Effects of tamper-resistant bait boxes on bait uptake by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berk.)

Buckle, A. P. and Prescott, C. V. (2011) Effects of tamper-resistant bait boxes on bait uptake by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berk.). International Journal of Pest Management, 57 (1). pp. 77-83. ISSN 0967-0874 doi: 10.1080/09670874.2010.537793

Abstract/Summary

We compared the quantity of wheat bait consumed by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from: (i) wooden bait trays, made as safe as possible from non-target animals using materials available at trial sites, and (ii) three different, proprietary tamper-resistant rat bait boxes. A balanced Latin square experimental design was used to overcome operational biases that occur when baits of different types are applied simultaneously at the same sites. The consumption of bait from the four different types of bait placement differed significantly and accounted for more than 76% of the total variation. The amount of bait eaten by rats from the bait trays was approximately eight times greater than the quantity eaten from the tamper-resistant bait boxes. The three bait box designs appeared to deter bait consumption by rats to a similar extent. Tamper-resistant bait boxes are essential tools in the application of rodenticides in many circumstances but their use should not be mandatory when it is possible to make baits safe from non-target animals by other means.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/16943
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Uncontrolled Keywords	tamper-resistant bait box; Norway rat; Rattus norvegicus; bait consumption; balanced Latin square
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
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