There is a possibility of catching non-target animals in live-catch rodent traps. Provided these are unharmed and it is not illegal to do so, they can be safely released. If they are injured however, they will need to be humanely killed and you will need to make preparations for this in advance. After reading our detailed information on moles you may feel you can manage or tolerate the presence of moles rather than needing to remove them. It can be very difficult for a non-professional to capture moles, so if you have moles that you feel need to be removed, find a professional mole catcher. “Pests” or wild animals in conflict with humans? First identify points where rats or mice are likely to be entering buildings or animal housing, or accessing resources - look for holes, runs, droppings, damage, footprints or other signs.

N.B. This advice does not relate to multi-catch mouse live traps. The welfare impact of such traps has not been determined and so at this time we would not recommend their use. PBT – Recognised Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) (or vPvB): comes from an entry in the Candidate list. Potential PBT: is shown for substances under assessment, and comes from an entry in the PBT assessment list. Broad agreement: comes from industry data where a majority of data submitters agree the substance is PBT. Minority position: comes from industry data where a minority of data submitters indicate the substance is PBT. More information about persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances here. Access to this chemical is restricted in WA. It is a Schedule 6 poison and a restricted chemical product and can only be supplied to or used by an authorised person (NSW Department of primary industries: Pesticides used in the management of vertebrate pests). Pest Management Alliance. 2017. Code of Best Practice: Humane use of Rodent Glue Boards. Pest Management Alliance, UK. https://www.pmalliance.org.uk/codes-of-best-practice/. Lethal overdose of appropriate gaseous or injectable anaesthetic (this technology is not available for general use)Hazard statements were adapted to improve readability and may not correspond textually to the hazard statements codes description in the European Union Specific Hazard Statements (EUH) or the UN Global Harmonised System (GHS). Remove access to food – get rid of whatever they are eating or prevent their access to it (e.g. by rat-proofing buildings). Change feeder designs, feeder positions, and feeding regimes so that the birds/animals you want to feed can access the food but rats cannot or are more exposed to predation. The purpose of the information provided under this section is to highlight the substance hazardousness in a readable format. It does not represent a new labelling, classification or hazard statement, neither reflect other factors that affect the susceptibility of the effects described, such as duration of exposure or substance concentration (e.g. in case of consumer and professional uses). Other relevant information includes the following:

Gorman, M, and A Lamb. 1994. An investigation into the efficacy of mechanical mole scarers, Animal Welfare, 3: 3-12. Poisons should only be used as a very last resort where non-toxic and less-toxic methods have been deployed and a significant rodent problem still exists and is a threat to human health. For rats it’s important to identify areas of activity; faeces are usually a good indicator. Grain or Paste can be placed down burrows. Bait stations can be located along the runs between burrows and likely feeding points. Designed to Kill mice almost instantly and have total control in 1-3 days, unlike your average anticoagulant of 7-10 days.

Key datasets

Alphachloralose is compatible with integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Alphachloralose is expected to fit in well with an overall IPM program that may include a combination of biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools to minimize health and environmental risks. Usually more powerful than traditional baits, they are mixed with liquid poisons to ensure every bite contains the active ingredient. They are particularly useful where rodents have refused to take other bait due to their attractive nature.

Research has shown that mechanical performance varies widely among rat snap traps, and among mouse snap traps, indicating that welfare performance is also likely to vary and that some traps may not cause unconsciousness rapidly (Baker et al. 2012). Rodents, caught in snap traps, and which are not rapidly killed are likely to suffer significantly before they die. However, the NoCheRo Working Group have developed guidance for identifying high welfare snap traps (Schlötelburg et al. 2021) and several rat and mouse traps have been shown to meet these standards - a list of these traps is shown below. If a lactating female rat or mouse is captured or killed, her dependent young will be left alone to die of starvation or dehydration. Rats and mice can breed all year round so this is a continuous risk. If breeding female rodents are captured or killed, the right thing to do is to try to find and humanely kill any young in the nest. Each rule describes the nature or value of processing that must be carried out on any non-originating materials so that the final product meets the origin requirements. Cholecalciferol poisoned rodents are likely to experience severe to extreme welfare impacts for days before dying and they most likely remain conscious throughout. Cholecalciferol is one of the least humane methods of rodent control and should therefore only be used as a last resort. Poisoned rodents are likely to experience softening of the bones (osteomalacia) as calcium is extracted into the bloodstream. Kidney failure will lead to build-up of urea crystals in joints. Vomiting, haemorrhaging, abnormal breathing, tremors and coma may occur. Behaviour is compromised, making poisoned animals more vulnerable to predation. Animals will experience pain, breathlessness, nausea, lethargy, weakness, listlessness, anxiety and fear ( Baker et al. 2022). Cholecalciferol poisoned rodents die from acute heart or renal failure. The UK’s Pesticide Safety Directorate described this method as ‘markedly inhumane’ as a result (Pesticides Safety Directorate) 1997). Poisoned rats and mice found still alive should be humanely killed immediately and disposed of safely. Cholecalciferol may provide an alternative to anticoagulants when anticoagulant resistance is suspected in the target populationEncourage natural predators – erect Barn Owl and Tawny Owl nestboxes– high up but as close as possible to the problem rodents. Be tolerant of Foxes – they also eat rats. Keep rat burrow areas clear of vegetation. It is important to think carefully about the whole process of managing wild animals before taking action, including what you will do if things do not go to plan. For example, are you confident about what you will do with a live caught rat or mole? Will you be able to humanely kill a rodent caught on a glue trap or unexpectedly still alive when caught in a lethal snap trap? Would you know what to do if a non-target animal is caught by a trap? If you are not sure then seek advice from a trained and qualified pest controller to manage the problem. Failure to treat an animal humanely once you have captured it may be a criminal offence. To our knowledge, the only country that regulates snap traps is Sweden and apparently this is largely ignored Cellulose pellets are available for killing rodents in the USA, but no cellulose products are authorised for use in the EU or UK. Ingestion of cellulose pellets disrupts the digestive system of a rodent resulting in lethal dehydration. This method is likely to have severe to extreme impacts on rodents welfare as they die over a number of days ( Baker et al. 2022). If no EU harmonised classification and labelling exists and the substance was not registered under REACH, information derived from classification and labelling (C&L) notifications to ECHA under CLP Regulation is displayed under this section. These notifications can be provided by manufacturers, importers and downstream users. ECHA maintains the C&L Inventory, but does not review or verify the accuracy of the information.