Types of traps, and where to get them

Target species	Cost	Skill level required	Pet and child safe?	Where to buy
Tunnel traps
Modified Victor Pro trap with tunnel
Stoat, Weasel, Rat	Low cost	Medium	Ok to use	Greater Wellington (Upper Hutt only)
Victor Pro trap with tunnel
Rats	Low cost	Medium	Ok to use	Zealandia Nga Manu Nature Reserve Akura Nursery and All Greater Wellington offices
BT200
Stoat, Weasel, Rat, Hedgehog	Low cost	Medium	Ok to use following precautions	Zealandia Nga Manu Nature Reserve Akura Nursery and All Greater Wellington offices
DOC250
Stoat, Weasel, Rat, Hedgehog, ferrets	High cost	Advanced	Ok to use (except with pet cats.)	Nga Manu Nature Reserve Akura Nursery and Greater Wellington (Upper Hutt and Masterton) offices
BT250
Stoat, Weasel, Rat, Hedgehog, ferrets	High cost	Advanced	Ok to use (except with pet cats.)	Nga Manu Nature Reserve Akura Nursery and Greater Wellington (Upper Hutt and Masterton) offices
Monster trap
Rats	Low cost	Low	Ok to use	Buy online or Email pest.animals@gw.govt.nz
Single set possum kill traps
Timms trap
Possums	Low cost	Low	Not suitable	Greater Wellington (Upper Hutt and Masterton) offices
Flipping Timmy Trap
Possums	Medium cost	Medium	Ok to use following precautions	Zealandia Nga Manu Nature Reserve Akura Nurery and All Greater Wellington offices
Possum Masters
Possums	Low cost	Medium	Ok to use following precautions	Greater Wellington (Upper Hutt and Masterton) offices
The Warrior
Possums	Low cost	Advanced/for rural trapping	Not safe for children, pets, or livestock	Buy online or Email pest.animals@gw.govt.nz
Auto-resetting traps
Goodnature A24
Rats, stoats, weasels, headgehogs, and mice	High cost	Very easy	Ok to use	Goodnature online shop and Predator free online shop
Goodnature A12
Possums	High cost	Very easy	Not safe	Goodnature online shop and Predator free online shop
NZ Auto Traps AT220
Possums and rats	High cost	Advanced/for rural trapping	Not safe	Buy online or Email pest.animals@gw.govt.nz

More information about trap options

Tunnel traps

Traps for small mammals are more effective when they are inside a tunnel. The pest animal enters the tunnel through a small entrance at one end and crosses a trigger plate to reach the bait. Their weight on the trigger plate releases the spring-loaded trap which kills them. The traps need to be cleared and reset each time they capture a pest. The tunnel keeps the trap away from children and pets. 

These are five of the tunnel traps available. For tips on how to use these traps, head to our tips ‘n’ tricks page.

Modified Victor Pro trap with tunnel

Trap inside a wooden tunnel.

 

 

 

 

Victor Pro trap with tunnel

Trap inside a wooden tunnel.

 

 

 

 

BT200

Trap inside a wooden tunnel, available in stainless steel or galvanised. Similar to the DOC200.

 

 

BT250

A trap similar to the DOC 250. A larger trap that will also capture ferrets. Needs a tool to set.

 

 

 

Monster trap

Has a trap similar to the Victor Pro trap inside a plastic case. 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for using tunnel traps:

• Buy a trap mechanism and build your own tunnel trap
• Upgrade to a stainless steel option for trapping in coastal areas
• Add a mouse trap behind the other trap, at the rear of the box
• See these extra tunnel trapping tips ‘n’ tricks for experts

Single set possum kill traps

Timms traps

This trap has a plastic shell with steel kill mechanism inside and is usually placed on the ground and secured with steel pegs, but can be fixed to a tree.

The possum puts its head through the opening on the front of the trap, bites and pulls on the bait, causing a spring-loaded metal bar to spring up, constricting the possum’s neck. Use fruit for bait if cats are present.

Flipping Timmy Trap

An optimised version of the Timms trap, with sturdier components. A quicker, easier and more versatile alternative, with a tree-mounted mechanism.

The possum puts its head through the opening on the front of the trap, bites and pulls on the bait, causing a spring-loaded metal bar to spring up, constricting the possum’s neck.

Possum Masters

These have a plastic shell with a nylon cord noose mechanism housed inside the casing and is fixed to a tree. When the possum takes the bait a noose contracts around its neck. 

Ok to use in areas with kids or pets, provided mounted at a safe height in a tree. Keep face clear of spring-loaded arm when set and while setting. Use fruit for bait if cats are present.

The Warrior

This trap is a sprung steel trap that can be fixed to a tree or fence. When the possum takes and pulls the bait the steel jaws of the trap clamps shut on its neck.

 

 

Tips for using these possum traps:

• Bait these traps with fresh fruit, peanut butter or extruded cereal bait.
• Change the bait every 2 to 3 days and reset the trap each time it captures a possum.
• If the trap is attached to a tree, add a flour lure from the ground to the trap wiped on the tree trunk. Mix in some icing sugar, jelly crystals, or aniseed, vanilla or almond essence to make this extra attractive

Auto-resetting traps

Goodnature A24 Rat & Stoat Trap

Kills 24 rats, stoats, weasels or mice - automatically resetting after each kill.

It works by firing a piston when the pest brushes against an internal trigger while trying to reach the long-life, non-toxic lure. The piston strikes the pest's head, killing it instantly. Find out more.

 

Goodnature A12 Possum Trap

Kills 12 possums - automatically resetting after each kill.

It works by firing a piston when the possum bites down and pulls on the "bite block" attached to a long-life, non-toxic lure. The piston strikes the possum's head, killing it instantly. Find out more.

NZ Auto Traps AT220 Possum and Rat trap

Self-resetting Kill Trap. Up to 100 cycles and 12 months between services (bait refill and battery change). Slow release non-toxin lure auto pump means lure always fresh. Light sensor deactivates trap during daylight and reactivates for night to improve safety for non-targets

Not safe for children. Place out of reach of dogs and stock. Cats generally show no interest, however mounting vertically will further reduce cat interaction risk. Keep hands outside trap shroud and handle with care

 Trap outlets

A number of locations in our region have recently started stocking a selection of traps for convenience. The prices at these locations may vary to cover a small transactional cost, however prices are kept as low as possible.

Zealandia

• 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington
• Open 9am-5pm Daily except Christmas Day

Nga Manu Nature reserve

• 74  Nga Manu reserve Road, Waikanae
• Traps only available for sale on Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm

Akura Nursery

• 152 Akura Road, Masterton
• Open Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm  (and Sat 8:30am - 12pm June to September)

Greater Wellington offices