Need help rat problem near rabbit cages

[Teenbunz]

Okay so there's this 1 rat that lives under our shed at first the rat was going in my cages and getting the rabbit food then it started taking newborn babies hairless and small but I never actually saw him do it but then I did see him take the bunny's and go back under the shed or tear whole litters up in the cage and then leave it there and I know for a fact it's not the mamma rabbit cause the dead babies where in spots in the cage where mamma couldn't have gotten to and the baby's where fine one minute 2 days later fat and healthy babies and next morning whole litter of 8 is murdered and now between a few days ago and today the rat is going in the cages even tho I've put chicken wire around all my cages to avoid the rat getting in and baby's getting out the rat is still getting in the cages and taking babies first it was newborns now its 25 day old baby's that he's getting to and the pretty much the size of the rat the rat has got 2 of the 25 day Olds and hurt them even tho I stopped it as soon as I heard the baby's screaming I wasnt fast enough and 1 died after a 2 days even with extra care and the 2nd one died almost immediately he got bit right in the neck so he was bleeding wasn't really anything I could do I just didn't get to the baby fast enough I brought the rest of the litter inside to stop him from going back but what do i do I've got a trap out which I put the 1 dead baby bunny in to try to catch him I've also got rat bait but I'm hesitant to put it out cause I'm scared a rabbit will get ahold of it cause I do have a few free range rabbits who prefer to run free which is easier for them and me
We have a bb gun which we've been out trying to shoot I but the rat won't come out when we're there watching
So I really need some help on what to do so no more baby bunnies are taken and or murdered by the rat
Sorry I this is long and picture is of the 4 baby's left in the litter the rat is taking from sorry if this is in the wrong spot didn't know which forum to post in

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Are you not able to set traps?

 

[Teenbunz]

Are you not able to set traps?

I have a trap set but I'm scared with the kill traps due to the rabbit I have rabbits free ranging around my yard and I don't want them to get caught in the traps

 

[MaggieJ]

You could place the traps in buckets with lids and just cut a hole big enough for a rat to get in but too small for the bunnies. You could do the same to use the 50/50 mix of Plaster of Paris and icing sugar that I suggested in this thread.

https://rabbittalk.com/threads/can-any-predators-fit-through-1x2-welded-cage-wire.35032/#post-340957
I have bad news for you. There is never just one rat. For every rat you see, there are about ten others that you don't see. If they are taking kits, you have an infestation that requires serious attention right away.

Another way to keep your free-range rabbits safe is to use an empty cage and put the traps and bait inside it, preferably off the ground. If the rats can get into a cage to steal kits, they can get inside to find the traps or bait.

 

[Susie]

I have a trap set but I'm scared with the kill traps due to the rabbit I have rabbits free ranging around my yard and I don't want them to get caught in the traps

A farmer told me rats cannot burp. So peanut butter on top of a swing bin lid works brilliantly make sure you have the bin attached. Chopped up fresh onions also near the rats hole. Their dead within a few hours. Hope this is okay for you.

 

[MnCanary]

Mousetrap Monday – Shawn Woods | New Mousetrap Videos Every Week Everything you ever wanted to know about trapping rodents.

 

[JOhn B]

Get a live trap and put something fatty food as bait. You can use cheese, bacon or meat. If you have a griddle that catches greese, put in a dish inside the trap, or soak paper towel in the greese and put that in the dish. Check trap often.

 

[Preitler]

They don't like cheese much, can't tell about bacon etc.. Hazelnut stuff, like Nutella, works best for me, also bread. What's that about onion? I'm pretty sure that does nothing, that would be too easy.

There is no point in being humane with rats, that's a problem that needs to be adressed consequently. When I know there's a rat around I put up several snap traps (be sure they are strong and good quality), with different baits, in different locations. I use wooden boxes with entrance holes to keep rabbits and birds away, not necessary inside my barn.

I also use a DIY marten box trap to catch rats.

I rarly have problems though, marten, cats and snakes do a fine job.

 

[Teenbunz]

They don't like cheese much, can't tell about bacon etc.. Hazelnut stuff, like Nutella, works best for me, also bread. What's that about onion? I'm pretty sure that does nothing, that would be too easy.

There is no point in being humane with rats, that's a problem that needs to be adressed consequently. When I know there's a rat around I put up several snap traps (be sure they are strong and good quality), with different baits, in different locations. I use wooden boxes with entrance holes to keep rabbits and birds away, not necessary inside my barn.

I also use a DIY marten box trap to catch rats.

I rarly have problems though, marten, cats and snakes do a fine job.

I have cats but they aren't really doing anything to help I have 2 dogs that would love to catch rabbits and anything that is small and moving but they aren't able to get under the shed where the rat is I have a live trap set but nothing yet I also got rat bait but haven't put it out yet only problem with the rat bait I have is I don't want the rat to go back under the shed and die and stink up the yard

 

[Teenbunz]

Get a live trap and put something fatty food as bait. You can use cheese, bacon or meat. If you have a griddle that catches greese, put in a dish inside the trap, or soak paper towel in the greese and put that in the dish. Check trap often.

I have a live trap so I'll try that

 

[Teenbunz]

Mousetrap Monday – Shawn Woods | New Mousetrap Videos Every Week Everything you ever wanted to know about trapping rodents.

Okay thanks I'll check it out

 

[Teenbunz]

You could place the traps in buckets with lids and just cut a hole big enough for a rat to get in but too small for the bunnies. You could do the same to use the 50/50 mix of Plaster of Paris and icing sugar that I suggested in this thread.

https://rabbittalk.com/threads/can-any-predators-fit-through-1x2-welded-cage-wire.35032/#post-340957
I have bad news for you. There is never just one rat. For every rat you see, there are about ten others that you don't see. If they are taking kits, you have an infestation that requires serious attention right away.

Another way to keep your free-range rabbits safe is to use an empty cage and put the traps and bait inside it, preferably off the ground. If the rats can get into a cage to steal kits, they can get inside to find the traps or bait.

Okay and yes I know there are more than one rat but it's this one rat that is taking the baby's I've never seen any of the other rats outside the shed in cages but I've seen the one rat inside the cages taking the rabbit food and I've seen it with the 2 baby's in its mouth got the baby's away before he could take them under the shed but they both still died and he's gone in the cages and taken baby's and killed whole litters of baby's and just left them there half eaten and the thing is these last 2 baby's he got were about the size of the rat I didn't think the rat would even attempt to take the bigger baby's
And a while ago at one point I did have baby's go missing if they fell out of the cage cause normally they'd find a warm spot right there where they fell and stay there and not go missing especially if there eyes wernt even open but they'd just be gone so I thought a cat or something got to it but now I know it was the rat

 

[eco2pia]

Try something like this:

 

[Teenbunz]

Try something like this:

Okay I'll check it out

 

[eco2pia]

Nutella works well for some. we wrap the trigger in cotton string to make the rat tug on it more. in trying to get the smeared bait off, they trigger the trap. Rats usually have a fairly obvious path, with shallow diging to get under things, so put traps near their travels.

 

[Teenbunz]

Nutella works well for some. we wrap the trigger in cotton string to make the rat tug on it more. in trying to get the smeared bait off, they trigger the trap. Rats usually have a fairly obvious path, with shallow diging to get under things, so put traps near their travels.

Okay thank you

 

[Susie]

I have a live trap so I'll try that

Hey Teenbunz Peanut butter every time and also sliced fresh onions. They can’t burp. So it kills the little blighters. I have a swing bin put peanut butter on the lid. They die within the hour

 

[JOhn B]

Hey Teenbunz Peanut butter every time and also sliced fresh onions. They can’t burp. So it kills the little blighters. I have a swing bin put peanut butter on the lid. They die within the hour

Curious, why does peanut butter make rats burp?

 

[Susie]

Curious, why does peanut butter make rats burp?

Because rats cannot burp,if they eat peanut butter, they will die through the trapped wind. The farmer told us what to use. So whatever is in peanut butter, it works.

 

[JOhn B]

My mom always put peanut butter on traps. Now I know that we could have saved money buying traps, She never reused them, just tossed mouse and trap in the garbage.