Practical Tips & Guides

Looking for practical ways to help nature around Tamahere? This page brings together useful local guides, troubleshooting advice and seasonal tips on predator control, native planting and biodiversity.

Just picked up a T-Rex rat trap? T-Rex trapping tips →

For broader lifestyle-block advice, see Predator Free NZ’s lifestyle block predator-control guide.

Not sure where to start? Visit Getting Started.

Already trapping and looking to improve your setup? Visit Already Trapping.

Still unsure? Contact Us for practical local advice.

Predator Control Tips

  • three rat trap tunnel boxes on the ground

    Winter Rat Control

    Seeing more rats and mice this winter? Winter is one of the best times to get on top of rodent numbers before spring nesting season begins.

    Read: Winter Rat Control

  • Three Yellow Flipping Timmy Possum Traps on a storage shelf

    Trap & Bait Information

    Looking for information on traps, bait stations, or getting started with predator control?

    Visit our Trap & Bait Information page for practical advice and local resources.

  • Nighttime outdoor scene from a monitoring trail camera with dense trees and bush, a possum trap mounted on a tree, and a digital clock overlay showing temperature of 9°C (48°F) and the date and time as July 1, 2024, 8:28 PM.

    Trap-Shy Possums

    Possums walking straight past your traps? You're not alone. Some possums become surprisingly trap shy, but a few small changes to trap placement & bait can make all the difference.

    Read: When Possums Won’t Take the Bait

  • Ferret lying on ground beside a boot

    Ferrets in Tamahere

    Ferrets are serious predators and occasional local captures show why early reporting matters. Knowing where they’re seen helps us target trapping quickly.

    Read: Ferrets in Tamahere

  • A live AT220 trap attached to a tree trunk, intended for capturing small pest animals, with a metal wire cage and a wooden mounting board.

    Getting the Most Out of Your AT220 Trap

    Tips on getting the best performance from your self-resetting trap.

    Read: Getting the Most Out of Your AT220 Trap

  • A white plastic bait box mounted on a tree trunk outdoors, with moss and fallen leaves on the ground.

    Rat Control: The Art of Bait Pulsing

    A simple technique that can improve rat control and reduce waste. Learn when and how to pulse bait for the best results.

    Read: Pulse Baiting

Habitat & Biodiversity

  • Kererū feeding in a fruiting loquat tree.

    Planting for Kererū

    Want to see more kererū in your garden? Planting a range of food plants can help provide fruit, flowers and foliage at different times of year.

    Read: What to plant for kererū

  • Professor Bruce Clarkson answering questions and sharing lessons from decades of research into native ecosystem reconstruction.

    Rebuilding Nature in Tamahere

    What makes native planting different from simply adding more green space? Practical ideas for gardens and gullies, from getting started to what comes next as plantings mature.

    Read: Prof Clarkson’s expert planting advice

Monitoring & Outcomes

  • Icon of two stylized birds in black, white, and red background

    Track Your Traps with Trap.NZ

    Trap.NZ is a free online tool for recording traps, catches and biodiversity outcomes. It helps you keep track of your efforts and helps us understand predator control across Tamahere.

    Join our Trap.nz project

  • Close-up of a fly on a textured surface with informational text overlay about a predator-free tamahere community talk.

    Monitoring & Outcomes

    Trap catches, pest sightings, bird activity, bat monitoring and tools like eDNA all help us understand what’s changing in Tamahere’s gullies and streams. Our May 2024 eDNA talk explored how water samples can reveal which species are present.

    Read: eDNA Insights

Already doing predator control?


Whether you use Trap.NZ, keep records on paper, use bait stations, or simply check a few traps around the garden, tell us what’s happening at your place.

Tell us what you’re doing