How to Build a Homemade Rabbit Trap
Everyone loves Thumper--the cartoon rabbit in "Bambi"--but real rabbits are not as beloved. In addition to their infamous reputation for devouring gardens, rabbits can wreak havoc elsewhere. According to United Wildlife Control, rabbits carry disease and cause insect infiltration. They produce litters six times a year, and will enter a wall or crawlspace, or tunnel under porches to bear their young. Some die there, creating odor problems and contamination that can plague a property for years. One way to eliminate the proliferation of rabbits on your property is to trap them. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Survey your land to find bushy, covered areas where rabbits feed and rest. Choose one of these locations to set your trap. Entice rabbits by setting out carrots and other favorites each night in that spot. They will come to expect this nightly treat--making it easier to lure them into the trap.
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Locate a sturdy box--large and strong enough to imprison a rabbit--and a stick to prop it up. You will also need a screw hook, a 20-inch length of string and bait. The Kansas Forest Service recommends apples, carrots, leafy alfalfa and cabbage as good choices for your rabbit trap.
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Cut a sturdy piece of cardboard so that it is slightly larger than the box. Put it on the ground and position it so it will become the bottom of your rabbit trap. When it is time to pick up the trap, hold the bottom securely so the rabbit will not squirm out.
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Position the box on the cardboard and prop it up with the stick. Screw the hook into the middle of the inside top of the box. Tie one end of the string to the bait and thread the other end through the screw hook. Pull the string until the bait is dangling a few inches off the floor. Tie the loose end of the string around the stick, a few inches from the bottom.
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Test the trap. Take a long stick and push on the bait. This should cause the string to pull up on the stick, causing the stick and the box to fall. Re-set the trap and leave the area. Check back at least once a day.
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Tips & Warnings
Be careful when you are handling a trapped rabbit; a bite can result in Tularemia.
References
- Photo Credit urban rabbit image by jesse welter from Fotolia.com
