Ready to trap in your backyard or keen to find out more? Below we share some of the basics to become a great trapper.
1. Get a trap
We are fortunate there are 58 community trapping groups creating a predator free Wellington – that’s one for every suburb and most of the reserves in between! Get in touch with your local group to receive a trap in a wooden tunnel to set and monitor.
2. Find a good spot for your trap
Think like a rat! Choose a location that a rat or mouse is likely to go and feel safe to stop. They don’t normally like wide open spaces and tend to run close to walls, plants and fences – so those are good places to put your trap.
If you don’t have a wall or fence that works, or you’re not catching much, think about where in your garden the rats and mice might hang out.
Rodents like places with food and water. If you have a compost heap or fruit trees, rats will probably spend time there. Another good place is beside a waterway (if you have one) as rats and mice tend to run alongside streams and creeks.
Make sure the trap box is on firm, solid ground so it doesn’t move when a rat enters. Rats are unlikely to enter a wobbly tunnel.
Top tips for trap placement:
- Rats prefer cover rather than being out in the open
- They travel along wall and fence lines
- They like the safety of thick, matted vegetation
- Rats use trees as on-ramps to the canopy motorway. A trap screwed onto a fence or a branch can be great
- think like a rat!
3. Lure them in
Choosing the right bait is hotly debated and fiercely competitive! Most people swear by peanut butter, but researchers at Victoria University of Wellington found wild rats prefer cheese, milk chocolate, Nutella and walnuts. It’s best to try different lures and rats generally eat almost anything. Tell your local predator free group what works for you so we can monitor the results.
Bait your trap and consider offering a bit of ‘free’ bait at the front of the tunnel – this encourages rats inside the box. The attractive scent of food and other animals will hopefully lead to more catches.
4. Set the trap
Practice setting the trap and be careful with your fingers! Check out this useful video from Predator Free Miramar. Don’t forget to secure the trapping tunnel once you’ve set your trap. Predator Free New Zealand also has a huge library of resources, including how to set each trap available in New Zealand.
5. Make it irresistable
Scuff the dirt around the front of your tunnel. This brings up good smells and makes it seem like other rats have been digging. You can also put branches on the ground that direct rodents toward your tunnel.
6. Check your trap frequently
Check your trap every two or three days when you start to get an idea of what’s around your backyard. Be patient as it takes time for rodents to feel comfortable entering the tunnel. Re-bait your trap each week to keep it smelling great. Fold this into an existing routine, like putting out your recycling. If you have no results after a month, consider moving your trap.
7. Dispose of the dead rodents
We recommend composting them, burying them in the garden or putting them in the rubbish.