How to Use Live Traps

This page is a general live trapping guide. Using the suggested products and methods, you will effectively trap animals. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% success with live trapping. 

There are many treatment options for general animal control. Some people may want to control animals wandering in their house or yard but do not want to use poison, glue boards, or snap traps. Live trapping is a safe and efficient method of animal control. The animal is captured in the live trap and can easily be relocated away from your property unharmed.

Be sure to check with your local animal control before releasing an animal.

If you want to eliminate animals in or around your home using a live trap, follow this DIY guide for product recommendations and instructions for effective control.

Identification

It is important to know the type of animal you are dealing with. This information will help determine what size of live trap you need, what you need to bait with, and where to place the trap.

Some of the most common unwanted animal activity that people experience is from raccoons, opossums, rabbits, squirrels, and gophers. Identifying your particular pest animal can sometimes be tricky, but you can tell different animals apart by their eating and living habits. Noting droppings' size, shape, and arrangement can also help with identification. For instance, if you see piles of droppings resembling dog feces, the animal could be a raccoon or opossum. If you find small, capsule-like droppings scattered around the yard or in the attic, it could be a squirrel.

Most common wild animals are nocturnal so that you will notice most activity after dark. Animals like raccoons, opossums, and rats or mice will usually forage in yards, garages, attics, or basements at night. If activity is seen or heard during the day, it is most likely a squirrel, chipmunk, or groundhog.

Pay attention to whether or not you see nesting. Rodents most likely create nests. Groundhogs spend most of their time near items that sharpen their teeth, such as tree trunks. They also create dirt mounds and burrow holes. Raccoons are typically more aggressive and will knock over heavier items, such as trash cans, for food.

Inspection

After correctly identifying the animal you are dealing with, search for areas where they are most active in or near your property. This will determine where you will set your live traps.

Where to Inspect

Animals will typically be in this area if you have any plants, fruits, or vegetables growing on your property. Animals will also generally be in well-hidden and dark areas with little human activity. You may also see signs of foraging in garages that store pet food, around water and food bowls for outdoor pets, or around trash cans.

What to Look For

If the animals are inside your property, search for nests, burrows, and droppings. If the animals are active enough on your property, the grass might leave a path where they commonly step, or you might even see where the grass is tamped down in areas where the animals rest. Check for unusual disturbances around trash cans or where there is pet food. Also, look for any damage to vegetation, such as gnawed plant stems and trunks, eaten or disturbed fruits and vegetables, eaten or chewed leaves, or broken plant limbs.

Treatment

Live traps are ready-to-use products that come in different sizes. Your trap should be big enough for most of the animal's body to fit before triggering the plate. However, it should not be large enough for the animal to move around. This prevents the animal from potentially destroying or escaping the trap. Wear gloves to avoid spreading human scent when using or handling the live trap. If animals smell a human's scent, they will avoid that area.

Step 1: Place the Cage in High-Activity Areas

The stations should be near areas with high animal activity that you noted during the inspection step and relatively quiet with little activity from humans or pets. This is usually at the edge of the property, near dense foliage or gardens, or near food and water sources. Place the trap on a flat, level surface in a shaded area if possible. This will prevent animals from being exposed to too much direct sunlight and overheating.

Step 2: Baiting the Station

The bait you will use in the live trap will depend on the animal you want to catch. Desirable bait would be marshmallows for raccoons, cabbage for rabbits, peanuts for squirrels or chipmunks, cantaloupe for groundhogs, and either a squished banana or a honeybun with the wrapper open for skunks or possums. Using strong-scented bait such as canned fish is not recommended, as stray cats or neighborhood pets might find this appealing. For a simpler option or if you are trying to capture a variety of animals, peanut butter works well as it is cheap, easy to work with, and liked by many animals.

No matter which bait you choose, it must be placed behind the trap's trigger plate. This will ensure that the animal puts the majority of its body in the trap and steps on the trigger plate as it works its way toward the bait. It can also be helpful to place bait around the trap's entrance to gain the animal's trust and lead it into the trap.

Step 3: Set the Trap

Be careful when setting the trap to avoid pinching your fingers. With two hands, open the trap door by pushing on the door lock and lifting the door plate. Keep the door plate lifted while pulling the trigger arm forward to set it. You will know it is set when the trigger arm's hook catches the door. The door should be open and ready for wild animals to enter. Place your bait behind the trigger plate at the end of the trap.

Step 4: Monitor the Live Trap

Check traps twice daily, preferably once in the morning and once in the evening. Being near the trap and checking it often will potentially dissuade animals from approaching it. Do not keep an animal trapped for more than 24 hours. 

Step 5: Safely Relocate the Animal

Release any non-target animals immediately. Once you have captured your desired animal in your live trap, check your local animal control to ensure you correctly relocated it. Place a towel over the cage to avoid frightening the animal. Carefully open the trap and release the animal.

Prevention

After you've successfully used your live trap, there are a few preventative measures you can take to make sure you do not have another animal problem.

Sanitation

Maintaining a clean area indoors and outdoors is an important step. Keep trash outdoors and in a can closed with a lid. Remove any clutter or debris from your property, as this could be used by animals for nests or burrows. Any potential food sources, such as pet food, should be properly sealed in a container and stored away. Regularly check the property for spots that retain water.

Exclusion

To prevent animals from entering your home, check the foundation for cracks and crevices. These can be sealed with Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh and caulk. Stuf-Fit is a breathable material that many animals cannot chew through. It will not rust and can be stuffed into cracks and crevices before sealing with caulk. Repair any voids or openings around the home or structure, such as damaged screens around windows or basement wells and damaged or dilapidated fences.

Key Takeaways

• Successful trapping begins with successful identification. Do your best to identify your animal pest correctly, as this will determine the size of the live trap you will need and the bait type and placement.
• Do your best to inspect the property for signs of animal activity so that you can get a sense of where the animals travel, harbor, or forage. This will help you determine where to place the live trap for effective control.
• The Solutions Live Trap comes in three different sizes. It should be large enough for the majority of the animal's body to fit in the cage but not too big for the animal to roam around. Bait the station with the specific bait for the animal you're trying to catch, such as peanut butter. Place the station in a shaded area.
• Check on the stations once during the day and once at night. Refill bait when necessary until activity ceases.
• Prevent animals from entering your home with Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh and caulk. Maintain a clean property to prevent animals from using your clutter for nests or foraging for food.