How do we keep pets safe from traps in the garden? If you’ve read this blog or watched our videos you’ve met Mittens, our beloved mouser / squirrel chaser / chicken protector. She eats rats whole…she is a nose-to-tail carnivore.
If Mittens were ever poisoned I don’t know what I’d do. So I offer this advice for anyone trying to trap a rat, kill a gopher, or eliminate other pests from the garden.
Safety Measures for Traps
No Poison – Ever – First and foremost, poison is not a solution. Prey animals like rats, mice, gophers, moles, and voles are food for other animals in the ecosystem. Owls, hawks, cats (both wild and domestic) and coyotes ingest these creatures, help reduce the population, and keep balance in the system. They will ingest the poisons we leave out for vermin and will also die from it. If your trap calls for poison, find another solution.
Timing is Everything – Set traps at sunset and spring (deactivate) them at sunrise to prevent trapping the wrong target. Birds, cats, and other creatures will investigate the traps during daylight hours and are more likely to die or be maimed in a trap that stays active during the day.
Here at Gardenerd, we set rat traps with peanut butter after sunset, and we prop an old broom handle by the door as a reminder to deactivate them (with the broom handle) in the morning. It’s also a reminder not to let Mittens out until all the traps are deactivated.
More Safety Options
Consider an Enclosure – If you aren’t available to set and release traps as mentioned above, snap trap enclosures are available on the interwebs. These enclosures house your snap traps and allow rats and mice to enter, but prevent curious children, birds, and cats from reaching in to investigate. Places like Wildlife Control Supplies or How To Pest have options. You can fashion your own from cardboard or wooden boxes if budget is a concern.
For gophers, check out our recent post about gopher barriers, and find a link to the favorite trap we use. Most traps for burrowing animals are underground, and poison isn’t necessary. Just a piece of bait, such as a baby carrot, lettuce leaf, or other tasty treat will lure them to the trap sufficiently.
Find more advice about how to set rat traps here.
Keeping pets safe, healthy and alive is paramount while you fight pests and vermin in your garden. Follow these guidelines and both you and your pets will be happy this fall.
Do you have a trick for keeping pets and kids safe without poisons? Share it in the comments below.
