City of Santa Barbara Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee Tests New Non-Toxic TerraTrap California Ground Squirrel Trap Kits from Automatic Trap Company

The new TerraTrap California Ground Squirrel Trap Kits mitigate the damage caused by the California Ground Squirrel without using poison, while substantially reducing pest control labor time and cost for the city of up to $2,000 per acre per year.

SONOMA, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Automatic Trap Company, the leader in self-resetting traps that are humane and eco-friendly rodent control solutions, announced today that the City of Santa Barbara Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee has had positive results testing its first-of-its-kind TerraTrap California Ground Squirrel Trap Kits. This cutting-edge pest control product, specifically designed for California Ground Squirrels, delivers an environmentally safe, efficient, and self-resetting solution. It is designed to look like a rock and mimics the natural environment the Ground Squirrels are used to and does not cause the animals to be alarmed since they are notoriously timid pests. The TerraTrap's unique design encourages tunneling into the trap, while the internal CO₂-powered system kills instantly. The dead squirrel is then released and birds or other animals carry it away.

"All members seemed excited about the TerraTrap possibilities and were impressed that it fits in well with general IPM principles: non-toxic and working with the natural predators of the area," said Greg Chittick, Chair of the City of Santa Barbara IPM Committee. "I hope to see the city expand its use of the TerraTrap in the future." he concluded.

TerraTrap can be used by cities located in California, Oregon, Washington state, and Nevada that are seeking to manage California Ground Squirrel populations without the use of toxic chemicals. Since launching, the TerraTrap also has benefited golf courses, vineyard and orchard operators, ranchers and municipal projects. TerraTrap substantially reduces human labor time as the traps are self-resetting and the Ground Squirrels are effectively removed by natural scavengers such as owls, ravens, vultures, foxes, racoons, bobcats, skunks and more.

The system automatically resets for continuous operation – capable of dispatching multiple California Ground Squirrels up to 18 times before needing an inexpensive new cartridge. The lure can be anything that squirrels accept, but in-shell peanuts work well.

Its weather-resistant exterior design is built for year-round outdoor use in various climates, while a hassle-free setup and minimal upkeep provides maximum convenience for the user. The eco-friendly and non-toxic TerraTrap is free from harmful chemicals and is safe for use around pets, people, and wildlife.

As another user of the TerraTrap California Ground Squirrel Trap Kits, Keith Nevison, Director of Horticulture and Operations at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden shared, "We placed it in an area that has seen a lot of ground squirrel activity, just below our Conservation Center, and in checking it earlier this morning we saw the counter at 5. Looks like it's working well! My team would like to purchase 2 more TerraTraps to deploy in additional locations. Grateful to have fewer pressures on our plants!"

The TerraTrap GS Kit is available for purchase only online at https://www.automatictrap.com and MSRP is $499.99 with free shipping.

About Automatic Trap Company
Established in 2016, Automatic Trap Company's vision is to eliminate the preventable suffering of rodents - and we feel we are one step closer with every trap we ship. Sadly, the three most common ways to kill rodents - glue traps, snap traps, and poison - are incredibly cruel. Glue traps are an inhumane and unnecessary way to end a rodent's life. Snap traps often fail to kill quickly, and they only work on either rats or mice. Poison results in a slow, painful death and exposes other wildlife, such as predator birds, to the same harm. At Automatic Trap, we are breaking the cycle of inhumane and harmful rodent control. We offer pragmatic solutions that eliminate rodents in the most humane and efficient way possible. Visit https://www.automatictrap.com to learn more.

SOURCE Automatic Trap Company