Why is there blood around the animal my trap killed?
It can be distressing to see blood around a body and it’s natural to be concerned for how humane this kill might be.
It’s important to understand how the trap produces the humane kill. The pest climbs into the trap and touches the trigger, which causes the striker to fire with great impact to the head/neck of the animal.
It is common for there to be a little blood just around the head, or sometimes none. Occasionally there may be a bit more, and in some cases we have seen a lot of blood if the rodent has previously eaten anticoagulant bait (like a toxin).
Sometimes you’ll find that the dead animals were some way from the trap. Once they have been struck and rendered irreversibly unconscious (no palpebral reflex) there can still be involuntary spasms which can cause them to shift away from the trap entrance. They can also be dragged when scavenged, causing them to be left further from the trap.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our support team if you have any concerns about your trap.