Ross, JamesHickling, GJMorgan, DREason, CT2016-10-062000Ross, J., Hickling, G., Morgan, D., & Eason, C. (2000). The role of non-toxic prefeed and postfeed in the development and maintenance of 1080 bait shyness in captive brushtail possums. Wildlife Research, 27(1), 69-74.1035-3712277QG (isidoc)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/7431Shyness to sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) in cereal bait can persist in sub-lethally poisoned possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) populations for at least 2 years. We investigated the use of non-toxic cereal 'prefeed' and 'postfeed' as ways of inhibiting and overcoming such shyness. The postfeed result was also compared with changing to a non-cereal, gel-based 1080 bait. Prefeeding had a significant effect on the number of possums that became 'bait shy' following an approximate LD20 1080 dose, with 97% of non-prefed possums developing an aversion to 1080 cereal bait compared with only 22% of prefed possums. In contrast, postfeeding with cereal was relatively ineffective in reducing the number of 1080 bait-shy possums, with mortality of these possums being 30% compared with 0% of non-postfed possums. In contrast, the gel 1080 bait killed 64% of 1080 cereal bait-shy possums. These results suggest that 1080 bait shyness can be markedly reduced by prefeeding non-toxic bait to possums prior to each control operation. However, this may not be the most cost-effective control option, given the observed efficacy of follow-up baiting with 1080 gel.pp.69-741English© CSIRO 2000Trichosurus vulpeculapossum1080possum baitJournal Article10.1071/WR98029ANZSRC::050103 Invasive Species Ecology1448-5494Publisher's own licenceANZSRC::31 Biological sciencesANZSRC::41 Environmental sciencesPublisher's own licencePublisher's own licence