FAQs about pest animal control

Page updated 23 Aug 2016

What should I know if I join the programme?

• Read these FAQs and to read the official documentation - click here Rat Programme for Volunteers for Le Roys Bush area

• You must also sign a statement agreeing to the safety conditions as listed the last page of this document.

How does this programme differ from the Pest Free Kaipatiki Predator Blitz programme

For more information about Pest Free Kaipatiki, go to www.pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz

Over the coming months (early 2018 hopefully), the PFK programme will replace the Le Roys Bush programme.

How many bait blocks should I put in the bait station?

• We recommend that you start with a small number of bait blocks (say 2) and then check them after a few days to see if there are any rats in the area.

• If there are none, move the bait station to a new location.

• It is very important that when you are using the 1st generation bait in November and February that you keep the bait station full for 3 weeks. A rat needs to eat this bait many times, over successive night, to be killed. If they get half a dose it won't kill them.

• Bait blocks will go mouldy or can be eaten by slugs if left out too long - so don't put out more than you need.

• Some people put the bait blocks in small plastic bags if slugs are a problem.

Where should I put the bait stations?

• Rats tend to follow specific tracks. The trick is to identify where these tracks are.

• Our expert recommends that you place bait stations initially in a high activity location - such as a compost bin - where rats are likely to congregate.

  • If you check the bait regularly and find that no bait is being taken, move the station to another location

  • Rats tend to move indoors at the start of winter and back out after - see the notes below about winter and non-winter bait laying.

Keeping our family and pets safe from rat bait and other poisons?

• Keep bait in secure labelled containers (avoid using food containers which may confuse children)

• Use gloves when handling bait.

• Use secure bait stations.

• Dispose of used or partially use baits and dead rodents securely in your rubbish away from pets and children.

• Place traps where they are NOT accessible by children or pets.

• Teach your children (and neighbouring or visiting children) how to recognize the risks and avoid them.

• If using traps, read the instructions and place them where children and pets cannot access them.

We are advised that there have been no cases of pet or child poisoning using the methods recommended by Council for urban areas if precautions are taken.

There have been some cases of dogs roaming into controlled areas being poisoned by some pest poisons. The LRB/BtF programme is not using these methods.

It's winter - how can the LRB/BtF programme help me tackle rats in my roof and walls?

• As winter approaches, bait stations are best located in the roof space or on a route that the rats travel daily. You may need to move the bait station around.

• Ideally bait stations should be placed outside the house before the rats come in - this will reduce the risk of them dying in the walls or roof.

It's not yet winter - how can I tackle rats before they get in the roof and walls?

• Follow the guidelines as above but place the stations in safe locations outside in areas where rats are most likely to run - eg around compost or rubbish bins.

• We recommend that you label your locations with pink ribbon so that they are easy to find next time.

How is the 2016 Rat Blitz different from the old rat programme?

• The previous programme only covered the reserve, not private land.

• The Council has agreed to manage bait in the reserve bait stations, freeing up our volunteer time to work with our neighbours (you) to control rats on private land to support this.

• The Beyond the Fence team has collated a guide sheet on the new blitz approach - which uses "pulsing" in short bursts during the year.

• The type of bait is alternated to reduce the risk of "bait shyness" by the rats. The short bursts help to reduce the amount of toxins in the environment.

What types of bait are we using?

• We are using two bait types, which we switch through the year. This helps to avoid our rat population becoming immune to, or not killed by, poison. Immunity develops over decades and is more likely if rats are allowed to feed on one type poison throughout the year. They sort of adapt to it.

• The two bait types are really two “groups” of anticoagulant poison:

  • 1st Generation Baits

    • 1st generation poisons are lower dose and require the rat to eat the bait in several feeds, over many days, to kill them. It is therefore very important not to let the bait run out.

    • Towards summer we will be providing this type of bait: Diphacinone (Brand: Ratabate)

  • 2nd Generation Baits

    • These poisons are stronger, killing rats in one feed, or one higher dose.

    • Either side of winter we will provide this type of bait:

      • Brodifacoum (Brands: Pestoff)

• The best baiting strategy to kill rats is to alternate or "pulse" the use of 1st & 2nd generation poisons, as well as ensure bait is not available all the time.

• We use 2nd generation poison for a short time in early winter when rats are very hungry, repeated again after winter as they prepare to breed, followed by two blitzes of a 1st generation poison.

• This strategy ensures maximum effectiveness, whilst ensuring we are careful with toxin use.

What do the bait blocks look like? How do they differ?

• There are two basic sorts of blocks in use in this programme:

  • First Generation

  • Second Generation

• We will ensure your coordinator gives you the correct bait for each pulse

Can you buy your own bait and bait stations?

• The poison in our baits can potentially be bought by the public “over the counter” from shops e.g. hardware & rural supplies stores, supermarkets and on some mail order sites.

• If you are buying your own bait however you need to know the differences between 1st and 2nd generation anticoagulants, as well as the various trade names so you can use the 2nd generation bait (Brodifacoum – PestOff) in winter and the 1st generation bait (Diphacinone – RatAbate) for the other two blitzes.

How is this programme being organised?

• Beyond the Fence is a programme to engage everyone in this beautiful natural area to live alongside the native biodiversity in ways that doesn't harm these values.

• It's completely voluntary but our vision is to foster community members working together, getting to know each other and helping to protect the bush, wetland and all its inhabitants.

• We want to set this up as a sustainable programme with groups of neighbours working together so that many people are responsible for looking after our neighbourhood. .

• While we are all working together with a common sense of purpose, people can choose to take part in working bees or work when it suits them.

• Ask us about being a coordinator in your neighbourhood to help us share the load.

What is available; costs and benefits

If you join the Le Roys Bush/Beyond the Fence programme, we can help you with the following items

• Bait blocks:

  • • At present the bait blocks are free to programme participants in the Le Roys Bush SEA (Significant Ecological Area).

    • We cannot guarantee to always in future provide bait and other supplies in future, but will aim to do so at cost.

    • We can supply bait blocks at cost to people not adjacent to Le Roys Bush

    • Note: We will ask you to sign the terms and conditions for safe storage and use of the poison

• • Bait stations

    • Stations are loaned free for properties which adjoin Le Roys Bush reserve. If you move away or no longer wish to be part of the programme please return your bait station.

    • Bait stations are sold at cost for other properties - currently the cost is as follows:

    • Prices: Bait station with pins & key $19

    • pack of four 28g blocks $ 5

    • The bait stations hold bait blocks on rods in a secure container - that are unlikely to be accessed by pets or children.

    • Unlike bait pellets placed in plastic or metal trays, the rats are unlikely to spread the bait around the roof space.

    • The bait stations we have available are pretty reliable in avoiding these problems.

    • We can also supply Snap-E Rat Traps at cost that you can place in your bait stations when rat volumes are low (cost $6.50 Incl GST)

  • Other items you can ask for:

    • • plastic gloves (for bait handling) - free, or buy from supermarket

      • blue tape (to mark the bait locations) - free

      • small plastic bags (to deter slugs from eating bait) - free, or buy from supermarket

      • storage bucket - cost details to be advised

      • possum and stoat traps - on loan (or buy a Timms trap at $60 ($50 +GST plus 2 metal pins)

      • chew cards to monitor what rodents you have in your area ($2 for 3 - see Pest Monitoring

    • In future we also plan as part of the Pest Free Kaipatiki project to provide

      • chew cards to monitor what pests are in your area

• All information is free to view on the web (click here to view Rat control programme for Le Roys Bush community).

• We can show you how to open and load the bait station and answer your questions about bait station placement.

• Costs and Benefits:

• • It won't cost you much other than a bit of time to check your bait stations, top up the bait blocks and record the bait usage.

  • The benefits will be a reduction in rats and other pest plants and animals on and around your property

  • You are likely to know your neighbours better

  • Native birds are more likely to thrive in your garden and surrounding area.

And if I am not part of the LRB/BtF programme?

If you want to tackle your rats independently or are outside our area, here are some suggestions. The recommendations about safety should also be followed.

• • You could buy the rat baits available in hardware and other shops and follow the same “pulse” method described above if you have a secure bait station

  • Or you could buy bait stations from businesses - select ones, which like those we supply, are child and pet proof and don't allow the vermin to drag the bait away

    • Some people recommend the new Good Nature rat and possum traps: http://www.goodnature.co.nz/products/rat-stoat/ and http://www.goodnature.co.nz/products/possum/

    • We haven't had a full chance to test it yet. But if you try it, please let us know how you get on.

  • We make no comment about the relative effectiveness or safety of the baits available commercially in the shops - please do your own research

  • We, like Council, are very concerned that baits are placed in secure bait stations that are unlikely to be accessed by children or pets. We warmly recommend the use of bait stations and bait which can't be carried away by the rodents.

And how do I use the key to open the bait station?

Using the key can be tricky the first time you do it.

The main things to remember are:

• Wear gloves. This is for your own health and safety; PLUS it also helps to hide the human scent on the station which may deter rats.

Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AibMxJkfLqY

• You use two hands:

  • One to hold the bait station open as you open the first side

  • The other to lever the key in the slot and release the teeth

• Here's what you do:

  • Hold the station with the angled slots away from you and pressed against something so it can't slide away

  • Place the two prongs on the key into one pair of angled slots

  • Push the key away from the bait station

  • As the lid rises slightly, use your other hand to lift the lid

  • While you keep the lid slightly open, place the two prongs into the other pair of slots

  • Push the key away from the bait station

  • With the other hand, ease the lid up