Woman, 76, uses ikan bilis, duck bones & oyster sauce bait to trap 20 rats in 3 weeks at Chinatown block of flats

Residents at a block of flats in Chinatown have been dealing with a rat problem for nearly a year.

Having had enough, one resident took matters into her own hands by using her own recipe to make baits to trap the rodents.

She successfully trapped 20 rats in three weeks.

Ongoing rat infestation

According to Shin Min Daily News, residents of Block 32 New Market Road said a rat infestation had been ongoing since the end of 2025, causing concern over hygiene and safety.

A 76-year-old female resident, surnamed Xie (transliteration), told the Chinese-language newspaper that she has lived in the block for decades and rarely encountered rats despite a food centre being located downstairs.

However, rats began appearing along the corridors and gnawing on objects last year, she said.

According to her, she often sees rats running around when she leaves her home at about 4am or 5am.

Her home security camera also previously captured rats running along the gates, she added.

Homemade traps

To deal with the problem, Xie told Shin Min she bought glue traps and used fried anchovies (ikan bilis) and duck bones as bait, adding oyster sauce to attract the rats.

She said she usually sets up two or three traps at a time.

"After catching a rat, I wait for it to die before throwing it away," she said.

"I don't set out the traps every day, but I still catch quite a few. A few days ago, I set them out at 2am and caught two when I got up at 5am," she said.

She also attributed the rat problem to food being brought to the fourth-floor common area for gatherings on weekends and public holidays.

According to Xie, people have frequently been eating there over the past year and leaving rubbish behind, which she believes may have attracted the rats.

Another resident, who declined to be named, said rats have crawled into his home and he had to chase them out.

"There was no rat problem before. It only started recently, and I suspect it is related to people eating downstairs," he said.

He added that he now keeps his doors and windows tightly shut whenever he leaves home to prevent the rats from getting inside.

"If rats chew through electrical wires and cause a fire, the consequences would be unimaginable," he said.

Recreational area on the fourth floor

Shin Min found that part of the fourth floor had been converted into a recreational area, with exercise equipment installed there.

The area directly below the public hosing block is an open space, with notices placed on pillars reminding people not to urinate there or make excessive noise.

Rats also spotted at shops

Shop owners on the second floor said they have also frequently spotted signs of rats and have taken measures to prevent them from entering their premises.

One shop owner told Shin Min that he covered the gaps beneath several metal racks in his store months ago to prevent rats from using the hiding place to breed.

Another business owner said there used to be a restaurant on the second floor that had a serious rat problem.

The restaurant closed after undergoing renovations several years ago, and the rat situation subsequently improved, he said.

"There are still rats around. They usually come out at night and aren't very afraid of people. If someone gets close, they run quickly into the ditch," he said.

Pest control work conducted weekly

In response to queries from Shin Min, a spokesperson for the Jalan Besar Town Council said pest control work is carried out in the area every week.

The town council has also put up notices discouraging people from gathering in the open area on the fourth floor, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the matter has also been referred to the Singapore Police Force to address any possible illegal assembly or gatherings.

Police will increase patrols in the area.

The town council thanked residents for their feedback, adding that it would continue to monitor the situation:

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and work closely with relevant departments to improve the living environment for residents."