Uninvited guests of the crawling, flying or scurrying sort are not everyone's idea of good housemates. But what do you do with these brazen intruders? Poisons are too toxic to use safely inside your home. Snap traps can catch unwary pets or children. Glue traps (also known as glue boards) might seem like a safe solution—but, in fact, they are one of the cruelest.
What are glue traps?
Glue traps, also known as glue boards, are trays coated with an extremely sticky adhesive. Any animal that touches one is immediately trapped and immobilized—bodily stuck to the trap. Glue traps are a cheap and popular way to get rid of rodents, insects and sometimes snakes.
How do they work?
The glue that fills these traps is composed of mineral oils, resins and synthetic rubber. It is often treated with food flavoring that serves as an attractant for the animal the trap is intended to catch.
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| The HSUS |
| Glue traps are inhumane. This bat caught in a glue trap could have died from suffocation. |
What happens to animals caught in glue traps?
If the trap is small, a larger animal may be able to pull the trap off, though she may lose fur or skin in the process. A smaller animal has no means to escape. Larger glue traps (models more than two feet across are sold to catch snakes) can trap medium-sized animals, including pets.
It may take three to five days for an animal to die, perhaps even longer for a reptile. Some animals succumb to exhaustion, collapse face down in the glue and die of suffocation when the glue lodges in their nasal passages—a process that can take anywhere from three to 24 hours. Most often death comes from a combination of exhaustion, dehydration and starvation.
Are glue traps safe for people and pets?
Manufacturers claim that glue traps are non-toxic, but there are causes for concern:
- Urine and feces from animals caught in glue traps can be a health concern
- Handling a glue trap in which a live animal is stuck exposes a person to the risk of being bitten
- Pets can get stuck on glue traps
Can glue traps injure without killing an animal?
Animals suffer pain and stress and can harm or injure themselves trying to escape from glue traps. Some rodents have been seen biting through their own limbs in an attempt to free themselves. Panicked animals can end up covered in their own feces and urine.
Animals can be stuck anywhere from hours to days before being found, and have been known to cry loudly when the traps are collected.
Animals found and released from glue traps might not survive because of the intense stress, injuries or effects of the glue.
Can an animal escape from a glue trap?
If the trap is small, a larger animal might be able to pull the trap off, though the animal could lose fur or skin in the process. A smaller animal has no means to escape.
Are glue traps really so bad?
Glue traps are responsible for more suffering than virtually any other wildlife control product on the market. Most animals caught in glue traps suffer slow and agonizing deaths. Glue traps are inhumane.
Few users of glue traps can safely and humanely euthanize animals. Manufacturers generally suggest that traps be thrown in the trash, whether the animal is alive or dead. As a result, the animal continues to suffer and experience a slow death. In some cases, people will beat the animal to death with a shovel or stick.
Unlike many devices sold to trap wild animals, manufacturers don't claim the traps provide a quick death.
Who uses glue traps?
Glue traps are cheap and widely used to eliminate rodents, insects and sometimes snakes.
Who sells glue traps?
Glue traps in a variety of sizes can be purchased at grocery, home improvement and hardware stores, as well as over the Internet. Most major retailers sell them, including Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's and Kroger. Major companies that don't sell them include Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, most drug stores and most Supervalu stores.
Who makes glue traps?
Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's typically carry products made by Motomco (Tomcat brand products), J.T. Eaton (Stick-Em Brand) and Victor.
Should I use glue traps?
Glue traps are inhumane and we advise against using them.
Can glue traps ever be used humanely?
No. An animal will always suffer if caught in a glue board.
Are there any regulations governing the use of glue traps?
In the United States, there are no regulations. There also is very little consumer education and virtually nothing provided by either manufacturer or retailer to alert purchasers as to the concerns that exist with the use of these devices.
Are glue traps used in other countries?
In the United Kingdom, the use of glue traps is strictly regulated: only professional pest controllers may use them and only on rodents. They are not sold over-the-counter at retail stores. The traps must be checked at least every 24 hours and animals caught alive must be humanely killed.
In Australia, the state of Victoria has banned them, and in New Zealand, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry are working to address concerns with these traps.
Can other animals get caught in glue traps?
Glue traps don't discriminate. Any animal that is attracted by the bait or that can walk across the trap can become ensnared.
The glue used in these traps is composed of mineral oils, resins and synthetic rubber. Often it is treated with food flavoring to attract animals. The glue is extremely sticky, and it will adhere to any animal that comes in contact with it, whether that animal is the target or not. Even protected animals, such as migratory birds, can be at risk.
Cats
There are numerous reports of cats becoming stuck and requiring veterinary help, sometimes surgery, to remove the trap.
Snakes
One form of glue trap is marketed as a way to capture snakes, with the promise that vegetable oil can be used to free the snakes once they are removed from the site where they were trapped. It's very questionable that it will be possible to free a snake without injuring it.
Why are glue traps not a long-term solution?
Glue traps are widely used to kill rodents, yet will not eliminate rodent problems. Controlling rodent populations must focus on the removal of the cause and source.
What do I do if I find an animal stuck in a glue trap?
It's very difficult for an untrained individual to release an animal from a glue board without running the risk of inflicting further injuries, or possibly being injured themselves. Even if an animal appears unharmed, it could be injured in ways that aren't immediately visible, or it could need treatment for dehydration or extreme exhaustion.
In all cases, please treat an animal trapped on a glue board as an emergency and consult a trained professional. The animal should be safely contained and immediately transported to a local wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.
If you cannot immediately find a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian, this release method isn't guaranteed, but it has been tried successfully.
Supplies you will need:
- a pair of thick gloves
- a bottle of canola or other cooking oil (baby oil can also be used, though it is not as effective)
- a thick towel
Steps to releasing an animal from a glue board
Caution: Please attempt this only in the event that you cannot find a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian. Wild animals can be dangerous at any time when handled, but especially so when they are trapped and defending themselves. Please do not attempt this if you are not comfortable with the procedure described.
- Run hot water over the bottle for a couple of minutes until the oil in the bottle feels warm on your wrist, but is not hot enough to burn. It is not necessary to heat the oil if you do not have the capacity to do so.
- With your gloved hand, gently restrain the animal near the head with a towel. (Place the towel near, but not over, the animal's head.) Keep a firm but gentle grip on the animal.
- With your other hand, gently massage the heated oil into the animal's fur, feathers or skin at the point where contact is being made with the trap. It will take several minutes for the oil to start to soften the glue. Continue the massage until the animal becomes free from the trap. (This may take some time and a great deal of patience for both of you.)
- Once you've removed the trap, keep the animal in a warm, dark and quiet location until a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian is available. The animal should receive treatment for being "oiled," as oil affects an animal's ability to regulate its body temperature. If this is not possible, then a holding period until release conditions are appropriate is the next best step.
How You Can Help
Here are some ways you can help prevent the spread and use of glue traps:
- If your local hardware, home improvement, or grocery store sells (or uses) glue traps, inform the store manager or owner that these devices are inhumane and explain why
- If you find a glue trap advertised on a website, email the website manager and politely address humaneness concerns
- If your property manager/condo association has contracted for rodent control, ask what methods the contractor will use. Raise the debate within your community to replace inhumane methods with more humane ones.
Posted Sept. 17, 2008
