How to Use a Havahart Trap
Although most homeowners enjoy observing wildlife around their property, occasionally wild animals become a nuisance. They dine in our gardens, burrow under our homes or leave telltale aromas of their midnight visits. If you want to remove a nuisance animal from your property without calling a professional, Havahart traps offer a range of products to capture an animal for relocation purposes. Read on to learn how use a Havahart trap. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Choose the size that meets the needs of your target animal. Havahart manufactures traps in sizes that accommodate animals ranging in size from mice to raccoons or small dogs.
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Buy a trap that opens at both ends for nervous animals. Some animals fear entering an enclosure without an additional escape route and double-ended traps give these animals the confidence to enter the trap.
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Test the trap to make sure the door is operating properly. If the door closes too slowly for your intended target animal, you can hasten its speed by weighting the top of the door with small rocks.
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Leave the trap outdoors for several days in the nuisance animal's territory before you set the trap. This allows the animal to become accustomed to the trap and permits weathering of the trap.
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Bait the trap with a lure with the highest appeal to the target species. Meat eating animals such as skunks, dogs, cats and raccoons go for moist dog or cat food. Rodents prefer nuts. Rabbits and groundhogs enjoy fresh produce.
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Check the trap at least twice a day. Trapped animals can injure themselves in escape attempts or die from exposure, which defeats the purpose of humane trapping.
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Contact your local humane society or local game commission about releasing your catch. The law protects some species and local officials can determine the appropriate way to handle your trapped animal.
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Tips & Warnings
Use caution when releasing an animal from the Havahart trap. Skunks, raccoons and feral cats can carry rabies. Contact your animal control office if an animal in your trap exhibits signs of illness.
Avoid skunk spray by using the smallest possible trap to prevent the skunk from getting in the spray position, draping a sheet over the cage and moving the trap gently.
