Homemade Trap for Rabbits or Squirrels

This is a great trap. It costs about $10 to build.

[@tcbink]

I had a customer in the country that had a rabbit problem. I built six of these baited with Timothy Grass and every trap caught a rabbit every day for two weeks. These are awesome. The more you catch the easier it works because all they smell is the bait and other rabbits. I also built one a little bigger all around for skunks. They can’t lift their tail so they can’t spray.

[@mattpash894]

I made 2 of these exactly as described and have now caught 6 rabbits and 1 squirrel in one week. Thanks, John Wooding! The one modification I plan on making for the next build is an extra inch on the wire for the door lock. For me it came up a little short after bending into shape, leaving only short stubs sticking out the sides of the box. I used a pile of Brussels sprouts, apples, romaine lettuce and carrots (all chopped, of course) as bait at the back of the box. The placement seems to be fairly critical. Mine were placed in front of the holes the rabbits had dug under the fence, along their usual paths. It's too early to tell for sure but I think my catch rate is dropping off as we get further into Spring.

[@NotSoDumb]

I built your trap and wanted to tell you just how amazing it really is. It never failed and several times there were two rats in the trap. We just needed to take a short drive to release them every morning. Thanks a bunch.

[@MrRutabager]

Thank you. Best produced video on trap making I have seen. Very explicit.

[@stephencarlsbad]

Not just a good video but a well made tutorial! Nice work John!

[@brandonm7140]

This trap really works. I've been having issues with rabbits eating my lawn and plants. I didn't want to kill anything so when I came across it look simple enough to give it a try. The guy's southern accent made me a believer too. Took about two hours to build using a drill, hand saw pliers and some screws. A what do you know, caught one the next day. I live in so California so i assume it'll work anywhere. To the creator of the video "thank you"

[@gxtube]

Really appreciate your feedback! I will try to make one to help the rabbits move to much far wild area.

[@thecooky7744]

The best trap diy video I have seen well spoken and the dimensions on the demo good job

[@PokPok248]

Most excellent, John. Much thanks for sharing, can't wait to get mine built and to test it out.

[@ScottFici]

What a great ingenious project. My mother Sylvia is retired from the USDA and is well known for these Outdoor projects and for Regional Forest Timber Sales. Traps bought new like the well known live metal cage traps and then their are these types for the transportation of small mammels for relocation. I have to build me one for giggles thanks John.

[@crobulari2328]

Very simple and efficient design. Well done, and thanks, MIKE.

[@Beesa10]

Thanks for the upload John, I've got some scrap wood and this is exactly the information I wanted to help me build a good trap.

[@grizwoldstad9956]

Great design, used a larger one for years to catch barn cats. Your great video gives measurments and shows very clearly the construction. Thanks.

[@SkinGripz]

The best design I have seen. No need to try to make a better "mouse trap" when yours is so good. Beats the hell out of freezing my butt of hunting them...

[@Larry342516]

Great video. You did an excellent job of explaining how to build the trap. Thank you.

[@JackmanFlicks]

Thanks so much ! A great informative video! Can't wait to get myself some squirrels.

[@garyknepper4546]

I’ve built these traps for years. I bend the trigger wire forward a half inch or so. Then when setting the trap you rotate the pedal forward and just let the door rest on top of the 1/2 inch bend you put in the trigger wire. This makes it easier to set than putting the trigger in the bottom of the door in that hole. Also to fasten the door at the top I drill a hole on each side of the trap and put a screw through the hole and screw it in to the door on each side of the trap. Drill the hole in the trap slightly larger than the screw so the door can swing freely and easily. Of course you don’t screw the screws down tight. Leave them a little loose so the door can swing freely. Nice video.

[@BigKahuna_outdoors]

Hey John nice design. At first I made the squirrel box because I got the wrong size wood. I have re-done the plans. I do 1x8 for the sides and 1x6 for the bottom and tops. On the top two holes I went 1 inch and 6 inches down 1/4 of an inch. The hole for the treadle I left at 8 1/2 inch. This is one nice looking box. I get the wire from Hardware store I think 1/8 cold rold steel and bend with my vise just to get precise measurements. Have made four so far me and my son. Thanks

[@UncleAL2006]

Very informative and thorough - you should write for companies that sell furniture that needs assembly as their instructions are seldom near as good as your video - thanks - we have a rogue squirrel on the loose at work and we don't want to hurt him - Thanks!!

[@dtecum]

I like it. I think I'm going to build one. Will try to use hangers for wires and put 2 hinges on the top to make setting the trap easier.

[@gator70422]

Nice job .. I like the simplicity of it !

[@denniskazich7559]

I made a trap like this from oak pallet wood and heavier wire. Made it longer and screen very secure. Catch 2 squirrels a day.

[@animaldailylifechannel5535]

you are amazing and so smart man lots of appreciation .

[@rkingization]

Such a great instructional video. Made it out of spare wood and parts. works great. thanks alot

[@mrblowhard2u]

I made one based on your video just this past week and caught the pesky squirrel that was digging holes and burying nuts all over my backyard. The only difference in mine was I added a pair of hinges to the top of the box to make it easier to set the bait and trigger mechanism. Set him free in a park across the river.

[@mrblowhard2u]

The park is about a mile from here. He would have to swim across a wide river to get back here. If he can do that...well good luck to him.

[@mattshepherd772]

+mrblowhard2u Can you elaborate a bit more on that? It sounds like a good addition!

[@mrblowhard2u]

I simply added two small hinges to the lid and secured them to the right side of the box so that it opens like a door, I also added a handle so that I can carry it like a toolbox. I use one screw to lock the top in place after setting the bait. In order to release the little rascal, I take my portable drill with me. I also just use peanut butter for bait. Seems to work real fine.

[@mattshepherd772]

+mrblowhard2u Ahhh, I see what you mean now, I was reading it as you added two hinges to the treadle haha. Thanks for explaining, I'll be making the same addition to mine when I construct it soon

[@baconsoda]

Brilliant! I have three squirrels that I want to move but not kill so this is just the job. Thanks for posting this.

[@RustyNail5856]

That trap really works great , and it is a very nice trap. thanks for sharing.

[@paulpalmer3018]

Good video. Nice and clear and plenty of detail. It drives me crazy when people post blurry video and have music playing louder than their voice. Nice job on this one.

[@immortalayarna]

couldn't have said it better, very detailed and practical tutorial, easy to do a build along

[@SkinGripz]

Made this last night, and had a bunny at 6am ! Tasted great for dinner..

[@robotcommenter]

You Are Sick Unlike The Guy With The Squirrel He Actually Let It Go!!! Bunnies Are House Pets Not A Hillbilly "Dinner"!!!

[@robotcommenter]

Learn How to Spell, ok? And Im sorry. I was just pissed off because i had a pet rabbit that died, and it really effected me what you said. Sorry.

[@drthik1]

jess a , I just fed 4 bunnies to my pythons

[@johnaverick7468]

@@robotcommenter Don't EVEN talk that CRAP unless you live on Tofu and vegetables exclusively !

[@groverbundy899]

The heck is this comment section

[@johnniedement3457]

Best rabbit trap is my thinking, and thanks for sharing, excellent sir.

[@johnniedement3457]

Oops, and what @stephencarlbad said, explained perfectly!

[@shifty212]

Good job on the video. Well presented.

[@Szallag]

My father had that same hammer, used it for many many years... One of his workers lost it about 2-3 years ago. Last year i was working a small contract about 60 miles northwest of NYC, corner of New Jersey. Went into a Mom and Pop Hardware store and there is was..... 12 Oz Eastwing with the leather handle. Sure i purchased it for him and when i gave him that hammer he was very happy.... This hammer has a very beautyful Ring when striking hard surfaces...

[@hectorcardenas6616]

very good thank you Sr. for taking the time, and show your skills.

[@j109joell]

Best design I've seen by far !!!

[@danielkostropetsch7663]

good job sir. i try to build one for rabbits and test it out. really cool, cheap and simple. thumbs up

[@ChrisCross2014]

Just made one without the locking bar. Great video.

[@VtTommie]

Thanks for the idea!

[@cbyutube]

Wish you had spent time on the treadle and showed how to install it and how it works. Took me forever to finally understand but I had to build it first. Anyway, box is built, not sure that the trip wire is going to work yet, but we will see. Thanks for the video - this does look like the best trap out there that I have seen. I bought a Havaheart wire one but the rabbits won't go near it. I hope this one works!

[@MegaRMATT]

I've looking for a trap and you model is the best I have seen... I will build one this weekend. tks a lot and regards from Criciuma-Brazil

[@BaldEagle5556]

Great tutorial! Built my trap today to catch a squirrel in my basement!

[@mark-wn5ek]

I noticed this video is eleven years old…. back when lumber was affordable!

[@floydnotpink]

Very clear and informative. Thanks very much

[@Vfh........y]

very smart.......great vid. well thought out.

[@JoeConEd]

Great video i just made 2 of these following this design not exact but close, made it with scrap wood i had around..what i did do that would help anyone is drill a 1 inch hole at the top of the trap over the contact point with the wire and the door. did this so you can see in and put the wire in the groove instead of doing it blind. also didnt put the door lock wire..i gave the door a good angle so it falls and gets wedged to the bottom..great design

[@NotSoDumb]

I built a few of these and I've caught dozens of rats with it. Really good trap. You do need to get rid of the captured animals quickly as they will chew their way out of the trap.

[@NotSoDumb]

I've caught several rats myself, even got two at once. You do however need to get rid of them as they do chew through the wood.

[@grahamrdyer6322]

Great video, thanks.

[@mikea.6740]

Excellent tutorial!

[@HILUXCHAINSAW]

Nice trap. I find the wire from old umbrellas is good for trap making.

[@ledfootdude]

That's a great idea, I live in Seattle, which means we have lots of old umbrellas, instead of throwing them away I now have a new use for them. Thanks :-)

[@johnaverick7468]

I need to build the CAT version . The flea infested strays around here are savvy to steel & wire mesh traps. They might not suspect wood as much. Great informative vid BTW. Thank You.

[@HappyPappynKatyTX]

excellent video. well explained. I will let you know if I catch the squirrels in my attic. Appreciated

[@hokanut]

As long as the door is too long to swing open and hits the floor of the trap when it closes the locking wire isn't needed. I built this box and it's a winner.

[@mattpash894]

I'm thinkin' the door lock prevents another varmint from pushing in and opening the door.

[@cbyutube]

@@mattpash894 Exactly.

[@josephnorton1996]

Good Job man. Great Video.

[@mo-reesespieces9066]

At first I thought this was way too complicated of a build but then I started to think about making the spindle and T for the door hold and the two holes for the bate stick and the string needed to hold the door and bate. I will have to try your method and see which one is easier to make. Since I have to shorten up the top to allow an opening for my door to drop I have a handle to carry the box. How do you carry your boxes? I do have two more questions. First, how do you take the squirrel out for consumption without it tearing you up or it getting an adrenaline rush? When cooking squirrels in the past I had one that was a quick shot and one not so quick. When cooking them both, one was very good "like chicken" and the other so tough I could not chew it.(both cooked at the same time in the same water) Not sure if the temperament (fight in the squirrel) prior to expiring had something to do with how it came out when cooking it. Second, can you use a wire coat hanger or would that be too rigid? Peace, Reese

[@itsnotallrainbowsandunicor1505]

I built a larger one to catch humans. There's an issue with people breaking into cars in the neighborhood.

[@blueflame318]

same here

[@Tjrose1303]

WHAT DID YOU PUT OUT FOR THEM TO BE ATTRACTED TO? HUSTLER MAGAZINE OR PLAYBOY?

[@M24A6]

Thanks for the video. Could have saved me some money had I seen this first.

[@markolsen218]

Good ,Thank you. 👍🙏🙋‍♂️

[@coolairaz]

What bait you used for rabbits?

[@a.rod.929]

Nice Video. Congratulations

[@jangothor]

I used this to catch some feral kittens at my house. I made it a little smaller but it worked great thanks for the vid!

[@mrankin1984]

Taste alright?

[@jangothor]

with special sauce!

[@mrankin1984]

I hear that mountain lion steak is one of the best tasting meats out there, and being a cajun myself I will not hesitate to try something just because there is a stigma on it. I know plenty of people who say they won't eat squirrel or snake, but I grew up eating such things and they are some of my favorites. I have also heard that you "cannot" eat coyote, but I have heard that some American Indians do eat coyote and consider it a delicacy. So I would not be opposed to trying cat-kabob.

[@owenlampert6251]

what do you use for bait?

[@6whar6goul6]

Thanks a bunch. this helped me catch a chipmunk, that got lost in my basement.

[@richturner1624]

what do you find to be the best bait for cottontails?

[@jony3674]

Gostei muito você está de parabéns.

[@davis2387]

Thanks man, you explained it well. Looks like a good design, thanks again.

[@choppersFL]

Good video thank you

[@newportbeachsailor]

Good post and preparation.

[@upsidedown1986]

Thanks 👍

[@Redshift313]

Awesome video

[@dangerdoberman]

I got recommended this in 2020. Very helpful >:0

[@Whitebear80]

What bait do you use for squirrels and what for rabbits?

[@Curtisloew88]

Do you use treated lumber or yellow pine or what? Does the lumber matter? I made a trap and I tried making it like you had with the wire ran to the door and i couldnt get it to work right. So i ran the wire a little different. I will try and make a video and get it on youtube so you can check it out.

[@kellyhensley4376]

Do you use treated lumber?

[@kayshumate5396]

what website did you find this trap on

[@calzone2229]

how do you keep the tretle in place yet move when stepped on?

[@apiariosaojosecaliforniapr1754]

Muito bom belo trabalho estamos junto

[@ConalRF]

Careful with those claws, there's been horror stories in the news of what squirrels can do.

[@wardcroat]

nice and elegant

[@thegeneralissimo470]

Lol, your cat is very curious about the trap.

[@blipblip88]

Great instructional video-thanks! It's a pity squirrels are so destructive, because they have a lot of amusing and cute personality traits.

[@rickhenry8760]

Thanks for a great video. I Do have a Question Mr. John. What does the underneath of the Treadle look like ? Any help is appreciated. ! Thanks ! ~ Dale

[@coolairaz]

he has a picture showing bottom of treadle .

[@Larry342516]

$10 is cheap for a trap. But your ideal is a very good one. Thank you.

[@williamdolin6278]

Realy cool I will biuld one and try it out

[@codymilam7356]

Plan on making one tomorrow

[@elezdee25]

missing 2 measures: height and width... i built one yeasterday so i had to improvise. works nice (theoretically), just have to see if it will catch (trap) anything.

[@stanleyvo5198]

nice !

[@qcenriquetrejo1]

MUY BUEN TRABAJO

[@cbyutube]

I can't get the treadle wire to trip. I put a broom handle in there and really have to push down. - it just won't release the wood door. I have tried every possible configuration of the wire. Very frustrating. The door lock wire works fine, all the other parts work fine, but that trip wire just will not work.

[@alan30189]

Great job! Did you catch your cat yet? Ha!

[@cwfirstsgt]

I'm going to try to build one of these to get a squirrel out of my attic. What do you recommend for bait?

[@itsnotallrainbowsandunicor1505]

+George Sarra Peanut butter with an almond work best. I assume you already got the bugger.

[@Hot80s]

could cut a hole in the bottom of the box & place this on top of a bucket of water to finish the job.

[@christanmathis7249]

what are yall using for bate

[@thomastidewater]

You need to catch rabbits? Try using plain old white bread. I've tried all the vegatables and other bait tricks people recommend, but I find that white bread by far works best for rabbits. In the winter when the snow is deep and they're hungry, they'll even run right to you if they know you're going to throw them some pieces of white bread. Being they mostly eat silage (grass), the bread, being made from wheat, must be like crack to them. They probably can't believe their luck! Little addicts!

[@christanmathis7249]

what yall using for bate because i made one but i do not no what to use i am trying to catch a rabbit

[@robertjohn60]

great job, im off to make some /

[@jeffmoestaygyi.1248]

Could you make a video about how to make the 1x6 squirrel trap that was sitting near the rabbit trap?

[@williamcarrigan1082]

Jeff Moesta ygyi. It's the same thing just use 1x6 instead of 1x8 lumber

[@tobiasxaviert]

I have a domestic rabbit living under my shed and it wont last much longer with the coyotes, this will help get it inside:)

[@soucieux8625]

Suur Awesome töötab nagu seda imet press osa, kus asuvad Alastoih Hispaania?

[@twoody7856]

all i got was 24 in on four pieces of wood. is all 4 pieces the same wide, is the top and bottem 8in and the sides 7in. good well thought out but no id or od measurments just 4 pieces 24in help.

[@coolairaz]

Nail floor bd to sides, flip over and top will fit on top of sides. This will give door room to swing.

[@veronicaadetunji5198]

Great work how may i obtain this video clip

[@casperduszek]

Angry Squirrel RULES :D

[@ghostrider1069]

Thank you I'm 12 and me my mom my 4 sisters,my bro and my dad have a opossum so I'm going to build that.

[@slicks5086]

This is a trap not a cage