How does a Goodnature trap work?

Our traps are a little different from other pest traps, as they use CO₂ gas which allows the trap to automatically reset.

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It all starts with a sniff

One of the most critical steps in the entire trapping process is providing a paste which your target animal loves the smell of. If the paste inside your trap doesn't smell fresh you won't drum up any interest (no matter how good the trap is!).

We’ve developed a specialised long-life paste, which when used in our Automatic Paste Pump can be consistently dispersed over a period of six months. Because it’s constantly pushing out the fresh paste, it means the trap always smells good to your target pest.

The live trap

The design of the Goodnature trap was a long process, and many years of research and development was undertaken to get it where it is today. The addition of CO₂ gas was one of the largest breakthroughs the team had on that journey.

Co-founder Craig, was mountain biking with his daughter when he discovered he had a flat tire. He asked around for a pump, and while no one could offer a pump, a fellow rider gave Craig a small gas canister, full of CO₂. With one swift action, the tube was full and the pressure was high - it sparked an idea.

When the canister is screwed into a Goodnature trap, the gas from within fills a chamber inside the trap, creating immense pressure. This is what gives the striker it’s bang! When the trigger is released, so too is the pressure, and it fires the striker, activating the trap.

Once the trap has fired, the valve which has just released the gas shuts off and closes. The gas will refill and again the pressure will build, making your trap ready for the next time it goes off.

Don’t touch the trigger

You’ll see in the video above, a thin wire sits in the chamber of the trap. This is the trigger, which lets the trap know that there’s an animal within. As the animal climbs up towards the paste, it grazes past the trigger and activates the release of gas, which as we know, releases the striker and kills the animal.

Strike time

The striker is what does all the damage within a Goodnature trap. It’s a strong strike to the head of a pest, caught in the trap. This causes them to die immediately, and humanely.

We’ve done extensive testing to ensure that the striker in our Goodnature traps goes off every time, without fail. Whenever there is a pest in your trap next, you can trust that the trap will do its job, and the animal will not suffer.

The reset

One of the best things about Goodnature traps is that they reset automatically. When the pressure has fully released, the striker returns to its starting position. Once the striker has retreated to its initial position, the chamber can refill with gas, raising the pressure within the trap and preparing it to strike again.

While it’s very different from a trap you may have worked with, in the past, Goodnature traps are a reliable, sustainable solution for your pest problem. If you’re interested in learning more, or have questions about your own trap - get in touch! We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at hello@goodnature.co.nz