Best practices for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

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Ch 5: Step three: Do it - Lethal techniques

Other lethal traps

Mouse and rat snap-back traps. The familiar mouse trap is a form of body-gripping trap. And yes, people have "built a better mouse trap." Several, in fact (see the illustrations on the next page).

Your trapping strategy will vary depending on whether you're trapping mice, rats, or other small mammals. See the species accounts for mice and Norway rats in Appendix B for information about the number of traps to use and how to place them effectively.

If you're trapping mice or rats, you'll need to use many traps, so you may want a model that's easy to set. There are many options besides the traditional mouse trap, which can be cumbersome. Snap-back traps with expanded triggers, and the "clothespin" design are much easier to set than the traditional mouse trap. The Quick Kill Mouse Trap made by Victor has a lid over the bait cup. Only animals that are motivated to seek the bait will lift that lid—and that's what triggers the trap. This means that an animal can accidentally step on the lid without setting off the trap. There's another advantage to this design. The bait cup is located to position the mouse in the perfect strike position. So this trap is both more selective and more effective than the traditional mouse trap. It also has a safety catch and will not fire if it's picked up.

Mole traps, another form of body-gripping trap, come in several designs. Some spear the moles with a harpoon, others have scissor-like jaws. They are all set underground in the moles' tunnels. The key to successful mole trapping is to identify active tunnels. Look for dead grass or soft spots in the lawn. Prepare the site and set the trap according to the instructions given for the particular trap design. If there is no activity after a few days, move the trap. If moles are active near the trap, but you're not catching them, either add more traps, or switch to another type of trap.

Foothold traps can be used as lethal traps, as well. This is generally limited to a submersion set used to capture beaver or muskrat.

Glue boards are just what they sound like: a layer of long-lasting adhesive spread over a surface, usually cardboard or plastic. Small animals get stuck in the adhesive. Although some call the glue board a live trap, it's not often used that way. In fact, some biologists believe that you cannot remove the animal from the trap unharmed, because the oil that is used to loosen the glue may harm the animal. In practice, animals are frequently left to die on glue boards. Glue boards are not recommended as a general-use tool. They may be needed to deal with some severe infestations of mice or rats. Snap-back traps are often as effective as glue boards and are more humane, though setting them does take more effort. If you use glue boards, check them frequently and use a best practice to humanely kill the mice or rats.

Next Section (Advantages and disadvantages of lethal trapping)