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What is the most humane way to kill pest rats and mice?
There are a range of different poisons and traps used in Australia for controlling rats and mice. The RSPCA is concerned that many of these methods are inhumane and involve a long slow and painful death. The following information provides advice on how to reduce the chances of mice or rats causing a problem in your house or surrounds, and where control is necessary, it outlines the most humane methods available.
The use of live traps is a popular choice for many people who do not like the idea of killing mice and rats but want to remove them from their home or property. However, the humaneness of live traps depends on how frequently the traps are checked, the design of the trap, and whether food, water or nesting material are provided to avoid starvation, dehydration or cold stress. Live traps must be designed to avoid injury during closure and when the animal is trapped inside. Check the trap mechanism and ensure that it will not catch the tail or limbs of the animal when it closes.
Live traps must be checked every morning and any trapped animals humanelly killed or released into a suitable location. Animals must not be left to die slowly in the trap. Unfortunately, the available evidence suggests that the survival rate of relocated animals is often very low - releasing animals into a new location is therefore not likely to be a more humane alternative to killing them.
A more humane and faster method than live trapping and killing is the use of a well-designed snap trap. These come in different sizes that can be used for either mice or rats. You need to choose a reliable and well-designed trap which ensures that the animal's head is fully inside the trap area when the trap is triggered and can be consistently set and reset. When designed and used properly, snap traps ensure a quick death to the mouse or rat and can be reused:
When setting the trap you should:
All traps must be checked every morning and trapped animals checked to ensure they are dead. If any animals are trapped and injured, they must be humanely killed (with a rapid, heavy blow to the head) and the trap should be discarded and replaced by another type of trap. It is important to use an effective and reliable snap trap that kills the animal instantly.
Where infestations are bad and you need to consider using methods for killing mice and rats, the RSPCA recommends that you use a method that ensures a quick and humane death. Many people use a rodent bait to kill unwanted pests. Often people choose this type of bait as the rodent goes off somewhere else to die and in most cases there is no body to have to deal with. These baits contain chemicals, called anticoagulants, which cause the rodent to die by slowly bleeding to death internally. This form of killing is not humane as it causes great suffering to the rodent which takes a long time to die. In addition, the poisoned body of the rodent can present a risk if it is eaten by other animals such as native birds.
Suggestions for mouse and rat proofing your home
Houses that are located close to bush or parkland or other open spaces are prone to mice infestations. In older buildings where there may be cracks or loose bricks, problems with mice and rats are also common. There are a number of things that you can do around the home to reduce the chances of mice and rats getting into your house and or sheds. Many of these tips are easy to do and don’t require expensive materials.
1. A detailed report on the humane control of rodents is available from the UK based Universities Federation for Animals Welfare (UFAW) website: www.ufaw.org.uk/rodent-welfare/rodent-welfare
2. Mason, G.M. & Littin, K.E. (2003) The humaneness of rodent pest control. Animal Welfare 12: 1-37
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