
%0 Journal Article
%A Morgan, DR 
%A Morriss, G 
%A Hickling, GJ 
%T Induced 1080 Bait-Shyness in Captive Brushtail Possums and Implications for Management.
%J Wildlife Research
%D 1996/03/01
%V 23
%N 2
%P 207-211
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/WR9960207
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/WR9960207 
%X The probable cause of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) becoming 'shy' towards 1080 [sodium fluoroacetate] bait, a growing problem in the control of this pest, was determined. Possums captured from North Canterbury, New Zealand, (n = 131) were offered sublethal baits (1 or 2.5 g) followed by lethal (6 g) baits 2 days later. Most possums became bait shy and the proportion becoming shy appeared to be related to the size of the initial sublethal dose. Most of a group of survivors retested after 3 months with toxic pellets were still shy. Shyness was not overcome by changing to a different mask (orange flavour, as opposed to cinnamon flavour) or toxin (brodifacoum), but changing to both a different bait base (carrot) and mask (orange) resulted in most shy possums eating a lethal quantity of bait. Possums therefore appeared to learn to recognise the bait base as the cue for avoiding poisoning. More shy possums than naive possums rejected non-dyed, non-masked, non-toxic pellets, confirming that shy possums recognised the bait base. Green dye appears to act as a secondary cue for avoiding pellets as a higher percentage of 'shy' possums than naive possums rejected dyed baits. 
