I have a rat job to do and would welcome advice on how to approach it. House is on slab with vinyl siding and seems to be tight everywhere except there is a hole in the slab just under the bottom of the vinyl siding where a sewer pipe comes thru. Trail cam confirmed rats traveling in and out of this hole. Pics aren't the clearest so I'm not positive if they are roof rats or Norways. Homeowner hearing rats under bath tub, in walls and attic. Lots of rat droppings and insulation trails in the attic.

My game plan is to hit them hard with traps and possibly follow up with bait boxes. Will probably prebait a bunch of snaps in the attic.

My main question is whether or not to put a one-way multi-catch on the access point (hole in slab)? Also what are the pros and cons of using cages vs snaps in the attic...or some of both?

While I was envisioning your problem I could see a one way multi-catch over the hole and as many baited cage traps pointed the other way as you would be comfortable with. This would be a great opportunity to set up a trail cam and see the reaction of rats to other rats in traps.



Or else you could get Pesky to sit there with his video-cam.

I'll get some rat video come June . June is my magic rat month

That sounds like a great new thing....."Magic Rat Month."

Went to the job today and put 3 wood snaps, 2 Shorty cages, 2 simple squirrel cages and 3 Koro traps at critical locations in the attic....all of the above "prebaited" and unset. Placed a large one way and a prebaited unset cage beside (not on) the access hole to get them used to them being there. Will plan to activate traps in a few days. Any additional advice?

Back in the late 80's, I was getting some rodent control training. In the course there was a video of a guy that guarantee a 100% rat clean out or he did not get paid. Wish I could remember his name but he was a east european I believe. The video showed how the fellow achieved the goal. The one thing that I still remember to this day is, every thing he did he trained or conditioned the rats, before he started to take them. In the training video, the last section was getting the last rat. Along the run ways he choose to be safe routes, he would set up food on a strings and just let the rats take it. no negative was at these spots during the whole process. then when he got to the last rat by this time it was a very smart rat. He went to a bait that was safe for the rat, took a pole with string and placed a treble hook on the end and put the trusted food on the hook. and waited above. LOL I can still see the rat grabbing the bait and him jerking the pole up. I don't think that method would fly these days LOL but there was alot of wisdom in that old guys methods.