Hi Janet,

Thanks for your inquiry! There are several things to consider with regards to your question, and I will try to cover them all here. You are always welcome to call us for more information if you’d like (800-PEST-ZAP).

Although unlikely, it is possible that a bird could get into the Raticator and receive a fatal shock. There are a few things you can do to minimize this risk:

1) Bait Strategy – You are on the right track using Dog food for bait (Please make sure to place the bait inside a plastic bottle cap instead of spreading directly on the metal plates). This will not attract most types of birds, but there are some omnivorous birds (such as blue jays) that may still try to get to a meat-based bait. You can also try LARGE nuts, such as Brazilian nuts, which would be attractive to rodents but not smaller birds. If you are confident that you are dealing with Rats and not Mice, we also recommend “pre-baiting” the trap. This means placing the bait and leaving the trap powered OFF until the rodents have gotten used to going inside for a free meal. Once they have left their scent inside the trap, other rodents will be much less cautious entering the device, and you will find you have a higher success rate when you turn on the unit. You can also try turning the unit on only overnight, when birds are less likely to be feeding.
2) Placement – Please remember that Raticators are NOT weather-proof. They should be placed in a protected area away from water (and direct sunlight if possible). There are some things you can do to protect the Raticator from the elements if this is a concern, including placing the device inside a plastic shoebox-sized container with a lid and cutting a hole large enough for a rodent in it. Please call us if you would like tips on this. Placing the trap in an area that is less accessible to birds will also help (Rats don’t mind tight, dark spaces. Birds tend to avoid them).
3) Food Scattering – As you mentioned in your original question, birds have a tendency to scatter their food all over the ground. One way to encourage the Rats to go after the bait in the Raticator is to try to control this spillage. If you add less seed to the bird feeders and refill them more often, the birds will take to eating the scattered seed and grain that has spilled on the ground, and there will be less food for the rodents to scavenge. I understand this may be difficult to control, but it may help.

Finally, birds are bi-peds instead of quadra-peds, and have a much higher chance of surviving a shock, should they trigger the trap. If you find that the trap is flashing as if activated, but there is no animal inside, this may be the case. They are also more likely to get zapped by our MAX model than our PLUS model, because of the Infrared technology built into the MAX. If you choose to use nuts as bait, you are also likely to catch ground squirrels and/or chipmunks in the trap – which may or may not be desirable for you.

I sincerely hope this helps! There is no way to guarantee that you won’t occasionally catch an animal you did not intend to, as with any animal trap, but these tips should help to minimize that risk.

Best Regards,

Christopher Dolin
COO, A Trap USA
800-PEST-ZAP

Thanks Donna, so glad we could help! Please let us know if you ever have any questions or trouble.

Christopher Dolin
COO, A Trap USA
800-PEST-ZAP