humane trap has anyone seen any animals harmed

theanimallover · #1 (**permalink**) 19-05-2011, 08:06 PM

Years ago I had a humane rat trap, it worked fine, but unfortunately I lent it out -never to return.

Anyway, bought a new one off the internet and it looks dangerous! Not just to rats but to any other creature that got caught in it.

The trigger is in the middle of the cage. The ledge where you put the bait is about 6cm square and takes up the space 12-18cm in (total length of cage 35cm) . So a rat could get in and start eating at 12cm, then bang the door closes (very heavily sprung). This surely isn't big enough for a rat? Other wildlife would also get halfway in and the door would shut on their back/tails.

I just wondered if people had seen injuries with similar traps?

The one I had before had the bait at the very end of the trap meaning the animal had to crawl all the way in before it shut.

dampflippers · #2 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 10:00 AM

It sounds a bad design.
Could you put the bait at the end, and just rely on the rat walking over the trigger to set it off?

I would suggest you contact the seller or the manufacturer to point this out.

WillNicholls · #3 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 10:31 AM

This is the normal trapping design and is what is used in grey squirrel trapping, although on a larger scale it sounds.

I use them myself regularly and have never seen any injury. People have even caught badgers and pheasants on RARE occasions and they come to no harm. If you are worried about getting a large animal, put a stick across the entrance to restrict the entrance size. This counts for the larger traps though. The smaller ones will be a similar thing. Just block up the entrance.

What are you trying to catch?

Littlesparrow · #4 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 02:59 PM

The only problem I saw shown on a T.V program was when an otter was caught by mistake and it rolled the trap back into the water and drowned. The point they were making was that the traps have to be checked once a day, I think its the law.

Eyre · #5 (**permalink**) 26-05-2011, 12:11 AM

People using inhumane traps makes my blood boil

davecatt · #6 (**permalink**) 26-05-2011, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theanimallover

Years ago I had a humane rat trap, it worked fine, but unfortunately I lent it out -never to return.

Anyway, bought a new one off the internet and it looks dangerous! Not just to rats but to any other creature that got caught in it.

The trigger is in the middle of the cage. The ledge where you put the bait is about 6cm square and takes up the space 12-18cm in (total length of cage 35cm) . So a rat could get in and start eating at 12cm, then bang the door closes (very heavily sprung). This surely isn't big enough for a rat? Other wildlife would also get halfway in and the door would shut on their back/tails.

I just wondered if people had seen injuries with similar traps?

The one I had before had the bait at the very end of the trap meaning the animal had to crawl all the way in before it shut.

If you put the bait at the far end of the trap would a rat be able to get at it without triggering the bate plate?

If that dose not then you could try ultrasonic rat control.

Advanced Rat and Mouse repeller - Whole House £25.95
(Or a bigger trap)

Dave

gazzer · #7 (**permalink**) 26-05-2011, 06:36 AM

all live traps by law must be checked at least once a day between sunrise and sunset

theanimallover · #8 (**permalink**) 26-05-2011, 03:13 PM

Hi,
Well I bought another trap in the end. A humane one, but one with the trigger thing at the back end.

When I went back and read the review on Amazon, there were quite a few that had problems with the design of the trap. One caught a hedgehog which got stuck so bad it had to be cut out by Tiggywinkles (wildlife hospital).

I think I will complain about the design. I was talking to someone at a wildlife rescue centre who said that perhaps this kind of trap accounts for so many back-leg injuries on hedghogs.

witham · #9 (**permalink**) 14-06-2011, 06:14 PM

must get some new specs thought it said human trap until I reread it

theanimallover · #10 (**permalink**) 07-07-2011, 04:19 PM

Hello again.

I've just read over the answers on this, and think I may not have been clear.
I have used humane traps in the past that have worked fine, but this one, the one I am complaining about has the bait/trigger in the MIDDLE. Traps I have used before have the trigger right at the BACK allowing the animal to fully enter before the door goes down.

This trap is only 14" long, the trigger is about 6-7" in so an adult hedgehog, could easily get its body or leg trapped. When the trigger goes, the door comes down hard.

I volunteer at a hedgehog hospital, and many animals come in with broken back legs - I wondered if this type of trap could account for some of the injuries? I read on the product review (amazon) that someone did catch a hedgehog and had to have it cut out.

I'm trying to find out if anyone else has heard of or seen wildlife injured by one of these traps, and if anyone knows where I can complain. I've tried DEFRA, they said try Trading Standards, they took the details - but were more interested if it did what it said on the box - (which it doesn't as it says it doesn't harm wildlife)

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks,