Apparatus for holding bait including a housing part that can be inserted into a manhole, in particular a sewer manhole or a cable duct manhole, at least one bait platform disposed in the housing part and delimiting at least one passage opening through a rodent can reach a bait disposed on the bait platform and/or a bait held on at least one bait-holding device disposed in the housing part, at least one closing body, which is mounted so that it can be moved relative to the bait platform, wherein the closing body in an open position is moved away from the bait platform, such that the at least one passage opening delimited on the bait-platform side is exposed, and in a closed position is moved toward the bait platform, such that the at least one passage opening delimited on the bait-platform side is closed.