Target predators: rats
We recommend watching this video from our friend Darren from Zealandia. He gives a step-by-step guide to setting a Victor Professional trap and instructions on using the tunnels. The only difference between a regular tunnel and the weka proof one is that the latter is slightly longer.
Darren’s top tips
- Before opening the tunnel give the trap a shake to disable the trap inside (if there is one inside).
- Bait your trap before you set it.
- Only hold the trap from the back (the part with the big red V).
- Use your thumbs to pull back the kill-bar to avoid accidents.
- If your trap is on unstable ground, set your trap to “firm” rather than “sensitive”.
- When putting your trap into the tunnel, place it in bait-end first.
- Slide in the trap until it’s just inside the tunnel.
- To remove predators from the trap, hold the trap over a bag or bin and pull up the kill bar so the pest drops out.
What should I use as bait?
Rats love peanut butter! So serve it up, and refresh it often.
Where should I put my rat trap?
If trapping around the home, place 2 – 3 traps (inside tunnels) on a flat surface near walls, compost, or under cover. If you’re not getting results, try a different spot.
If you’re trapping in the bush, then set your traps on lines 100m apart, with a trap every 50m (100m x 50m). We recommend putting a number on each trap to keep track of how many you have set, when and where.
How often should I check my traps?
To start with you will need to check your traps daily. When your catch rate goes down you can start checking every 2-3 weeks. The more rats in the area, the more checks you will need to do.
Download our quick trapping guide
We summarised all of this information into a one pager called ‘How to trap and kill rats‘ that you can print out.
Buy one now and get trapping!
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