How to Bait Live Animal Traps: Live Trapping Tips

[@srchnfrcj]

What has worked for me to get nocturnal animals to come in is to camouflage the trap. This can be done with bush clippings, a black trash bag, and spread dirt/leaves over the bottom of the trap and on the trip plate. Also I make sure the trap is steady and level. A flimsy trap will scare off a finicky animal. If they catch onto one bait, switch to another. You can also put down bait a couple nights without a trap to make the animal comfortable and confident, then put it out the same way but in the trap.

[@cryxibus]

What do you do about ants getting to the bait first?

[@cal4625]

It also helps to place the open but unset trap in the area of interest for a few days to allow target animals to become accustomed to it.

[@DiGiTaLdAzEDM]

What is an effective bait for porcupines? Apples maybe?

[@Pashasmom1]

I have a wily raccoon who is reaching into the trap from the sides and taking whatever I have used for bait. I tried this method with putting the bait under the trap in a small hole, and it dug under the trap, even with 3 bricks on top.

[@esauhussain1923]

you skipped rats

[@brewcrewjake]

I was having an issue with raccoons stealing the bait from my trap. As soon as I dug the little hole like in this video, it worked great! Thank you for the video!

[@ARCSTREAMS]

stealing? you mean they are able to escape not being trapped or you mean they end up eating the bait after being trapped?

[@DonJen2478]

​@@ARCSTREAMSYes! I've caught them on trail-cam stealing the bait without triggering the trap. They are very smart. They will actually circle the trap to see how to reach in and take the bait. Digging a hole and placing the trap over it is a game changer and works everytime.

[@ARCSTREAMS]

i see so by putting the food under the cage in a hole it increases the chance of them staying in the trap and possibly triggering the plate for the door? so they would have to be smelling the food and knowing its there before they even approach the trap, i got one that is 7x7(6 with door hanging over the entrance) im wondering if it's big enough for a rabbit though?@@DonJen2478

[@catherinesteigerwald1659]

I would have used the dig a hole in put bait in it right off except I thought immediately of two problems.. raccoons are extremely intelligent and I've also seen rats to be extremely intelligent. A good size raccoon could actually drag the cage aside in order to get to the bait without going in the cage. The other problem for me is fire ants. You can't put anything on the ground! Is extremely difficult with fire ant problems in Southeast Texas to put out live traps. I actually put a large live trap inside of a toddler wading pool, elevated it on some wood and wedged both ends inside of the pool. I filled it with water up to cover the wood and just below the metal cage. Then I had to clean the outside of the pool very well, let it dry and apply oil all over the edges of the pool, and also under the edges too keep ants from being able to get the bait. Somehow there was one little teeny place that was not oiled enough and a whole bunch of ants got through that place crawled onto the wire and went inside the Trap! It's very frustrating. Just ordered my orange oil for some ant nests, but with the drought, many ants are making tunnels under the hard cement-like ground, so you don't know where the tunnels are. Going to try setting out different mixtures of Borax with sugar syrup. It's very difficult to garden and live in Southeast Texas. In numerous pests and varmints.

[@mafirearmsafety]

Bait not needed in a rabbit box, they will go in as a safe haven, bait only lures animals you don’t want.

[@ARCSTREAMS]

you caught rabbits without putting bait in these cage traps? did you discuise them ?

[@36janders]

Possums are not dangerous, they are beneficial animals that eat ticks and don't carry rabies. Please don't perpetuate the myth that they are dangerous.

[@stephaniemedina1848]

Why not make your garden animal proof instead of terrorizing them ?🌹

[@christophermeyer6414]

@stephaniemedina1848 I tell you what, I'll catch the critters and set them free at your house! What's your address?😁

[@velardez2002]

Don’t understand why these small harmless animals are called “pests “ the only “pests” that I can determine are the human kind.

[@andrewdouglass1427]

Wait until you have one in your attic, ripping out insulation and pulling up a floorboard to make a nest. And it's happening directly over you. This started less than a week ago.