Raccoon Traps

Having a humane possum trap is the key to solving your possum problem. Maybe you have the misfortune of having possums in your attic or destroying your garden, or getting into fights with your cat. No matter what, possums are pests that need to be dealt with quickly but safely.

Some people put out poison to take care of possums. However, it is far too easy for a different animal to get into the poison, or for a poisoned animal to be caught and eaten by another animal. Many times, the unintended victim is someone’s pet. Cats are in particular danger as even housecats will sometimes scavenge for food in other yards, and they will kill and eat animals they see stumbling about.

People also have traditionally used spring traps that deliver an instant killing blow to the possum. These are also not advisable, as they can potentially harm small children, and kill small pets. Because of their size, they can also be dangerous to set, and can break bones if you are not careful when setting them.

Live traps are safe and easy to use. They guarantee that you will not kill animals unintentionally. Sometimes, you will catch a curious cat instead of a possum, but you can easily release it and try again. Cats will usually learn from their mistakes, and will probably not come back. Live traps are also relatively inexpensive, and you can find them at gardening or hardware stores, as well as online. If you already have a raccoon trap or a large rat trap, you may try using these as well, though sometimes the rat traps are too small, and the raccoon traps won’t always trigger with the mechanism.

If you are not familiar with a live trap, read the manual and get familiar with it. It is important that you know how to properly set it. It needs to both trigger to close, and stay closed. Some have latches that fall into place when triggered, and if they do not fall into place, the possum could escape.

Baiting the trap is easy, as possums will eat any type of vegetable. If they are getting into your garden, you can see what vegetables are their favorites, and can use that. Once the possum trap is set, check it often and be sure you know where you will be taking the possum once you do catch it: to a wooded area far from you home.

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A possum trap is a godsend in all those parts of the world plagued by the pesky possum. This wily creature causes a nuisance by overturning garbage cans, stealing food and ruining vegetable patches. By strategically placing possum traps in and around your property, you can rid your home off this pest.

Possum traps are available in various shapes and sizes, each having special purposes ranging from live traps to humane death traps. They can either be built or bought from a ‘trappings store’.

Kill traps

Most kill traps ensure a quick, painless death. They are also the fastest way to eradicate an infestation of possums. The advantage of kill traps is that they are time and cost effective and don’t need to be checked regularly. Kill traps can be kept at a location for long periods of time. There are a variety of kill traps available but the Timms trap is the most popular.

The Timms Trap

In New Zealand, where possum infestation is rampant, the Timms Trap is most favoured. The device is simple and is placed on the ground with bait (usually fruit) inside, to lure the animal. A Timms Trap contains a strong metal mouth powered by springs. It is a kill trap and so, the minute the possum’s head reaches in for the food, the mouth clamps shut on the animal, breaking its neck.

Live traps

A live trap is meant to capture an animal without killing it in the process. There are two main types of live traps- a leg hold trap and a box or cage trap.

The box or cage trap

Cage traps are usually made of plastic or wire. They either open at one or both ends. It is usually 11 inches (27.94cms) high, 12 inches (30.48cms) wide and 30 inches (76.2cms) long. Bait is usually placed inside the cage to attract the animal. On entering the cage, the possum steps on a treadle, triggering the cage shut. Cage or box traps are easy to use and can be moved around easily.

The foothold trap

This trap restrains the animal by the foot. The ‘jaw spread’ (distance between the two jaws) of the trap s usually 5-3/4 inches (13.58cms). There are several designs of foothold traps, the most common being the ‘coil spring’ trap.

When trapping possums, care should be taken to ensure that you capture your target and not other stray, curious animals.  Unusually, possums love fruit! Using fruit as bait could reduce the risk of a cat or rabbit being captured instead.

Also, in case of a live capture, ensure regular food and water availability in the possum trap.

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A possum trap is one of the many methods used to remove unwanted animals from a homeowner or business area. Although they are generally considered to be a nuisance, possums are valuable in the natural removal of carrion and removal of smaller vermin such as mice, lizards, and frogs.

Their preferred environments are wooded areas near streams, ponds, or other bodies of water. As human populations encroach on and landscape natural areas, possums have become extremely adaptable to living very close to humans. They are nocturnal omnivores, making use of garbage cans, pet food, gardens, and other food sources as well as carrion. The first line of defense is a good offense by limiting the items that draw possums to your property and limiting daytime resting areas such as brush piles or old hollow tree stumps. Consulting with pest control persons or wildlife professions should be well thought-out before considering killing the animal(s).

Methods including putting mothballs or crystals around the perimeter of the property can deter them, but need frequent reapplication. Most other folk methods for repelling possums generally are not effective. Some homeowners have used motion sensing sprinkler systems to startle and scare the animals away from the area. Fencing can be an option if the fence is too small for the possum to pass through, extended underground to prevent digging under, and slanted outward at the top to keep from climbing over. Remember that possums can climb trees and pass from one area to another via shared tree limbs.

Basically, using a metal live possum trap is the best method for trapping and relocating the animal. In order to keep from capturing unwanted animals or pets, using over ripe melons, grapes or bananas as bait will attract the possum. Once caged the possum may use the old trick of playing dead or may be quite vicious attempting to scratch or bite its captors. Consulting a professional pest remover or wildlife expert to help with transport and release of the animal may be necessary.

When dealing with any wild animal, one must make sure of the laws in the area for baiting, trapping, and relocation of nuisance animals. In some areas it is a requirement to euthanize a captured animal to avoid the spread of disease, especially rabies. Always use care when using a possum trap and make sure to follow rules for your area once the animal is trapped.

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Possums are thought of as being nature’s garbage collectors, which is quite useful until they enter the wrong areas and a possum trap is used to remove them. Regionally known as opossums, and not being the most handsome animal in the natural world, often people are more apt to try to eradicate them than enjoy any pest control or carrion cleanup value they have.

As with most creatures, possums would prefer to be out of the reach of man in a wooded area where there is a good water source such as a stream or pond. Man’s stretch inevitably engulfs nature’s areas at an alarming speed forcing the possum to adapt to living along with man. Possums will eat almost anything from fruit to carrion (omnivores) and travel at night (nocturnal), making them perfect nighttime scavengers. Limiting areas for them to hide during the day and taking the time to tightly close garbage cans, control other trash in the area, and not feeding outside pets at night makes the area less desirable for possums. It is illegal in some regions to kill any wildlife. It would be best to contact a wildlife professional or a professional pest control person before considering trapping or killing a troublesome possum.

Most people feel that trying to repel a possum is useless because they are so adaptable and are so used to eating almost anything they find. Fencing can be an option although it is expensive and may not control the pest problems. It would need to be small enough that they could not crawl through, buried beneath the ground so they won’t dig under, and leaned outward toward the top to keep them from climbing over. Using barbed wire or an electrified fence doesn’t always work because possums can climb trees and simply drop down from neighboring branches.

Crush type traps could be used if killing the animal is the goal, but they are considered to be inhumane and may not kill the animal immediately, causing agonizing results. Whether trapping the possum for relocation (if allowed by law) or to be euthanized, the best method is a metal spring loaded live trap. Avoid baiting with meat. Overripe fruit or other semi-spoiled items will draw the possum to the trap and hopefully circumvent the capture of unwanted area pets or other animals. Bait for night roaming and check the trap often to make sure the animal is dealt with properly once trapped.

Dispose of the animal as required by your regional laws for wildlife handling and disease control and your use of a possum trap will be a success.

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