If you live on a farm, you almost always have rats. They love to hang out in chicken coops, where they can pick up the odd piece of grain. And they thrive under sheds and in barns.
While it’s tempting to live and let live when it comes to these pests, rats can have a huge impact on your farm. They can contaminate animal feed and your water sources, chew through the wiring in your tractor or car, and eat your crops right out from under you. One or two rats can turn into one or two hundred in no time at all.
Also Read: 7 Ways To Keep Mice And Rats Out of the Coop
Before you know it you’ve got a real problem on your hands.
About a year ago I experienced my first true rat infestation as a farm owner. I had only seen the odd rat in my chicken coop or scurrying under my house, so I never really experienced what it was like when rats found their way into the house. When they did they were so quiet our cats were hardly bothered. They didn’t leave droppings anywhere visible, and it was only when I smelled something while turning on the oven one day that I realized what happened.
Two had made their way into my stove, made a nest in the insulation surrounding the oven, and only decided to abandon ship when we took the entire stove outside and shook it until they ran away.
That was the beginning of a year-long kitchen renovation that saw the replacement of the stove, the ceiling and the backsplash. Just when we thought we had them locked out, they would find a way in again. It made me wish there were smart devices to help with what is a really frustrating issue for farmers everywhere.
As it turns out, there is.
Smart tech has evolved to include pest control, and smart rat traps are one of the ways technology is taking care of rat infestations. Here’s a look at what they can do.
Monitoring & Detection
One of the downsides to having a traditional rat trap is how often you have to check to see if it’s set or if a rat has been caught. With smart rat traps, all you have to do is open an app.
These traps have built-in sensors and Wi-Fi connectivity so you can monitor rats entering the trap in real time. Instant notifications are sent to your smartphone or computer so you can take action. And there is also a green light on the trap to indicate the rat has been killed.
Smarter Trapping
Smart rat traps have the most advanced pest control technology available. There are some models with motion sensors or infrared detection so the trap is only set if it detects a rat is present.
Some traps also have multiple entry points, and there are a few that use artificial intelligence to learn and adapt to the rat behavior in your home.
Remote Control & Monitoring via Your Smartphone
With smart rat traps, you get access to an app or web portal that keeps you up to date on rat activity and captured rats. If you’ve ever wondered how many rats are in your house or yard, you can access data that lets you know about all activity near the trap and tracks your history over time.
Also Read: Check out these tips for getting (and keeping) rats out of the chicken run.
Smart Rat Traps Are Environmentally Friendly
With a smart rat trap, you never have to use poison or opt for inhumane methods of controlling pests. They are designed for years of use and run on batteries or are rechargeable, making them more sustainable than glue traps.
They work by luring the rat into the trap with bait. Once the rat takes the bait they are zapped by a high-voltage charge. You can dump the rat out without needing to touch it, reset your trap and start again.
Do Smart Rat Traps Work?
I’m happy to say my home is now rat-free. While it’s not a smart device, I’ve also found that Little Trees Black Ice air fresheners deter rats so well they won’t enter any area with one. I’ve put these air fresheners in my attic, under my house and anywhere I’ve ever heard rodent activity.
For some reason, the smell repels them. As long as I replace them every month or so, I stay rodent-free.
I’ve continued to use my smart rat trap outside in the yard, and for me, it’s been a good option for killing rodents. The only issue I had with my smart rat trap was finding out the best place to put it. I had to move it around a lot because I found rats would just ignore it if one of their ‘coworkers’ was killed the night before. Apparently, word gets around.
