20 December 2023

Case Study - Sam from Wellington, New Zealand

Sam’s trapping philosophy is simple - get the rat before it makes it into his house. While he’d had good success with backyard bait stations, every time the rat population spiked they’d clear out the station in a week, leaving his property unprotected. His search for a trap he could set and forget led him to our Smart Trap Kit. Six kills in, here’s how Sam’s keeping his property protected from rats 24/7.
Case Study - Sam from Wellington, New Zealand

6 kills - 24 days for first kill - 1x Smart Trap Kit

“I was looking for a trap that would notify me of activity, and be a backup trap that lasts longer.”

What kind of property are you trapping on?

We’re trapping on a residential property in Wellington that’s near town and backs onto bush.

What were those first signs you had a rat problem?

When I first moved house a few years ago there were lots of signs, but now I'm mostly monitoring the outdoor traps for activity, to get them before they can make it to the house.

What other pest control methods did you try before using a Goodnature trap?

We used bait stations and had a few attempts with the Nooski traps.

What was your experience with those other pest control methods?

The bait stations are very effective, but as the outdoor rat population goes in cycles, they can go from very busy, to having no activity for months.

“Those quiet seasons can make you complacent about remembering to fill up the bait stations, then when rat activity spikes again they get cleaned out in only a week, leaving the house unprotected.“

I also noticed when the bait stations are outside bugs and snails like to eat the bait, which could then affect the birds etc that eat the snails and bugs. I never had any luck with the Nooski traps, I think the rodents always went for the bait instead.

What made you decide to try a Goodnature trap?

I was looking for a trap that would notify me of activity, and be a backup trap that lasts longer.

Where is your Goodnature trap located?

Our trap is near our worm farm as rodents seem to be attracted to worm farms and compost bins.

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I've had it in the attic briefly where we want a second one eventually as a backup - but I moved it outside where the rodents are so we can see it working.

What’s your Goodnature trapping experience been like so far?

“The trap arrived quickly and safely and was easy to set up.”

The only thing I'd really like and haven't figured out yet is a way to trigger the trap to sync without touching it - for the garden trap this isn't needed, but when it is in the attic it would be very handy so I don't have to go in the ceiling.

What other pest control solutions are you using alongside Goodnature?

I find bait easy and low mess (apart from finding a dead rat in a station once!), they always seem to go for the bait first so it's tempting to use. I'm using blocks that slide onto a metal skewer so they can't be taken away.

What tips do you have for other Goodnature trappers?

  • Use more than one kind of trap - a rodent that is shy of one trap might get caught by another.

  • Don't get complacent about checking your traps, rodents can appear in numbers quickly.

  • Have plenty of traps around your section to try and get rodents outside, before they can make it to your house and make a mess.

I check all the traps at once and use gloves when doing this - gloves are a good idea when using poison, but may also have the benefit of keeping your scent off the traps.

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