Rat traps can be useful if you have a small number of rats or rodents that you need to eliminate. The types of traps that are most common are snap traps, glue traps, live traps and electric traps.
Snap traps work by snapping down on a rat as it is attempting to get the food that is set inside the bait area. These traps can be dangerous to set. They can snap down on fingers and hands, causing great pain. Snap traps can be humane if the rat is killed instantly, but if the trap snaps down on the wrong place on the animal, it can be a very painful and cruel death. Traps are also difficult to remove safely. Never touch a dead rodent. They carry a number of diseases and can be very dangerous.
Glue traps can also work effectively. However, they are considered the most inhumane traps, due to the fact that they will trap animals without killing them instantly. Glue traps hold rats fast and they are stuck in the traps until they die by starvation, dehydration or a heart attack from their struggle. Glue traps must also be disposed of, and those need to be handled with care as well.
Live traps are humane in their method of trapping the animal alive for release. If live traps are your choice, you must check them frequently, so the rats do not starve to death in the traps. Once they are trapped, rats must be released into the wild far from the trapping location.
Electric traps kill instantly. They are very effective and humane but are expensive and for single use only. This can be a costly endeavor if you have many rats in your home.
Most traps are designed to be used once. Therefore, if you have a large rat population in your home, you may consider enlisting the services of a pest control expert who can manage large populations quickly and safely.