Using Live Animal Traps To Catch Raccoons

Raccoons sure are cute, with their little black face masks and plump, furry bodies. But they can also be legitimate pests, especially when they decide to hang around your home, rooting in your garbage and elsewhere looking for handouts. Sometimes raccoons will even find ways to get into your basement, attic or storage shed and cause real damage.

When this happens, the best possible solution is to use a live trap to catch the raccoon unharmed and transport it to a new location where it won't cause any harm. In this post, learn how to trap raccoons in a live animal trap.

The Type of Trap Used to Trap Raccoons
There are many different types of humane traps. It is important to select a type of trap that is the right shape, size and structure for a raccoon. Raccoons tend to be larger mammal that can grow to the size of a small dog.

They are also very intelligent, strong and energetic, and will make short work of a trap that is not built to combat their strength and ingenuity.

Here are the basic things you want to look for in a live trap for raccoons:

- Enough inner space to house the animal.
- Rugged material and construction.
- A large enough door to permit entry and full door closure.
- A spring-loaded door and hair-trigger sensitivity.
- Safe and sturdy handles and a smooth interior so the handler can carry the trapped animal without harming the animal or enduring a risk of being scratched or bitten.
- Treated to ward off rust, corrosion and other environmental impact.

The Best Bait to Trap Raccoons
Raccoons are not known to be picky about what they eat. However, when you are trying to entice a smart, wily raccoon into a live animal trap, the best strategy is to choose irresistible bait for your life.

Here are some of a raccoon's favorite treats:

- Meat.
- Eggs.
- Insects.
- Nuts.
- Fruits.

Professional trappers agree hands-down that marshmallows are just about the best bait you could choose. Alternatives that are almost as good include bread or sweet fresh corn.

The Ideal Trap Placement to Trap Raccoons
Where you place the trap should correspond in some way to where the raccoon typically goes while on your property. Some locations will be easier than others, but regardless of where you put the trap, you should set it up just before sundown to have the best chance of catching the raccoon quickly.

Here are some trap placement tips:

- Put it in the raccoon's normal travel path.
- Put it inside if that is where the raccoon normally goes (such as the attic).
- Put it in a more private area where other wandering animals aren't likely to find it.

With these tips, you can take a humane approach to removing a wild raccoon that has become a pest, without causing harm to it or enduring injury yourself.