Does anyone know where I could find snap-type traps for catching rodents? All I can find here (Taipei) is the glue board (and tube) traps, which I don’t think are humane. We seem to have a roof rat problem. We live ground level (although I know then can climb walls/pipes, jump, etc.), we do not leave food out/open, so I think they are coming in to make nests in the walls behind high cabinets. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem? Any advice? Thanks.
How about a cat?
[quote=“irishstu”]How about a cat?[/quote]Good idea. Unfortunately we’ll only be here for another 2 months. I would get too attached to the cat, and it would be hard to bring the cat back home. Also, I have an older cat at home who probably would not like a “sibling.”
Most hardware stores sell a variety of rat catchers. Is the snap-trap the one that comes down across the rats back, killing it? I’ve seen those in most hardware stores. I used to have a similar problem in one of my old places and I used these metal cages that snapped shut when the rat goes in. then I would bring the rat to a nearby farm and let it go again(should have tagged them to see if the same ones were coming back). Those are at all the hardware stores, too.
This does not answer your question, but a relatively humane way - and the recommended way - to kill a rat with a glue trap is to put the board with the rat on it in a plastic bag and push the plastic bag down onto the glue all around the rat so that it gets sealed in and suffocates. It also makes a seal for throwing the rat and board around in a hygienic manner and keeps fleas from jumping off the rat’s body into your living environment.
In the past I have drowned rats by putting the board upside down in water - warm water to reduce the suffering slightly. After reading about the plastic bag method, I will do it that way. You should keep checking the glueboards so the rat doesn’t have to struggle and suffer for longer than necessary.
A downside to glueboards is that they trap innocent gekkos. If your pet/child/self gets stuck to the glue, rub vegetable oil into the glue and then wash it off with soap and water or detergent. I have rescued a couple of gekkos this way but it was very difficult because their bodies are so fragile.