Predator Control Q&A
Q1: What is pre-baiting?
Pre-baiting is a method that aims to minimise trap-shyness. Smear peanut butter or put other food lures on the trap and wooden trap boxes while having the trap unset for a week. Once the rats have gotten used to being around the trap and consuming the food, set the trap.
Q2: What should I do if I am not catching any rats?
Try putting the trap in another location or use other types of lure. You may also try to switch between traps and bait stations because different rats might be attracted to different devices.
Q3: What else can I use other than peanut butter if I want to catch rats?
Chocolate, seeds and nuts, mayonnaise and eggs are all effective lures for rats.
Q4: What food lure should I use for catching possums?
Use a piece of apple sprinkled with cinnamon, or a piece of citrus fruit skin. Also try to leave a trail of powdered sugar mixed with flour (in 1:1 ratio) leading to the possum trap.
Q5: Will the trap injure my dogs/cats?
The wooden trap box is designed to prevent injuries to non-target animals. The T-rex rat trap should be put at the back end (the end with the removal wire mesh door) of the box, therefore ensuring dogs/cats cannot reach the trap from the rat entrance.
Q6: Will my pets or children accidentally consume the toxic baits?
The metal pins inside the rodent bait station would hold the baits securely inside the bait station, as long as the bait station is locked. You must use baits in block form instead of pellet form, such that the baits can be held securely by the metal pins. Baits must be used only inside the bait station and stored in places where pets and children cannot reach. If any poisoning symptoms occurred, take your pet to the vet and children to the doctor immediately so that antidote can be administered.
Q7: Why is my food lure gone but the trap untriggered?
The food lure might be consumed by ants or mice. Move the trap to another location. You might also try natural ant repellents (e.g. mint, cinnamon), but do not use ant poison because you might kill the native ants. If you suspect there are mice, use chew cards or tracking tunnels to confirm, and use mouse traps or bait stations to control the mice.
Q8: Why shouldn’t I bait all-year-round?
We do not encourage baiting (the use of bait stations and toxic baits) outside of the predator pulses, because toxins can accumulate in the environment and we would like to minimise negative effects of baiting on the environment.
Q9: What if my cat has eaten poisoned rats? Will it poison the cat too?
Secondary poisoning risk is present but very low. A cat would have to consume a large quantity of poisoned rats in one single day to have an effect.
Q10: If dead rats/mice died inside my house after consuming the toxic baits, will it stink?
There is a possibility of smelling dead rats/mice if they nest inside your house. If you are worried about the risk, please use traps instead of bait stations.
