Rodent baiting and trapping techniques Most farmers would have visited a bait station or a rat trap to find that no bait has been eaten or the trap remains set but the bait is gone.
Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC)
such as walnuts from the shed. The live
evaluation provides validation that the
catch can then be dispatched with an
trap has passed a testing process.
air rifle if you have one, or by carefully
Any trap that causes a rat to bounce
tipping it into a small sturdy sack and
A well-meaning farmer or lifestyle block owner with great intentions of making a difference to the ecosystem by ridding the property of rodents is easily discouraged by poor results.
around for several minutes while it dies
using blunt trauma.
is not humane. Even though rodents
Baits and lures for traps
There are ways to get better results from the rodent control tools available to us.
T-Rex and Victor Professional. Secondly, ensure the trap is placed
diet and the more aromatic your bait
Effective rodent control is not directly proportional to the cost of the device you purchase. Some expensive units may be very effective but a number of low cost traps or bait stations can be equally effective — if used properly.
correctly. A full-frontal strike across
is, the more attractive it will be. Make
the head between the ears or directly
sure that the bait is checked regularly,
behind the head will ensure that the
as these may be eaten by insects such
rodent dies quickly. Placing a trap
as weta, bush cockroaches or crickets
in a trap box will ensure that the rat
— or they may become mouldy and
approaches the trap from the front. Rats
unpalatable. Sometimes mice can
Use powerful traps Make sure that you purchase a robust trap that will kill rodents instantly. The power of the steel spring-action is vital. If you can trigger the trap on your fingernail without inflicting any pain on yourself, then you can assume that a similar result will occur on rodents.
approaching a trap from the side may
delicately eat the bait from a rat trap,
just be caught by a leg. The Tomcat
without triggering the pressure plate.
Tunnel (available instore July 2021)
There are a few artificial lures available
places the T-Rex trap in exactly the
and these are worth a try, especially if
correct position for a kill strike. In fact,
you can’t inspect your traps often.
Traps are supposed to cause instant death by blunt trauma – not a slow one via slow strangulation. National Animal
you can also try a live cage trap for
WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ
are pests, they do not deserve to die a prolonged and cruel death. Some tried and true brands are Snap E, Tom Cat,
Mix it up and try different baits. Peanut butter, bacon, cheese or some white bread with jam are all tried and proven baits. Rodents are partial to a varied
you get two traps placed in opposite directions in the lockable tunnel. If you are unsuccessful with kill traps, rodent control. You can bait these with whatever the rodents are feeding on,
Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © June 2021. All rights reserved.
For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer, or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Key Industries
THE FARMLANDER | 59
