Marten Live Trapping and Sedation: For Examination and Measurements


(1). Drug Dosage: Ketamine hydrochlorine, at a strength of 100mg per ml, is commonly used to sedate marten. Nothing is mixed with it. And always check the strength of the drug; its on the side of the bottle. Its important to adjust the dosage accordingly if you use a different concentration of the drug.

Newfoundland marten are considered large compared to marten in the state of Maine, United States. (We usually compare our marten to Maine because the graduates usually come from the University of Orono in Maine). Our male marten average 1000 to 1200 mg: and females around 650 to 750 mg. The usual dosage for those animals are: 0.12cc for females, and 0.16 cc for males. You have a very good safety margin with ketamine. The drug will take effect within 4 to 7 minutes and the normal time for unconsciousness is 15 to 20 minutes. I always use a syringe of 1 cc. so I can get accurate measurements. The one cc syringes used by diabetics are excellent. You can buy syringes at any drugstore. After you have taken your measurements, etc, the sedated marten is placed back into the wire trap before gaining consciousness. Following recovery (consciousness, alertness) of the marten in the wire trap, and just before you are ready to release him/her, raspberry jam and Gatorade are offered to the marten. I use a 10cc syringe to dispense the Gatorade and a wooden stick for the raspberry jam. This practice is more important during winter trapping, as the marten is probably under greater stress in its search for food. Some marten will take both the jam and Gatorade, others will take only the jam.

The injection site is always in the large muscle of the hind leg, and always on the "outside" of the leg, never on the inside. The sciatic nerve is located on the inside of the leg, so stay away from it. If you strike it with the needle, you could cause permanent paralysis of the hind leg and it will be game over for the marten. Veterinarians may suggest other good sites that are acceptable, however our local vet recommends the site I have described and I have never had any problems.



(2).Handling Cone: The best handling cone is the Tamarack Handling Cone. It has taken us a long time to get it perfected, so I would suggest you not invent the wheel again. And if you don't want to make it yourself or don't have the time, I can sell you one for $250. It takes me about 2 days to make it. Please contact me if you need help making it. The fee I charge is minuscule when looked at in the context of your total project cost.

(3).Traps. I have always used the Tomahawk Live trap, collapsible. Its approximately 16 inches long, with the entrance approximately 6.5 inches by 6.5 inches. I have used the larger Tomahawk Live trap, that is used for snowshoe hares (about 10.5 inches by 10.5 inches at the entrance) but they are heavy and bulky to use. I have experienced small marten escaping near the door entrance. I find the smaller trap much better.

(4).Baits. Almost any bait will work, with a lure to attract the marten's attention. Marten are very curious. We use skunk lure, vanilla extract, cheap perfume; with sardines or kippers or dried apples or peanut butter and jam. The lure is usually spread on a tree near the trap, and refreshed every other day. During winter trapping, beaver meat is almost always used, and yields the best capture success. It works better than any other meat we have tried. Trappers use beaver meat also on their traplines, so it is sometimes difficult to persuade them to give you a carcass. Lately, we have had to pay for the beaver carcasses.

Good luck, I hope this information has helped you. Be kind and gentle to the marten during the capture and handling process, and you will have paid me more than I ask for sharing this information.