EnviroTools - traps that are functional and fun!
Imagine if someone designed a rat trap that your Nana would be happy to chuck up in her ceiling and clear and reset herself. Or a trap that would get your 6-year old pestering you to take them out in the bush in the weekend to do a trapline or two.
EnviroTools have done exactly that. Fred Waiker and his son, Henrik, are at the helm of this family-run business in Petone. And they’ve designed a range of rat and possum traps and tools that incorporates … well, everything!
The traps are:
- safe and easy to use
- robust – made to last from quality New Zealand-made components
- interactive and fun for kids
- hygienic
- humane
And they work!
Fred and Henrik mix old-school knowledge and practical on-the-ground experience with innovational thinking, ecological awareness, and a genuine wish for New Zealand to continue making headway in conservation.
They see their products as part of the New Zealand conservation story and toolkit – useful for all types of trapping, be it larger-scale, rural, or urban.
Here are the key things Fred and Henrik considered when they designed their EnviroTools products, plus a quick rundown of their main products and where you can get them.
Make trapping fun for kids – they’re our conservation innovators
Making trapping interactive and fun for kids is essential for continued conservation efforts. Fred reckons if you take a young person out trapping, they become animated. They’re excited to see the next trap on the tree, and after a while, they’re quite happy to take a rat or possum by the tail and throw it in the bushes. But if you just ask them if they want to go for a bush walk, they’re often not that keen.
He maintains that we need kids to be interested and get an understanding of how nature works. They’re our next innovators and can apply that understanding to new tools. They need real experiences to create the ‘what if …?’ moments. And it’s out there in the bush where they’ll get them.
So that’s why you’ll see a bit of cool and funky injected into the designs – bright yellow traps, stickers, cartoon-type pictures to indicate the different fine-set modes. And then there’s the TerraDon trapping tool. It comes in red and looks like a Pterodactyl, especially when you move its jaws. Interactive, fun, and handy as!
Make traps that are safe and easy to use
You’re winning in the functionality stakes when young and old can use a trap without fear, and EnviroTools ticks the box here.
You can set, clear, and reset EnviroTools traps with your hands clear of the trap and without touching the catch.
With the D-Rat trap, it’s the side lever that allows this. Push it down to set the trap and lift it up to release the catch. For more safety, the D-Rat trap has three different lengths of shroud or tunnel to provide extra coverage for smaller curious hands or pets. Switch from mouse to rat mode easily by moving the fine-set lever on the side.
The Flipping Timmy possum trap runs on similar lines. It’s tree-mounted so no bending over, and the robust pull cord means a quick clear, bait, and reset. And again, no touching the catch.
Easy to use means faster, efficient trapping, and more people willing to trap. Nana’s happy, your 6-year-old’s happy.
Use quality New Zealand-made components
100% New Zealand-made traps using only stainless steel and quality recyclable polymers (allows for simple end-of-life recycling) – say no more.
The traps are made to last. They’ve got a 5-year warranty, although they’re designed for 10 years. And hey, using quality New Zealand-made stuff just makes you feel good.
The design thinking that’s gone into the products puts the user first. The traps are:
- easy to see in the bush – they’re bright yellow
- lightweight – easy to carry
- optimised – with useful features such as the fine-setter for mice or rats
- easily attached – by cable tie or bayonet clip
And did we mention cool and funky for kids?
The EnviroTools products – a quick look
D-Rat trap
Made to last in the New Zealand outdoors, the D-Rat is a powerful yet easy-to-use rat trap for all size operations – large-scale down to backyard urban trapping.
D-Rats are for mounting on trees (where rats are most comfortable) and come with different lengths of protective shrouds depending on your situation.
More features:
- Fine-set lever – target mice or rats
- Fast – side lever releases and resets in seconds
- Hygienic – no touching the catch
- Humane – powerful to ensure a swift kill
- Maintenance free – it’s those great New Zealand-made components
- Lumberjack accessory – a wooden tunnel for the ultimate protection
Rat Hatch trap
A domestic multi-rodent trap that is easily fitted into your access hatch in your ceiling or soffit.
The Rat Hatch trap lets you know when it’s gone off. You can then clear the trap easily (without touching the catch), which means you don’t get THAT smell. Plus, there’s no toxins in your home.
Warning: The Rat Hatch trap is effective! You’ll soon realise how many neighbours you have up there. Cosy, warm, safe, and food-a-plenty, your home is prime real estate for rats and mice. The Rat Hatch trap will keep the house and surrounds clear and deter rats and mice from finding their way back in.
Flipping Timmy – possum trap
Take the proven mechanical system of a Timms trap and optimise it with sturdier components. And then mount it on a tree. That’s your Flipping Timmy! Quicker, easier, and more versatile.
More features:
- Tree-mounted - you can stop bending over!
- Hygienic and humane – the catch hangs off the ground, stays fresh
- Fast – clear, rebait, and reset in seconds
- Flexible baiting system
- Fine-set mode
- Maintenance free – sturdy, sturdy, sturdy!
Timms Conversion
Already got a Timms trap? Convert it into a Flipping Timmy with a conversion base. As long as it’s not bent out of shape, your old Timms trap can be a renewed and improved version.
TerraDon tool for trapping
Leave your wire brush at home – the TerraDon will do the job! A handy tool to pick up, scrape out, and throw clear any catches. It’s angled to use easily with the DOC 150, 200, 250 series of traps. A quick swipe on the grass clears any leftovers off easily because of the smooth recyclable high-grade nylon polymer it’s made from.
Scrape out any leftover lure or bait from the D-Rat with the hooked head and chuck the TerraDon in the belt holster you can also buy with it.
Safety strap for DOC 150, 200, 250 series of traps
Ever got your hand stuck in a DOC trap when you reset it? Here’s a safety strap that lets you clear, rebait, and reset a DOC trap with your hands well clear of the plate.
Combine it with the TerraDon to pick up, scrape out, and throw clear any catches – your hands will love you.
Where can I get them – or more information?
Buy the D-Rat, Flipping Timmy, Timms Conversion, or the TerraDon here at Connovation.
Check out full product info and trapping tips and instructions on the EnviroTools website. The information’s crisp, clear and easy to follow – another example of their great user-focused design.
If you’re not into reading, Fred and Henrik have also created short videos on how to use their products.
Have fun trapping!