Why this is always your first step: know your enemy
You don't see them often, but they're always nearby when you have poultry: rats, hedgehogs, stoats, ferrets. Most people set traps and use bait stations if feed, eggs, or – worse – birds go missing and if you're lucky, that solves the problem. But it's common for the losses to continue while the trap remains empty and the bait uneaten.
Talk to a pest controller and they'll tell you the first crucial step is to identify your enemy. There are several ways to do this, and it can pay to use more than one detection strategy as you're often dealing with multiple culprits, and they're all pretty crafty. A correct ID will save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.
1. The trail camera
These are designed for game hunters, but they'll also clearly identify anything that sets off their sensors, day or night. You can buy basic ones that take still shots in black and white or invest in a full-colour model that takes video.
Read more on page 56
2. Inkpads
You can identify a pest by its pawprints. You can buy tunnels that hold inkpads which don't smudge, so once a predator's paws are inked, they leave clear marks behind.
You can then compare it with a pawprint guide – Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research has an excellent free guide. Google ‘How to read prints from tracking tunnels' and it should be the first option that appears. It shows each type of pawprint and then real-life inkpads with an analysis of what they show.
3. Chewcards
You can also buy chewcards like the ones pictured above or make your own. You might already have seen teeth marks in your coop, fencing, or perhaps on fruit or vegetables in the garden. Chew cards make it easier to identify a particular predator or predators.
The ones you buy are often pre-loaded with something tantalising, or you can use a lure to encourage pests to bite.
For instructions on making your own cards, using them, and identifying teeth marks, google ‘chewcards for detecting animal pests' to find an excellent guide from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.