When your lawn is infested with kangaroo rats, traps can be an effective way to get rid of them. Live traps are a good option if you don’t want to kill the rats since they allow you to catch the pests and release them at another location. You can bait the traps with peanut butter, oatmeal or other grains.Click to see full answer. Consequently, what scent will keep rats away?Because of their highly developed sense of smell, rats are very susceptible to certain odors. Peppermint oil, castor oil and citronella oil all drive rats away. Use cotton balls soaked in these oils, or just spread a little oil around where the rats are staying, and they’ll leave for less pungent climes.Also Know, what do kangaroo rats do? Kangaroo rats are primarily seed eaters. They will, however, eat vegetation occasionally, and at some times of the year, possibly insects as well. They have been seen storing the seeds of mesquite, creosote bush, purslane, ocotillo and grama grass in their cheek pouches. Likewise, how do I get rid of rats fast? Snap Traps. Rat-sized wooden or plastic traps can be one of the most effective means of capturing and killing rats and can be the least expensive. When using a snap trap to capture a rat, be sure to use a larger trap labeled for rat control.Are kangaroo rats protected?Endangered Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat to Keep Protection. LOS ANGELES— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to protect the imperiled and declining Stephens’ kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi) as an endangered species, as disclosed in a decision to be published tomorrow.