Patent ID: 8028661

Claim:
A method of applying a chemical to a rodent, comprising: providing an enclosure with at least one peripheral opening to allow entry of the rodent into the enclosure; positioning bait within an inner chamber of the enclosure to encourage the rodent to enter the enclosure through the at least one peripheral opening; guiding the rodent towards the bait in a first direction by directing the rodent through an interior passageway; guiding the rodent towards the bait in a second direction by directing the rodent through an interior opening in a side wall of the interior passageway that provides access to the inner chamber, and into the inner chamber; and positioning a plurality of applicators with the chemical applied thereon within the enclosure to contact and apply the chemical to the rodent as the rodent moves towards the bait, wherein the location of the interior opening relative to the location of the bait causes the rodent to move in the second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein at least one of the plurality of applicators is positioned in the interior passageway to contact the rodent as it moves in the first direction and at least one of the plurality of applicators is positioned to contact the rodent as it moves in the second direction, wherein the act of positioning the plurality of applicators includes suspending at least one applicator above the interior passageway and at least one applicator above the inner chamber, wherein each applicator comprises a flexible web suspended from a top wall of the enclosure, the chemical being held on a surface of the flexible web, and the act of positioning the applicators comprises positioning the flexible webs so that they extend downward from the top wall of the enclosure to contact rodents passing thereunder and apply the chemical, wherein each applicator includes an upper horizontal support member from which the flexible web is suspended, and the act of positioning the one or more applicators comprises securing the support member to a top wall of the enclosure, and wherein the top wall of the enclosure has a plurality of slots that comprise openings that pass through the top wall, and the act of positioning the applicators comprises inserting the flexible webs into the slots and engaging the support members with the top wall to support the flexible webs.