Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao
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  4. Trapping FAQs

Trapping FAQs

an opportunity to answer frequent questions. Could even number them so you can answer “Look at our FAQs #7”

#1: Are your traps safe for pet cats and dogs?

[add photo] Urban Ark recommends setting rat traps in protective safety tunnels which allow rats to enter but prevent cat and dog paws and kids’ fingers from getting at the trap. These also ensure the rat approaches the trap at the correct angle to increase the chances of a clean and humane kills.

  • Be sure to place the trap a long way from the rat’s entrance to the tunnel.
  • Bait with things that aren’t going to be of much interest to most cats and days, such as peanut butter, mayonnaise etc.
  • Place the trap at the back end of the box so that the distance from the rat entry hole is maximised.
  • Place the box in a part of the property that pets cannot access.
  • Normally we advise placing boxes parallel to walls or fences, because rats tend to follow these. You could instead turn the box 90 degrees so that the entrance hole is a around 10cm from the wall and facing it. This will allow a rat to enter but reduce the chance of a pet accessing the front of the box.
  • Get creative and surround the box with a further layer of protection e.g inside an unused compost bin, inside a garden shed that pets can’t access but rodents can, etc.

#2: xxxx

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© Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao 2025

Photo credits: Bartek Wyptch (grey warbler)

Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao logo: Glenn Jones

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