trap (above) and a [[mousetrap]] (below). |
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File:RatTrapP1050311d.jpg|Rat caught in a Victor Rat Trap. |
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File:TrappedRat 4448.jpg|Rat caught in a live-catch cage trap. |
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File:Rat-glue trap.jpg|Rat caught in a glue-trap |
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File:Two rats by ean.jpg|alt=<nowiki>[[File:Fenn Mark4.jpg|thumb|]]</nowiki>|Double kill |
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</gallery> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 16:07, 9 November 2020
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A rat trap is a device intended to catch rats. Designs are often similar to some types of mousetraps, with adjustments for the larger size of a rat compared to a mouse. Traps fall into two basic categories - live catch type and kill type.
1. Live catch traps
Non-lethal traps invariably take the form of an enclosure such as a wire mesh box with certain key features. This type of trap is designed primarily to catch rats without killing them. Food bait (not poisoned) is put in the enclosure. The rat is attracted to the bait and its movement is channelled towards it through a funnel shape leading to a non-return feature[1]. This could be a spring loaded trapdoor or hinged protrusions which are easy to deflect in one direction to go forward but impossible to retreat against.
The rat is caught alive and without injury in the enclosure. The best designs are capable of catching several rats in succession. The rats can then be transported elsewhere or subsequently killed.
2. Kill traps
(a) Spring traps. The vast majority of kill traps depend on Springs to provide a lethal force to a moving part. This moving part or "jaw" impacts on the rodent and smashes it against a static jaw. The impact force of the moving jaw is powerful enough to break the animal's neck or spine. More powerful spring traps such as the Fenn Mark4 may also used against grey squirrels and weasel.
(b) Glue traps. These utilise a form of long-lasting adhesive which entraps the vermin once it has stepped on to it. This non-poisonous adhesive is spread over flat piece of cardboard in areas frequented by rats. Once they get stuck in the adhesive they cannot escape. The rat will subsequently die from fatigue and dehydration' A bait may also be placed on the cardboard to attract the rats.
(c) Electronic rat traps detect the presence of a rodent via metal plates on the floor of the trap, then deliver a lethal dose of high-voltage electricity stepped up from batteries to several thousand volts. Some brands offer remote indication to tell you when the trap has operated. The Eliminator (South Africa) and Victor (US) are two brands of electronic rat traps.
(d) Self-resetting traps. These traps use an energy source to provide the killing blow multiple times without the need for human intervention to reset the mechanism after each kill. The energy source may be electrical or compressed gas cannisters. In most cases the killer blow is delivered by a captive bolt to the head of the rodent. One example of the gas driven type is the Goodnature A24 however it is expensive compared to spring traps but has the advantage that it can achieve 24 kills before the gas is expended.
Gallery
References
- ^ STV. "STV Big Cheese multi-catch trap". Big Cheese.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
Media related to Rat traps at Wikimedia Commons
- Rat Traps at The Medieval Technology Pages
