You want to catch rats and wonder if the rat trap is a danger for squirrels. It depends on the rat trap and the bait in it. If it gives off a nut aroma, the squirrel will also try to get it.

Why is rat trap a danger to the squirrel?

The rat trap as a danger to squirrels when bait smells of nuts and when the entrance is not specially secured. So you can do a few things here so that you do not put the squirrel in danger. In the following article we would like to show you what you need to pay attention to.

Does squirrel get bait from rat trap?

Squirrels have a preference for nuts. As soon as they perceive the smell, they specifically go in search of them. Besides nuts, squirrels also eat seeds, berries, mushrooms, buds, worms and fruit. If you have used some of these as bait for the rat trap, it may well happen that the rat trap becomes a danger for the squirrel.

In addition, the squirrel is a creature of habit. Even if the rat trap doesn't snap shut right away, over time it becomes a danger to the rodent. The baits mentioned above are not poisonous to the squirrel. But if you use rat poison at some point, then the rat trap becomes a Danger for squirrels. The squirrel can not distinguish whether the bait is poison or rather a harmless food. If the squirrel eats the rat poison, then an agonizing death follows for the animal.

How dangerous is rat poison for squirrels?

With rat poison, the rat trap becomes a danger for squirrels. For this you need to know that the rat poison is not only dangerous, but absolutely deadly for the squirrel.  

Rat poison itself is tasteless in most cases. Only the aroma of nuts attracts the squirrel.

If the squirrel has then eaten the bait, there is no rescue for the posh animals. The symptoms are described as follows:

• Fatigue and weakness as one of the first symptoms.
• Retreat into the gully. Instinctively, the animal seeks protection from enemies.
• After about 48 hours, the squirrel begins to bleed internally.

If a poisoned squirrel is eaten by another animal, the cycle will continue and this animal will also die miserably.

Do squirrels go into rat traps?

If you want to catch a rat, you automatically accept that the rat trap is a danger for squirrels.

Although the manufacturers of rat traps emphasize that the entrance is very small. But this is always assumed only dogs or cats. These certainly do not fit only the entrance of the rat trap. But this is different for the small squirrel.

Even if the squirrel does not fit through the entrance, it will try to get to the bait elsewhere because of the nut aroma. Most squirrels also succeed in this.

Without bait rat trap is also danger for squirrels

Even if you use the rat trap without bait, depending on the type, it becomes a danger for the squirrel. The danger comes from the type of trap. There are live and percussion traps. In the latter, the trapped animal - squirrel - is immediately beaten to death when it enters the trap. The same is true for electric traps. These immediately send a lethal electric shock when entered.

With a live trap, the squirrel has a chance to escape alive if you have not put poison bait in it. The rodent is trapped until you release it.

Special rat traps - no danger for squirrels

In any case, you should avoid poison. Rats also go the same terrible way to death as the squirrel. No animal deserves this. The same applies to sleeping traps or electric traps.

When buying a rat trap, pay attention to the entrance. This should be well angled. Rats have no problem to get inside anyway, while squirrels cope with it less well and give up.

Never place the bait too close to the entrance, because then the clever squirrel will get it in any case.

With a life trap, you should check regularly. Otherwise, the caught squirrel would die miserably in it. 

Never use nuts or the like as bait in a rat trap. The scent will magically attract the squirrel in any case.

Drive rats out of your garden in other ways. This way you do not need a rat trap. Always closed b garbage cans, which do not provide a food base for rats, have proven to be effective.