Hello All,

I have a client that has/had rats in a 10 x 20 shed. They poisoned the rats before I started the job. They still had a rat problem after using the poison so, they called me.

The shed has livestock in it 2 goats and 4 geese. It is obvious that rats were there.

I quoted them $350 for five days trapping. I have been there a week and 1/2 and still do not have a rat.

I first used snap traps. I didn't prebait. I had four traps snapped. So, then I baited four pvc pipes with peanut butter. Only one pvc pipe was touched. The other three were untouched. I set a gopherator in the pvc pipe that had the activity.

I am going to give it until Sunday. What if I don't catch a thing? I feel that I should not charge them. However, they did use poison before I got their.

Thoughts.

Thanks

Chuck

Put some bait in there with a trail camera and see if there really are any rats left. It might be mice or something else that's tripping your traps.

If it turns out that the rats really are gone, I'd probably still charge them the full price.

If it turns out there are still rats there, I'd stay until I caught them.

Follow the contract. If it says you get paid to trap for five days, then pull your trap and get down the road. I hate poison, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Its rarely a pleasant ending.

Chuck:
Let your client know how you feel. Depending on travel time etc. you will have to be the judge. Are you screwing the trap down so they won't jump? I would set more than 4 traps. First off I would make sure there is no food for the rats to eat. I made a couple wooden boxes to put rat trap in, sort of like a weasel box. That way I could have them around animals,{in my case it was a dog} I baited it. I would use a bait the rats are eating. They also work good for red sqr. that are running up and down trees. The hole is in the bottom. The trap is screwed to the back or bottom of the box depending on how you look at it. I am just a 6 packer but it worked for me.

sgs nailed it.

Thanks

What brand of trail cam are you guys using that will pick up a mouse?

Make sure to use two gophinators in the tube, one covering each direction. They also need to be ziptied to the tube.
Like others have said screw traps down. Can you seal the shed? I'd give them a discounted weekly rate and/or a site visit. You have to seek out the main food source and secure that as well.

"What brand of trail cam are you guys using that will pick up a mouse?"

The Moultrie 100 will pick up mice in the right situation.

My covert celluare will pick them up.