Chew cards are a great way to work out the best location for your backyard trap. This is especially helpful when you first start out trapping or if your trap hasn’t caught anything for a while.
Installing chew cards
Start by placing the cards in areas where you suspect rat activity, eg. near compost or rubbish bins. Nailing it to a nearby tree or fence (at a height of 50mm-100mm) will help keep it secure. We suggest leaving it out for around 5-7 nights.
Identifying bitemarks
Use the images below to identify which predator the chews belong to.
Rats
- Rats typically remove large parts or all of the baited portions of the card
Extra for experts: How to differentiate between an adult and a juvenile rat chew
Adult rat chews:
Juveline rat chews:
Mice
- Mouse chews are usually between the channels on one surface of the card