I thought I would share techniques we have developed at a regional park contributing to eradication of possums from an endangered forest ecosystem and a significant reduction in rodent numbers.
Our practice is to place 2 traps and 1 Philproof bait station on and around a tree, in this case a puriri. We protect the bait in the FT and rat trap from mice attack by the nearby bait station (brodi or ditrac). The FT has a standard ramp under it, here probably a bit steeper than the desired 45*. Bait is connovation cinnamon blue paste enhanced with aniseed oil. For the flour haze we increased the amount of icing sugar in Cam Speedy’s mix from 500g to1KG and used the cheapest vanilla essence.
One key here is the rat box screwed into the tree and sitting above the FT. We have found this trap out catches ship rats 2 to 1 when compared with a DOC on the ground. We use Pics crunchy peanut butter as bait and our choice of trap, the Victor Professional Rat Trap. The only entrances for rats are 2 holes opposite each other at the end of the box.
A cable tie, secured at one end, is placed under the hole at the top to stop birds from entering. I understand birds are visual creatures and won’t push past the tie whereas a rat will.
I’ll post further photos soon of the developments done to the Philproof bait station together with an explanation on the thread.
Cheers,
