loose pet rat in house

Question
Apparently, some else's pet rat has found it's way into my house...I saw it--it is brown, black and white.  It is eating everything in sight, chewing holes in my walls and just this morning found a dresser drawer that has been taken over (have to throw everything away as there is urine and feces all over the clothing in it).  I have humane traps and glue traps--not working...how can I capture?  He has even eaten through my spare toothpaste in the linen closet!

Answer
It certainly does sound like a pet rat if it is black and white.  The best way to deter a rat is to remove all food sources, including anything edible that may not be food (such as toothpaste).  The rat will then be forced to either leave your house or eat food from the trap.

Poisons and glue traps are not very humane.  First off, glue traps do not actually kill the rat.  Poisons do work well, though it is a painful death, and the rat will often crawl into one of its hidey holes to die which is usually inside your walls, attic, or one of your storage boxes.  If its corpse is trapped in the wall, it can be difficult to locate and remove and can very quickly stink up your house.

Humane traps work best when they are left against the wall or underneath something so the rat can feel safer about entering them.  Bait it with something very yummy such as peanut butter or honey.  You may also want to cover the trap with a towel so it looks more safe.  If it is a large trap (meant for catching raccoons and larger pests), the rat may simply not be heavy enough to trip the switch; you may want to consider a smaller trap.

If all else fails, you may have to consider an exterminator.  I don't endorse the killing of any animal, but I know how annoying it can be to have a pest in your house ruining your things.  An exterminator may be able to give you some more tips on how to remove the rat and keep others from coming in.  You also may want to call your local animal control office and see if they can capture it for you, as it is a pet rat.

Good luck!