
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Morgan, DR 
A1  - Morriss, G 
A1  - Hickling, GJ 
T1  - Induced 1080 Bait-Shyness in Captive Brushtail Possums and Implications for Management.
JF  - Wildlife Research
JO  - Wildl. Res.
Y1  - 1996
VL  - 23
IS  - 2
SP  - 207
EP  - 211
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/WR9960207 
N2  - 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. 
ER  -

