Rat ReaperEND THE
INFESTATION

Yes. The tunnel opening is deliberately sized so rats can enter but most non‑target species cannot. The rat's body is flexible and can compress down to squeeze into surprisingly small spaces. It will happily push its head and neck into the tunnel to reach the bait, even if, at first glance, it looks too big. The trap has been designed and tested so that once the rat commits to reaching for the bait, it will be in exactly the right position for an instant kill.

Smaller squirrels may fit in and be interested if you use peanut‑butter bait, because they are attracted to the smell of nuts. If you have young squirrels around and are using the trap outdoors, switch the bait to a meaty wet dog food (not dry kibble). Squirrels do not eat meat and will ignore it, while rats will still be very keen on it. This simple bait swap dramatically reduces the chance of accidentally catching a squirrel.

Adult hedgehogs will not fit into the tunnel, but very small juveniles potentially could, so it is sensible to take extra care if you know there are young hedgehogs around. To make the trap hedgehog‑safe outdoors, raise it off the ground on an upturned plant pot or similar, around 300 mm (about 12 inches) high. Then provide a simple ramp (for example, a strip of wood or a broom handle) for rats to run up. Hedgehogs dislike climbing and especially hate climbing down, so even baby hedgehogs will not go up the ramp, while rats will have no problem accessing the trap.

If you find the trap in a different place in the garden the next morning, the most likely culprit is a fox investigating the scent. Foxes may nudge or drag the unit around while trying to get at the bait or a dead rat inside. To prevent this, simply weigh the trap down by resting a brick or similar heavy object on top. This makes it much harder for foxes to interfere with the trap while still allowing rats to enter normally.

Indoors, this usually means you are dealing with mice or very small young rats that are not heavy enough to trigger the standard setting. You can increase the trigger sensitivity by placing a 2‑pence coin on top of the green trigger plate before you set the trap; this extra weight makes the mechanism more responsive. Never try to add the coin after the trap is set, as this could injure your fingers.

Outdoors, especially in warmer months, slugs are often the hidden thieves. They will happily crawl in, eat the peanut butter, and leave before sunrise without triggering the trap. If this is happening, move the trap a short distance to a drier or slightly different spot where slug activity is lower. The rats will still find the trap, but you will reduce the chances of slugs stealing the bait first.

Rats are naturally cautious and show "fear of the new", so they may avoid any new object, including a trap, for several days before trusting it. Many people do get a catch on the very first night, especially where rats are actively using that runway, but it is completely normal for them to sniff around and ignore the trap for a short period. Be patient, avoid moving the trap too often, and keep it in place along an active route; given time, the rat's caution will fade and it will enter.

Rats have an exceptionally strong sense of smell and are very sensitive to human scent on new objects in their territory. Handling the trap and bait with bare hands can leave enough odour to make nervous rats more wary and slower to approach. Disposable gloves are included so you can set and bait the trap without transferring your scent, giving you the best chance of quick results rather than waiting 24–48 hours for human odour to fade naturally.

You can empty the trap without touching the rat; simply open the unit and tip the body straight into a plastic bag while wearing gloves so there is no direct contact. Once bagged and tied, UK councils allow you to place dead rats in your general waste (landfill) bin, so you can just put the sealed bag in your household rubbish for collection.

In kitchens, place the trap tight against walls, behind or beside appliances (fridge, cooker, dishwasher) and under base units where you have seen droppings or gnaw marks. Rats and mice prefer to run along edges rather than across open floors, so position the tunnel with its entrances aligned to those wall lines and entry gaps, not in the middle of the room.

Outdoors, set the trap along solid edges that rats naturally follow, such as fence lines, walls, the side of sheds, compost heaps or decking, near burrows or smear marks. Keep it tucked into cover (behind pots, under shrubs or hedges, under decking edges) so rats feel secure approaching it, and always site it where pets and children cannot easily access it.

In sheds, look for signs of activity around stored bird seed, pet food, bags, boxes and along the base of walls; place the trap directly on these runways, tight to the wall or next to entry gaps and burrows. Avoid leaving it in the middle of open floor space; instead, position it in darker, sheltered corners making sure both trap entrances are accessible to rats and along the perimeter so rats encounter it naturally as they move around.

In lofts, rats tend to run along joists, beams, pipes and the edges of insulation rather than across open boards, so set the trap on those runways where you see droppings, smear marks or gnawed material. Place the tunnel snug against joists or walls, not randomly in the middle of the loft, and use multiple traps along active routes if you have a larger space or heavier infestation.

Yes. The mechanism is enclosed inside the tunnel housing, so there are no exposed jaws for fingers to reach. Still, always place traps out of reach of young children and explain that they must not be played with.

Yes, the trap is designed for multiple uses. Wear gloves, empty the rat into a bag, wipe any soiling from the housing, rebait the cup and reset it. Regular cleaning helps keep it attractive and hygienic.

For light activity, start with at least two traps in the problem area; for heavier infestations or larger spaces like lofts and long fences, use several traps spaced along runways for faster results.

Yes. The supplied peanut‑based attractant is ideal in most situations, but you can experiment with other high‑fat, strongly scented foods such as chocolate spread or wet pet food, adjusting for squirrels as advised earlier.

The trap can be used outdoors, but place it on firm, level ground under some cover (decking edge, shed overhang, shrubs) to protect it from heavy rain and reduce slug activity stealing bait.

Keep traps set for several days after the last catch. If you see no new droppings, gnaw marks or sounds and traps stay empty, activity is likely resolved; you can then move to occasional monitoring.

Yes. Traps remove existing rats, but sealing entry points, tidying food sources and reducing shelter are essential to stop new rats coming in and to achieve long‑term control.