How to Secure a Raccoon Trap to a Roof

Raccoons can damage building materials in the attic.

A raccoon sometimes sets its home in the attic and uses the roof to access it. If this occurs at your house, you can place a cage trap on the roof to catch it. Cage traps come in various sizes and styles. They are often made of plastic or wire with a treadle inside. When the raccoon steps on the treadle, the doors to the trap close. You can usually use the cage trap as a carrier when you transport the raccoon elsewhere.

Things You'll Need

• Cage trap
• Screwdriver
• Screws
• Wire
• Roof sealant

Instructions

1. Place a pile of bait behind the treadle in a cage trap and scatter a few pieces of bait around the cage trap and just inside the entrance. You can use pet food or chicken. Don't use oily fish products, such as sardines, as they may stain the roof.

2. Place the trap on the roof, as close as possible to the entry hole the raccoon uses to get into the attic. If you use a single-door trap, place it with the back against a vertical surface, if possible.

3. Drive four screws halfway into the roof, placing each screw about 1 inch away from a corner of the cage trap.

4. Wrap the end of a length of wire twice around a screw and thread the other end into a hole in the cage trap, pull it back out through another hole to make a loop and twist it. Do the same with the other screws until you secure the cage trap to the roof.

5. Drive the entire length of the screws into the roof.

6. Apply roof sealant to the heads of the screws to prevent the screw holes from causing leaks.

References

• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Raccoons; Edward K. Boggess
• Best Practices for Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators: Step Three: Do It --- Nonlethal Techniques