Snap-traps, live-traps, and baits affect the ability to capture small
mammals, but few previous studies have involved sampling communities o
f small mammals in tropical environments. We tested differences in cap
tures of small marsupials and rodents by Victor snap-traps versus Sher
man live-traps and by two types of bait in lowland rainforest at Reser
va Cuzco Amazonico, southeastern Peru. Snap-traps took ca. 3.5 times a
s many individuals as live-traps. Snap-traps also captured more specie
s (and more rare species), but we attribute this to more numerous capt
ures overall because the relative proportions of species captured by t
he two traps generally were the same. Type of bait had little impact o
n our trapping results.