Recently one of our rehabilitators received a rather distressing call through the WILVOS 5441 6200 Hotline. It was about a butcher bird.
This poor bird had one of the sticky mouse trap strips attached to its wing. There was no way the bird could remove it by itself. The lady who found the bird did the right thing and was using a small amount of oil to gradually remove the strip a piece at a time. With the WILVOS carers’ help the strip was eventually removed and then the oil cleaned off. The bird was housed in a secure box overnight with food and water provided.
The next morning the bird flew off very strongly, and has since been back to revisit. This was one very lucky bird, thanks to a member of the public who rescued the bird from a slow death, and called WILVOS for help.
These glue traps, or sticky traps, are a very cruel method of catching mice and rats. They may die a slow death, stripping their skin off in their panic to escape or even chewing at their limbs to try to get off the adhesive. Please talk to any shops selling these traps and ask if they would consider removing them from their shelves. There are more humane ways to catch mice and rats.
Some years back I was brought a little feathertail glider that had climbed onto one of these traps. It was an awful job removing the tiny animal, whilst trying not to distress him too much. He even managed to sink his sharp teeth into my finger! Little skinks, wrens and many other animals come to grief on these glue traps.
Sometimes inventors can have a very short-sighted view of their product. Seemed a good idea at the time!
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au