I'm not happy about it. I live in a residential neighborhood and don't have the luxury of acres of land where we could each mind our own business (as long as I don't see the rats). I know they're around (tree rats, especially); but I really don't want them in my backyard. Two days ago I saw one scurrying across my patio (early evening) and making a bee line for my potting bench area. Bought two traps and set one up with peanut butter - not the wooden kind; but the black plastic one which I've used before a few years ago and appear to be more humane. So, yesterday evening I checked and it was in the trap; but not completely in. It appeared dead. I took some old garden tongs and put the whole thing in a plastic bag and put that in a small metal garbage can I keep outside, where I put the bagged dog poop; until it's garbage day. This morning as I was passing the can I heard a noise. Yes, it was the rat. I don't know how; but it was out of the bag; head still part way in the trap. I was shocked and upset. I couldn't let it suffer like that; so I got a bucket of water and with the tongs, lifted it into the water and drowned it. The awful thing is that it took a while. I'm still upset. I know that if you see one rat, there's usually another; but I think I will wait a few days before trying it again.

I had bought two traps -- when you see one rat, there's usually another one close by. I've used these traps in the past (about 4 years ago) and they worked as they were supposed to. Well, I put another trap out Thursday evening; I checked Friday morning and there was nothing in the trap; but my son came over later to pick up his dog and he went to check -- and there was a rat -- again, not dead. Neither one of think this should be happening and he had to drown it. That's twice now. I contacted the company (Tomcat) by email today and voiced my displeasure. I know it's just a rat; but that's inhumane. Can't wait to find out what they're going to say. Did they change the trap design a little ?

Maybe a new trap?
These havahart traps are nice...
Bait with peanut butter in the winter, carrots in the summer...
Drown the undesirable critters, let the non-target critters go.

Found a better picture...

To feed the cat... I just open the trap door... Rat makes a dash for freedom... But.... Never gets too far...

Wow, drown them? I couldn't imagine such a thing.

We have rats that regularly run across our dock and seawall at night. I see them often and they don't do any harm.

We don't have any food/trash/edible vegetation around our place that would interest them so they just pass on through.

One time I saw a barred owl snatch one right off the dock.