Norway rats and roof rats
Best rat traps
Buy a rat trap, not a mouse trap with ambition. A Norway rat needs a larger jaw and a set on the ground-level runway. A roof rat needs the same jaw on a beam, a fence, or a soffit, not only on the kitchen floor. Split the species in How to get rid of rats before you place anything.
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Best overall: Victor M326 rat snap traps (2-pack). The M326 is the default rat snap. Set several, perpendicular to the wall, and pre-bait unset for a night if the rats are shy of new objects.
Compare the picks
| Role | Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Victor M326 rat snap traps (2-pack) | Classic runway sets | Hardware |
| Best easy-set | T-Rex rat snap trap | Foot-set traps in a garage | Hardware |
| Best heavy jaw | Tomcat heavy-duty rat snap trap | A confirmed Norway rat | Hardware |
| Best glue board | Catchmaster 48R rat-size glue boards (2-pack) | A monitored floor runway | Hardware |
Which one to buy
Hardware
Victor M326 rat snap traps (2-pack)
Best overall — The M326 is the default rat snap. Set several, perpendicular to the wall, and pre-bait unset for a night if the rats are shy of new objects.
Hardware
T-Rex rat snap trap
Best easy-set — The T-Rex sets with a foot and the jaw is rat-sized. It still fails if it sits in the open instead of on the rub mark.
Hardware
Tomcat heavy-duty rat snap trap
Best heavy jaw — Use this when mouse traps have been licked clean or tripped without a catch. Put it in a box if dogs or children use the room.
Hardware
Catchmaster 48R rat-size glue boards (2-pack)
Best glue board — Rat-sized glue is a catch-without-a-snap option on a wall. It is a welfare and pet problem if you cannot check it. Do not use it as the only tool on a roof-rat attic job.
Where each trap belongs
Norway rats commute at grade: dumpster pads, the gap under an alley door, the edge of a slab. Traps go there, not in the center of a basement. Roof rats commute overhead. A perfect snap trap on a kitchen floor misses the beam they already grease-mark.
Rats avoid new objects. Leave the trap baited and unset for a night on a heavy Norway job, then arm it. Check every morning. A sprung empty trap means the placement or the bait mass is wrong, not that “traps do not work on rats.”
Buy the trap and the hole
A rat needs about a half-inch gap. A door sweep and copper mesh close the commute the trap is harvesting. If you only buy traps, the next rat uses the same door. Outdoor bait belongs in a tamper-resistant station after sanitation, not as a loose brick beside the trap. See Best rat bait stations.
Common questions
Can I use mouse traps for rats?
You can trip them. You often will not kill the rat. Buy a rat-sized jaw and set more than one on the runway you can see.
What bait works on a rat trap?
Peanut butter, a nut, or a piece of dry pet food tied to the pedal so it cannot be licked off. Pre-bait shy Norway rats before you set the trigger.
Are glue boards a good rat trap?
They catch on a floor runway if you check them. They are a bad attic plan for roof rats and a bad plan anywhere a pet can reach the board.