Raccoon Trapping – Humane Wildlife Removal

What You Need to Know About Trapping a Raccoon

If you’ve found raccoons in your home or yard, it’s best to remove them as quickly as possible. They’re very cute and furry, but they’re actually a danger to you due to the diseases they carry. The best way to remove them is to trap them first, and then deal with them. Here’s what you need to know about trapping a raccoon.

Raccoon Trap Location

Firstly, let’s consider the location you’ll use to trap the raccoon. Where you place it is dependent on where the raccoon has made its den. Many like to get into the attic or loft spaces, as they’re seldom disturbed and make comfortable places to raise their young. If that’s the case, placing your trap near the entry point to the attic is the best way to go.

Placing traps under hedges or other areas of cover is a good idea, as raccoons will often find their way under there. Any area of high traffic for raccoons is advised, as you need them to come across the trap.

Baiting Your Trap

Next, you need to think about how you’ll bait the trap. You need to convince the raccoon to get close enough for the trap to work. There are several different food types that work, such as wet cat food, marshmallows, fish, and apple. Try any one of these to lure the raccoon into the trap.

Euthanasia or Live Release?

When setting up a trap, you have the option to kill the raccoon or release it back into the wild, away from your property. What you do will depend on laws in your area. In some places, you’ll only be able to euthanize the raccoon, so keep that in mind when setting up your trap.

Types of Traps

There are several different types of traps you can use to capture the raccoon. Here are some that you should consider using:

Cage traps: These are the most common type of trap, and one that’s popular with people looking to remove raccoons humanely. The trap is a cage large enough for the raccoon to get inside. The bait is laid at the far end of the cage. The raccoon gets inside to get the food, and the door to the cage shuts behind them.

Paw grip traps: These traps aim to trap raccoons by their paws, rather than trapping the whole animal. They are a cylindrical tube that has a shutter in it. Bait is laid at the bottom of the tube, and when the raccoon reaches their hand in, the shutter closes, trapping them. The tube is attached via chain to a rock or a stake in the ground, so the raccoon can’t get away. These traps do make it difficult to get close to the raccoon, however.

Snare traps: These traps are usually used by those looking to euthanize raccoons on their grounds. The trap is a loop of cord designed to tighten around the raccoon’s neck and placed fixed to a fence post or stake. When used correctly, the raccoon dies very quickly. However, they do pose a danger to other animals, so use them with caution.