How to Catch a Field Rat

Field rats are small rodents with a strong sense of smell and taste. They are universally disliked for their penchant for feeding on crops. While there are a large number of different types of field rats, they are all typically bigger than the mice and rats found in homes. In addition to being a nuisance, they are known carriers of disease and parasites including murine typhus and salmonella. Fortunately, many of the methods used for catching mice in homes and buildings are also useful for catching field rats.

Things You'll Need

  • Metal cage
  • Ketch-All trap
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Use a Ketch-All live trap to catch smaller field rats. The Ketch-All trap works by tossing rats into a storage chamber as soon as they enter the trap for refuge. The trap can catch and store up to 15 rats at a time and is endorsed by PETA, as it safely stores all of the rats captured in a storage chamber with air holes.

    • 2

      Construct a field rat trap with a lightweight metal cage that has had one end modified to accommodate a cone-shaped inclined entrance tunnel. The entrance tunnel should gradually narrow and be partially obstructed at the end with a wire. In this way, the field rats will be able to enter the cage but not leave.

    • 3

      Prepare baits made of substances attractive to the field rats. Fill a number of bowls or shallow pans with a mixture of water, soft brown sugar and corn meal. Place the containers with the mixture in areas the field rats are known to frequent. Carefully monitor the containers in order to catch the field rats feeding on the mixture.

    • 4

      Use traditional mouse traps. Bait the traps and place them in the areas where field rats have been observed. Periodically check the traps to see if a field rat has been caught. This is the least effective method, as the traps are likely to kill any field rat caught.