How to Make Homemade Animal Traps for Free
Although many animals are cute and fuzzy, they can also make a nuisance of themselves. Rabbits, possums and skunks can damage gardens and lawns, carry fleas, and even carry disease into your property. Many homeowners seek to trap these animals and release them far away from their property. Building a live trap is easy, using a couple of steps. Always plan what you're going to do with the animal after you trap it. Even though they're wild animals, they should be treated humanely. The best option is to trap them and release them into a wild area outside of town.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Food for the animal (bacon, chicken or vegetable)
- Large wooden box
- Plywood (roughly the size of the box)
- Stick or pole
- String
- Screw hook
Instructions
-
-
1
Prepare the area you want to use for trapping the animal. Consistently leave food out for the animal in one spot, so that it gets used to being fed and comes back every night.
-
2
Screw the hook into the center of the inside of the box, in what will be the roof.
-
-
3
Lay the plywood flat on the ground in the place you've been leaving food.
-
4
Use your stick or pole to prop up one side of the box over the plywood. When the box falls, it should fall on the plywood. Make sure there's enough room under the lip of the box for the animal to get inside. There should also be enough room for you to reach inside the box and bait it.
-
5
Tie the string to whatever treat you're using to bait the animal trap. Make sure the food is tied securely and in several places. Run the other side of the string through the hook.
-
6
Pull the string tight, until the treat is suspended near the roof of the box. It should be high enough that the animal has to pull it down to eat it. Tie the other side of the string to the base of your stick.
-
7
Leave the trap. When the animal enters and tugs at the treat, the string will jerk the stick out from under the box, and the animal will be trapped. Turn the box over, keeping the plywood in place. Take the animal to a preplanned holding place or release destination.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use long, thin treats like strips of chicken or bacon in your trap for ease of tying.
Whatever you trap is a wild animal and can cause damage with its teeth and claws. Always use caution.
