Non- Insect pests

Rats (Rattus rattus) and squirrels (Funambulus trisriatus and F. palmarum) are the major rodent pests of cocoa.  They cause serious damage to the pods. The rats usually gnaw the pods near the stalk portion whereas squirrels gnaw the pods in the center

Management

• The rats can be controlled by placing 10 g bromadiolone (0.005%) wax cakes or ripe banana stuffed with carbofuran on the branches of cocoa trees twice at an interval of 10-12 days.
• Squirrels are best controlled by trapping with wooden or wire mesh single catch ‘live’ trap with ripe coconut kernel as the bait.