Department of Economic Development

The glue mousetrap is a very common rodent control tool. However, inappropriately placed glue traps often capture and even injure or kill other small animals by mistake. The TCAPO recommends citizens to use cage traps in place of glue traps. Citizens who really need to use glue traps must place them in narrow passages that only rodents can pass through to avoid injuring other animals. Citizens can also check if animals are trapped every day.

Recently, the TCAPO has rescued many small animals captured by glue traps. In addition to squirrels, Formosan giant flying squirrels, and birds, even kittens cannot escape the glue trap. There is one thing in common in these glue mousetraps that capture other animals: they are placed outdoors. After severe struggling, glue is all over their bodies when they are found. As well as making an effort to rescue these small animals glued on the trap, rescuers also need to figure out how to remove the glue on them. Some easily frightened animals will die owing to severe stress response during the rescue. Due to their weaker skeletal structure, birds easily suffer from bone fractures caused by struggling. The TCAPO reminds everyone that when seeing small animals captured by glue mousetraps, one can put some flour on the animal’s body to prevent more glue from sticking on its body by struggling.

The TCAPO urges everyone that when rodent control is needed, the cage mousetrap is the safest tool because it injures animals less in the capturing process, unlike the glue mousetrap when it has captured animals, they can’t make a move and may get injured when they struggle. If it is really necessary to use a glue mousetrap, please use it indoors in small passages where rodents often appear and only rodents can pass through to prevent injuring other animals by accident and enhance the successful rate of capturing rodents. When discovering animals in need of rescue, please dial the 24-hour animal protection hotline 1959 to keep animals out of danger and build an animal-friendly city together.