Rat traps for use on boats

[Dave Houston]

This request from Matt Hickson from the Bay of Plenty

I have a request for information on which kill trap for rats would be most suitable for use on charter vessels. We have a few concessionaires who wish to reduce the buffer distance they have to keep from a couple of our island nature reserves and one of the ideas they have come up with is permanent installation of rat traps on board their boats (as rats jumping ship is one of our major concerns).  So does anyone out there know which trap (or traps) would survive the best being permanently mounted in a charter boat? The main issues raised by the boat operators with traps they have tried in the past is corrosion and a tendency to go off when ever the boat operates in a moderate sea.     

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

Regards

Matt Hickson

Any bright ideas?

[Andrew Macdonald]

Where would they be installed on the boat? On the deck or in the cabin? What size are the charter vessels in question?

[Steptoe]

Would not traps that are triggered be unsuitable for boats...vibration /swells

Unless they where of the crayfish pot type used for mice, but larger?

I would be thinking more along the lines of pioson blocks, mounted to a base...and distrubited around the boat above and below decks.

The disavantage would be if a rat died in the bilges, and smell
But hey getting close to restricted shorelines doesnt always come free of problems.

[Matt Hickson]

Hi all,

I had a really broad range of replies with a lot of good ideas so thanks to all those that replied to me.

There were two traps that seemed to be very popular in the suggestions received; these were the ka mate trap and the stainless steel version of the DOC 200 trap. There was some feedback that suggested that the DOC 200 may still go off in moderate sea conditions but apparently this can be mitigated by locking the trap out while travelling in those conditions and unlocking it when conditions are calmer. Apparently both these traps work and last well in salt laden environments.
There was also a reasonable amount of support for the use of glue board’s although their use is currently under review and there was some uncertainty expressed as to how long these may remain available.   

There was some suggestion that using bait stations would be an option however I understand the boat operators are not keen on poison as it may not be a good look for the passengers.

I have passed on the suggestion that they investigate putting in a perimeter of traps round the wharf and loading area to reduce the number of rodents that may try to access the boats in the first place. As these traps would supply an additional level of protection and not be subjected to the rigors associated with boat mounting.

[Steptoe]

There was some suggestion that using bait stations would be an option however I understand the boat operators are not keen on poison as it may not be a good look for the passengers.

Bottom line is ..if they want to operate..make tourist money...then its not an issue...
I bit of very simple and cheap PR is all it takes...
Small signs as a requirement to approach or land on a clean island...
Then the guides do a tourist splurge about the wild life...how DoC has cleaned out the vermin, and that as a precaustionary thing baits ar a requirement....then add...that most large boats have a rat/mouse population and since these requiements the punters mind can be laid at rest the there boats dont have any

And their arguement aboiut baits...the excact same arguement can be made for having traps laid around to....

I can be real out spoken about some things DoC does but this...
No way...too many long hard hrs..years  have gone into cleaning up..
And  have tourist boat use that as an arguement just doesnt wash with me.

[Andy Hutcheon]

This has probably already been considered, but how confident are you that traps on boats really address the risk of rats jumping ship? Are the traps to control a population of rats that live on the boats (I suspect not - vermin aren't good business), or to catch opportunistic stowaways? What's the probability of a rat entering (or not) a trap during perhaps a few hours on a boat crowded with people? Traps would be doing something, but would they be doing enough to manage the risk to acceptable levels?