Live trap test 2021 - current top 4 - RatzFatz


The following article deals with the most popular RatzFatz live traps for mice, rats, dormice and other small animals.

Lebendfalle Maus Ratte Siebenschlaefer

The best RatzFatz live traps 2021 - Top 4

Test result * Advantages

Place 1 :

RatzFatz ® Premium live trap, model "Quickcatch" in brown

Set of 1 - 29.99 € - Buy it right here in the shop now

Set of 1 - 29.99 € - Now on amazon.de: Click here

Set of 2 - 45.99 € (22 , 99 € per piece )
Now show on amazon:
Click here

-Suitable for small animals such as mice, rats, dormice
-Long-lasting premium variant
-Always reusable
-No contact with pests after being caught
-brand from Hamburg

Place 2:

RatzFatz ® Premium live trap, model "Quickcatch" in silver

Set of 1 - € 22.99 - Buy it right here in the shop now

Set of 1 - 22.99 € - Now on amazon.de: Click here

Set of 2 - 34.99 € ( 17.5 € per piece)
Now show on amazon:
Click here

-Suitable for small animals such as mice, rats, dormice
-Long-lasting premium variant
-Always reusable
-No contact with pests after being caught
-brand from Hamburg

Place 3

RatzFatz® live trap in green for mice

RatzFatz ® Live trap in green for mice

Now show it at amazon.de: Click here

Place 4

RatzFatz ® Live trap "Rambo" in camouflage for mice

RatzFatz ® "Rambo" live trap in camouflage for mice

Now show on amazon.de: Click here

Tip: Now show the official RatzFatz Shop on amazon.de CLICK HERE

* We have analyzed all ratings and summarized them for you. The product with the most positive reviews lands in first place.

The result is based on the feedback of more than 3000 customer ratings from customers who bought the trap and tested it on mice, rats & dormice.

RatzFatz is just like JCMaster Beauty a German brand from Mustbuy GmbH from Hamburg.

Table of contents

Live traps are a great alternative to snap traps, which often kill pests painfully, which is definitely not nice to look at.

The RatzFatz brand from Mustbuy GmbH has almost the most, mainly positive, reviews on amazon.

Here you can see a video of the most popular RatzFatz live trap, which landed on the first place:

1. Definition: live trap what is that?

A live trap, as the name suggests, is a trap that catches animals such as mice, rats, martens, cats and foxes alive so that they can be released in a suitable place.

1.1 What's Lebendfalle in English?

In English, Lebendfalle means "Live catch trap" or "humane trap" which means something like humane trap. Other terms that have appeared more and more in recent years are "No kill trap" which translates as "no kill trap" or "Smart mouse trap"; this term is often used for traps that catch animals alive.

2. What does a live trap for mice cost?

The price of live traps ranges from around € 6.99 to over € 100. The price depends heavily on the size and quality. Traps for € 6.99 are often very small, which is not ideal for mice and rats.

We recommend a price range of 10-30 €. In this area you usually acquire a stable live trap, which is also reusable.

And that is the decisive advantage: high-quality, reusable traps are ultimately much cheaper for the consumer than cheap live traps, which often give up after 1-2 uses

You should choose a well-known brand like RatzFatz , which is also based in Germany, so that open questions and problems can be easily resolved.

From a price range of 100 € these are large traps, which are intended for foxes or martens and may be used by hunters.

2.1 Where to buy live traps?

Live traps are available for sale in more and more places. In addition to hardware stores, we recommend buying a live trap for mice and rats, especially on amazon.de.

3. How do live traps for mice and rats work?

The mechanism of live traps is always somewhat dependent on the respective model.

3.1 Which bait should I use for mice and rats?

There is no such thing as one ultimate bait for mice and rats. However, we usually recommend peanut butter, bacon or Nutella.

Many users of the RatzFatz live traps have great success with peanut butter.

3.2 What else should be in the trap?

In any case, you should place a sufficient source of water in the live trap next to the suitable bait.


3.3 How often should the live trap be checked?


A live trap should be checked at least twice a day, but preferably more often. We recommend: Set a reminder on your smartphone to check the live trap or hire a roommate if you are not at home.

You should always ensure that the captured animal is healthy and release it to a suitable location as soon as it is successfully caught.

How long does it take to catch a mouse with a live trap?

It is very different. According to the ratings of the RatzFatz traps, some customers were able to record a successful catch after just 30 minutes.

However, most customers catch a mouse or rat within 7 days with the live traps from RatzFatz.

What to do with the rat or mouse?

How far should I take a live trap to expose mice or rats?

Types of traps for small animals


A general distinction is made between live traps and death traps.


Live traps: As the name suggests, the animals are kept alive after being caught and then released into the wild. It is important here that the captured mice and rats should not be released too far from the trapping location. We recommend exposing the animal less than 1 km away from the trapping location, otherwise the animals will not be able to adapt to an unfamiliar environment or will only be able to adapt with difficulty, or they will be repulsed by animals that have already settled.

In addition, the animals should be released in the wild, not in a residential area.

In addition, the animals should not be released again if they are too close to the trapping location. Mice and rats are extremely intelligent animals, which will then quickly settle back in your place of residence or e.g. commercial space.

Dead traps: Dead traps aim to kill the animal.

However, the killing methods are often very painful and not always directly effective. Electric traps and manslaughter traps seem to be the most effective method, but this can attract more "troublemakers" because they supposedly want to save the animal.

Nature of the Mouse & Rat

Did you know?


Mice and rats are unique, complex beings that can experience a variety of emotions; similar to that of pets such as dogs.
Rats and mice are also able to understand simple concepts, i.e. they are capable of learning, among other things.
Similar to humans, mice and rats are very social animals: They cuddle with each other, play and take care of each other.
Contrary to popular belief, mice and rats groom each other several times a day and they are often more "hygienic" than pets which, conversely, means that they have the potential to transmit fewer diseases and parasites.

Interesting facts

  • Rats like to be tickled. They even make sounds similar to laughter.
  • Mice and rats are so intelligent, they recognize their own name when it is called.
  • Rats have a natural perfume-like scent.
  • Rats have excellent memories. Once rats have memorized a route, they will never forget it.
  • Poison traps often have very negative effects on pets, people and nature.
  • Killing animals often has a very negative effect: killing a mouse or rat causes a natural increase in food for all other "troublemakers". Newborn rats and mice have more food available. Due to its social nature, other mice or rats will also look for the distant animal.

Advantages & disadvantages of the traps

Advantages of live mouse traps

  • Easily understandable operation of the RatzFatz traps.
  • Low risk of injury to humans and animals.
  • Animal welfare is protected.
  • Reusable
  • Often more effective than homicide traps, as dead animals usually attract other animals

Advantages of dead traps

  • Effective and reliable.
  • Often available everywhere

Disadvantages of live traps
  • The animal must be released in a suitable location. Disadvantages of dead traps

Disadvantages of dead traps

  • Potentially attract more animals if the dead animal is not removed immediately
  • Not always reusable
  • Dangerous for children and pets

Case Use: Best Practice


First Important Considerations Before Using:

# 1 Contact your local animal welfare association to bring your venture into line with local laws and regulations. Animal welfare groups will also give you further valuable tips.

# 2 Make sure that you or someone of your choice can check the trap on a regular basis.

# 3 Determine as precisely as possible which animal it is. In general, in our experience, most mice & rats bite into peanut butter, but exceptions often confirm the rule.

For rats, try among other things: bacon, gummy bears, dried fruits, nuts, berries

For mice, try among other things: oat flakes (tip: mix these if necessarywith peanut butter), sandwich, beef jerky, gummy bears, smaller nuts, cherry pits)

# 4 Think about where the trap can best be placed

The correct placement of a live trap



When choosing the location of your live trap, you should pay attention to the paths of the animals.

These can often be easily identified by traces or unusual soiling.

Mice and rats usually choose sheltered paths, which means that they rarely walk through the middle of rooms. House walls, walls and stairs are often connected to walking paths for the small animals and are often used by them.

A small advantage, especially for families, is that live traps have a lower risk of injury. This is beneficial for young children. Nevertheless, the trap should be hidden away from children. Last but not least, the location of the trap should be changed about every 3 days if the animal does not bite immediately.

What to do if an animal does not fall into the trap?

Include a "familiarization period"


Catching an animal can work immediately or it can take a long time.

In order to increase the chances of catching fish right from the start, we recommend a "familiarization period".

Especially brand new traps usually have the lowest catch rate.

However, our RatzFatz traps mostly work immediately, as care is taken during production that no long-lasting chemical smells stick to the trap.


Nonetheless, a “familiarization period” is still a good idea. If possible, position the trap on the walkways of the unwanted guests.

If it can be assumed that several animals have entered, it often helps to open trap doors, but not to arm them.


The animals can eat their first bait and escape.

The positive effect of this method is that the trap is not assessed as "threatening" - the trap takes on the smell of mice or rats and you can increase the catch frequency in the event of a stronger infestation.

Camouflage: And the animals have no idea


In some cases, animals won't go into a trap because the traps look like ... well, traps! The trap is adapted to the environment by suitable camouflage.

If you want to place the RatzFatz trap outdoors, for example, leaves or branches are ideal. A very good camouflage will appear like a suitable hiding place for the animal to be caught.

Attention: Always touch leaves, branches etc. with gloves and avoid direct physical contact with the trap & camouflage in general. The smell of people often lowers the chances of being caught.

Are you using the right bait?


The right bait plays an essential role. If the animal still does not bite after a maximum of 3-4 days of getting used to it + a maximum of 3 days of a set trap, then you should try another bait.
Proper bait placement is another important consideration. In addition to placing it in the trap, you should try a "bait path" just before the trap, which will lead the animal into the trap.


Check the placement of the trap


As in the previous section, place the trap in areas where you mostly suspect the troublemaker. Keep an eye out for debris or damage. In addition, the trap should be placed on a level surface.

How to release a trapped animal without harming it

Important preliminary considerations


Before the trap should be armed at all, you should think in advance where you want to release the animal again
Our checklist from Chapter 2 also contains this point to tick off and is very important, so that the animal can be spared a lot of stress. In general, the animal should be released as soon as possible. The time between catch and release therefore plays an important role.

How you should feed the trapped animal


Feed the animal slowly & speak softly if possible - excitement will only panic the animal further. Use a blanket or cover that completely covers the trap, but still leaves room for the animal to breathe.
Wait a moment until the animal has audibly calmed down and then move it immediately away from the trapping location.
Always transport the trapped animal with the trap covered and thick gloves to a suitable location where the animal can be released can.

Release the animal safely


This is the part that most first-time users of traps fear. Many people misunderstandably assume that the animal may be prone to attack as soon as it is released.

Revenge, however, is a human emotion.
Animals like mice or rats will strive for safety. Unfortunately, the safest place after release in a different environment is often the trap itself.


In this case, you should place the live trap on the floor, turn the trap so that the opening is facing away from your body, remove the cover, open the trap and allow the animal to close on its own for a while leave.

For this purpose, we only recommend moving a little away from the trap and waiting for a moment. Make sure you wear gloves the entire time!


After the animal has exited the trap, continue to operate the trap using only gloves.


The trap should then be disinfected to remove germs and human odors. The live trap is then ready for use again.

Fun facts about mice

  • Mice are color blind.
  • Under ideal circumstances, a single pair of mice can produce up to 8000 offspring per year.
  • A mouse comes through a hole that is only the size of a € 2 coin.
  • The whiskers of the mouse help it to perceive temperature changes, among other things.
  • Mice use their tails to balance. For this reason, mice can move very quickly on narrow ropes, for example.

Fun facts about rats

  • A female rat can produce up to 20 offspring a year.
  • Rats are very good swimmers. Because of this, they can reach buildings through sewers and even toilets.
  • Rats communicate with each other through markings by means of urination. This also ensures dominance of a group of rats in a certain territory.
  • A rat's teeth never stop growing.
  • It is said that rats' enamel is harder than steel.


Bonus: 13 Effective Tips for Using Mouse Traps and Rat Traps



  1. In order to avoid mice and rats in the long term, try to keep all food scraps permanently away from floors, kitchen surfaces and cupboards.
  2. Keep food supplies & pet food in bite-proof containers.
  3. The live trap should be checked every few hours and a water supply should be ensured. Otherwise, the animals will die in no time.
  4. Avoid feeding pets outside in the garden. If you do this anyway, make sure to completely remove all residues. This will keep new mice and rats away.
  5. Always trim garden plants and especially lawns if possible.
  6. Store garden furniture, grills and wood as far away from the residential building as possible.
  7. Cotton balls and rags soaked in ammonia keep mice and rats away.
  8. Outdoor radios and lights keep intruders away and are a good addition to the tips already mentioned.
  9. Check possible places for the animals to enter. Even very small holes are sufficient for mice. Close this temporarily with e.g. steel wool and close it completely in the long term.
  10. After a successful catch, keep the animal calm by placing a towel over the live trap.
  11. In our experience, peanut butter is the best bait.
  12. Place the trap and bait as far as possible without physical contact, i.e. wear gloves if possible.
  13. If you have followed all the tips and no other animals have been caught with a RatzFatz live trap within two weeks, then you can assume that the animals have relocated and that your house is free of them.

Further sources

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierfalle

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