Best Rat and Mouse Traps: What Works and Where to Put Them

Snap traps

Snap traps are cheap, fast and reliable when placed right. Use rat traps for rats and mouse traps for mice; a mouse trap will not hold a rat, and a rat trap can be slow to trip for a light mouse.

Plastic snap traps with a wide trigger plate are easier to set than the classic wooden ones and easier to clean. Buy more than you think you need. University of California guidance suggests mouse traps no more than about 10 feet apart in active areas, and rat traps about 10 to 20 feet apart.

Enclosed and electronic traps

Enclosed traps put a snap trap or kill mechanism inside a plastic box with small entry holes. They protect fingers and paws and hide the catch. They are a good choice in kitchens, garages and homes with children or pets.

Electronic traps use a battery-powered shock inside a chamber. They are clean and easy to empty, and many signal when they catch something. They cost more, and batteries need checking.

Glue boards and live traps

Glue boards catch rodents but leave them alive and stressed, and they can catch birds, lizards and pets. Many pest professionals avoid them, especially outdoors.

Live-catch traps work for mice, but you then have a live mouse to deal with. Releasing it nearby usually means it comes back. Most homeowners are better served by snap traps.

Where to put traps

Placement is most of the job.

For mice, University of California guidance says to set traps close to walls so mice pass over the trigger, behind objects, in dark corners and where droppings show activity.

For Norway rats, set traps close to walls, behind objects and in dark corners, in the crawl space, garage and along foundations.

For roof rats, set traps off the ground, on ledges, shelves, beams, pipes and fence tops, and in the attic along top plates and rafters.

Set traps at right angles to the wall with the trigger facing the wall, or in pairs along a runway.

Bait and patience

University of California guidance names peanut butter as the most popular mouse bait. For rats, nut butters, dried fruit and bits of bacon work. A little goes a long way; too much lets the rodent lick it off without tripping the trap.

Rats can be wary of new things in their path. Many people bait traps without setting them for a night or two, then set them. Mice tend to investigate new objects quickly, according to University of Kentucky pest training.

Safety around kids and pets

Rat traps are strong enough to hurt a child's fingers or a pet's paw. Use enclosed traps, put traps inside a box with rodent-sized holes, or set them where kids and pets cannot go, like the attic or crawl space.

Bait stations are a different tool and carry their own risks. Under EPA rules, consumer bait comes in ready-to-use stations, and tamper-resistant stations are required where children, pets or wildlife could reach bait outdoors. See do rodent repellents work for other tools people try.

How many traps and how long

Use enough traps to catch the group quickly. A common mistake is setting two traps for a mouse problem that needs a dozen. For mice, line the walls in active areas. For rats, set several traps on each runway you find.

Expect to keep traps out until catches stop and no fresh droppings appear for a week or more. Pulling traps too early leaves a few behind, and they breed.

Handle caught rodents with gloves, spray them with disinfectant, double bag them, and put them in a covered trash can, following CDC guidance.

Traps in Memphis attics and crawl spaces

For roof rats in Memphis attics, traps on the top plates along the eaves and on rafters near droppings work best. Secure rat traps to a beam with a wire or screw so a caught rat does not drag the trap into the insulation.

In crawl spaces, place traps along the foundation walls and near pipe penetrations. Check them often in summer, when heat speeds up decay. Wear gloves and a mask in tight, dusty spaces.

In garages, set traps along the walls behind stored items and near the door corners. If the garage is shared with kids, bikes and pets, use enclosed traps. Keep a list of where every trap is so you can check them all and pick them up when the job is done.

When traps are not enough

If traps catch rodents week after week, the gaps are still open. University of California guidance says to seal openings larger than a quarter inch with steel wool, wire screen or sheet metal. See steel wool vs copper mesh and rodent trapping, or call to reach a local technician.