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Goodnature A24 Rodent Trap

The Goodnature A24 is a gas-powered repeating rodent trap that is another tool to help manage house mice (Mus musculus) and rats such as the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). The Goodnature A24  was invented in New Zealand as part of a contest for tools useful for managing the invasive rodents that are devastating New Zealand’s native fauna (animals). So how does the Goodnature A24 work? Well, let’s take a look.

Description of the Goodnature A24

The Goodnature A24 gas-powered repeating rodent trap.
The Goodnature A24 gas-powered repeating rodent trap.

Like most traps, the Goodnature A24 has several components. The bait area, the trigger and the killing arm. Look at the image to your right. Focus on the area where the word, goodnature is written vertically. At the top, above the “g” you will see a round black cap. This is the bait area. The vertical section where the word goodnature occurs, contains the trigger and is where the striker bar will hit the rodent. The trap is designed so that as the mouse or rat stands up to get a taste of the bait, it will hit a thin bar, which triggers the striker bar. The striker bar is situated in the horizontal part of the trap where the A24 is written. The bar is powered by a carbon dioxide cannister which you can see at the lower right. Unfortunately, the cartridges are not the same size as those used in pellet guns.

Positives of the Goodnature A24

Here is the interesting part of the trap’s features. First, it is designed to kill the rodent instantly by crushing its head, which makes the trap far more humane than even the traditional striker bar snap trap. Second, the trap resets itself. So you can set the trap in a good location and it will kill up to 12 rodents, maybe more. A counter is available to tell you how many times the trap has fired between checks. Won’t the bodies of those rodents stink? They could, but if the trap is placed in the right area, scavengers will often clean up the rodents for you. Plus it is all poison free.

 

Negatives of the Goodnature A24

As great as this trap is, it does have a few negatives. First is the cost. The complete kit can cost around $250.00. That can buy a lot of rodent traps and cover the gas needed to go to the location to check them. The second concern is safety. Anyone who sticks their finger into the trap will regret it, if you catch my drift. The company has created a box (similar to a tamper-resistant rodenticide bait station) to reduce the likelihood of children or pets getting injured. Finally, the trap may not be legal to use in every state. I would strongly advise checking with your state’s division of fisheries and wildlife to determine if this trap is legal to use. Those in states that like to ban equipment that works, such as Washington and Massachusetts should be particularly concerned about legalities.

Bottom Line

Does the trap have value? Absolutely. I would suggest the trap for use in more rural areas where rodent presence is a constant concern but the client wants to avoid or reduce using toxicants. I interviewed the distributor of this trap for the U.S. and Canada. You can see that video here. Goodnature distributor interview.

 

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Painting Cage Traps

Have you ever thought of painting cage traps? If you answered, “No.” or if you are thinking, “Why would I want to expend the effort of painting cage traps.” Then let me provide a few reasons why you should consider painting your traps.

Reasons for Painting Cage Traps

  1. Painting helps preserve the traps against rust and decay. You probably already thought of this reason.
  2. Painting helps protect the trap against theft and trap molestation. The fact is lots of people hate trappers and trapping. A portion of the anti-trapping community will take the extra effort and steal the trap. Some will simply molest the trap by knocking it closed, (so it won’t catch anything and thus waste your time) or they will release an animal that happens to be trapped (and thus break the law and waste your time). Of course, you must use the right paint. I like to use flat black paint. Flat black paint lacks a shiny sheen so it doesn’t catch one’s attention as easily as a bright shiny metal trap can. If you set your traps in the shade, and you should, painting a cage trap with flat black paint, will go a long way in helping to hide the trap.
  3. Painting helps the trap’s capture rate. Okay, I can’t prove this. But I think that a dark trap that lacks the shininess of an unpainted trap will allow the animal to focus on your bait and lure. A shiny trap may distract or even frighten the animal. Perhaps it will remind them of the time they were captured in the homeowner’s unpainted trap and thus avoid it. I think you get the point.

Another tip is in the video. I hope you watch it and subscribe to my channel and to my podcast with Pest Geek.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Y Stick

The Y Stick

I had been fairly happy with using “y” sticks as holders for bait in my cage traps. They were cheap (free) and worked really well. But my honey moon was soon over when I started having some problems. Some times I would have to spend too much time searching for bait sticks. It seemed that some residents kept their property cleared of broken branches and trimmed their trees. It just didn’t look good raiding some bush for a usable “y” branch.  Sure I would stock up on them when I had the chance but they would sometimes break as from the jostling they got in the back of my truck. Traps moving in and out, bait containers being tossed inside would be too much for the dry sticks to handle. I needed another option.

PVC bait stick and y stick
PVC bait stick (left) and the Y bait stick (right)

The other problem with the “y” stick was that the two ends protruded above the cage. You might not consider that a big problem. It isn’t when the weather is warm and dry. But I live in New England. I often want to protect my bait and trigger area from snow and rain. The “y’ stick prevented me from laying stones or boards above this area. Doing so would only break the sticks or roll the angle of the stick into a bad angle making it too easy for an animal to misfire it. I needed another option.

In comes the PVC bait stick. I think I learned this from Rob Erickson but my memory could be wrong as there was another gentlemen in the Massachusetts and Connecticut area that also mentioned it. Anyway, the principle of the PVC bait stick is the same as the Y stick but with additional benefits. First, it is durable. Second, it disperses odor from the paste bait better. Finally, being white, it shows up better in low light conditions, which I think enhances the enticement for animals.

If you would like to create your own PVC bait stick, just watch the video below.

 

Want to learn more about baiting cage and box traps, take our 1 hour training course.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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The Safest Trap

What is the safest trap? Is there such a thing as the safest trap? Animal rights activists like to insinuate that cage and box traps, mistakenly called “live traps”, are safer than other traps, such as footholds or conibears. But is this true?

First, we have to answer the question, “Safer for whom?” I suspect the animal rights activists are referring to animals and then secondarily to humans. I have discussed animal welfare in my book, Being Kind to Animal Pests 2nd ed., so in this post, I want to focus on the safest trap for humans. In some ways, cage traps are safer than footholds and conibear-style traps for the user. Conibear traps can break fingers or worse depending on the size of the trap and where it strikes. Footholds can pinch fingers, and possibly do more harm depending again on the size and type of the foothold being used.

But I would like to point out that cage traps also have their problems. First, cage trapped wildlife become what is known as an “attractive nuisance.”   An attractive nuisance is a legal term meaning that a condition exists that can lure unsuspecting people, (like children) to danger. Consider how often when people see a trapped raccoon that they feel compelled to approach the trap. Some even feel the need to provide food, water or even take a selfie. All the while, not realizing that raccoons can reach through a cage about 6 inches. What happens when a person or child gets scratched?

Some may respond, “But risks of getting scratched can occur when animals are caught in foothold or conibear style traps.” That is certainly true. But most people using foothold and conibear traps have training and know the potential risks. Everything thinks they know how to use a cage trap.  But I want to point out another issue. Just like risk with traps often depends on size and type, the same is true for cage traps. Consider the Bailey Beaver Live Trap. This suitcase-style trap is used to capture beavers (Castor canadensis). It’s a great trap. When Massachusetts voters banned various traps and their uses in 1996, I was forced to use cage traps to capture beaver. My favorite trap was the Bailey Beaver Live Trap, sold by Tomahawk Live Trap (I have done business with Tomahawk but I am not making any commission discussing this trap). As great as the Bailey trap is, is it the safest trap? Watch the video and answer the question for yourself.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Wildman Products

Wildman Products is a relative newcomer to the trap manufacturing industry. Wildman Products is based in Philadelphia, PA. Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC took the opportunity to take a video of two of their products ably described by one of their employees. WCOs may wish to check out the company to see for themselves what it offers in trapping equipment for the professional wildlife control operator.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC (WCC) has not received any financial incentives to mention brand-name products in this blog post.

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