Do Rat Traps Kill Instantly? Things You Need to Consider!

Get rid of rats! Whether you are in a hurry to get the job done or just want to make sure that an animal doesn’t suffer there are plenty of reasons to be asking, “Do Rat Traps Kill Instantly?”

Check on the rat extermination pros in your area to help you eliminate these rodents the most humane way!

There are a lot of stories on how to kill a rat, others say that the most effective is using poison, or things found at home are good enough like killing rats with baking soda and pepper, but when it comes to killing rats and mice quickly, you need to use a trap. The two fast-acting lethal models are Rat Snap Traps and an Electric Rat Zapper.  Here are the pros and cons of each type of trap.

Snap Traps Provide the Fastest Kill

The standard Victor snap trap will snap a rat’s neck and spine in less than a second, killing it on the spot.

Victor offers two versions of this trap, Standard and Professional.  While both models work great there are some issues to be aware of.

Partial strikes can occur resulting in a wounded and trapped rodent.  This happens when the rat walks over the trigger instead of nibbling at the bait.  The trap will crush the leg of the rat but not kill it.  This is not a common event but does happen from time to time.

Victor traps can be scary to use.  The traps are massive and the spring is incredibly powerful.  If you are not paying attention and accidentally trigger it with your hand you could be looking at a broken finger.

The traps can make an unsightly mess when everything works as designed.

Despite the drawbacks, the Victor traps are the “Quick Draw McGraw” when it comes to killing rats.

An alternative to the standard Victor snap trap is to use the slightly less powerful “easy set” traps.

This trap is much easier to set than the standard trap and the possibility of messing up and hurting yourself goes down dramatically.  There are several versions of the easy set trap from a few different manufacturers.

While the traps are slightly less powerful they still have enough juice to snap a rat’s neck in an instant.

Electric Rat Zappers Provide the Cleanest Kill

Despite all of the benefits of snap traps, the messiness and occasional misfire make a good case for the use of a rat zapper.

When a rat walks into a rat zapper to eat the bait, its feet come into contact with a metal plate.  This metal plate activates an electrical circuit and electrocutes the rat with 7000 watts of energy.

A rat zapper kills a rat in under a second and is considered the most humane rat trap available.

While a rat zapper is slightly slower than a snap trap in doing away with a rat the process is much cleaner.  There are no “partial traps” with an electric rat trap.  You never have to deal with a rodent that is mangled but still alive.

If an electric trap doesn’t work properly then the rat gets away cleanly and humanely.

In addition to providing a fast kill, the electricity provides a clean kill.  The dead rat is not mangled and stuck under a metal bar.  It is simply lying inside the zapper and can be easily slid out into the trash.

The last reason that I like rat zappers is that they are easy to use and safer for the user.  All you need to do to set a rat zapper is add bait and turn on the power.  You are not going to hurt yourself with a rat zapper unless you do something incredibly stupid.

Slow Methods You Need to Avoid

Some common ways of killing rats and mice are inhumane and take an incredibly long time.

Trapping them in a bucket of water

There is a dozen variation on this method.  They all involve setting up a balance beam or “pirate plank” over a five-gallon bucket partially filled with water.  The rat will lose its balance, land in the water, and eventually, drown.  This technique can take minutes or an hour during which the rodent is struggling and panicked.

Glue Boards

Rat glue boards take days to kill a rat through dehydration.  The rat will be fighting to free himself from the glue board the entire time and possibly gnawing off a leg or two.  Do not be the asshole that uses a glue board.

Mouse and Rat Poison

This is another route that takes days to kill a rat.  There is no such thing as a fast-acting rat poison.  A poisoned rat has the potential to enter the food chain and make beneficial predators such as owls and foxes sick.

If you want to kill rats quickly, cleanly, and safely then buy some rat zappers.

About Author

Noah Thompson

Noah Thompson is an expert in rat relief, providing invaluable tips and advice on effective rat control. With extensive knowledge in rodent behavior, he simplifies complex concepts, empowering readers to confidently tackle rat infestations. Through workshops and seminars, Noah equips communities with practical skills while advocating for humane treatment and control of rats.

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