Basic Live Trap for Rabbits, Squirrels and Other Beasts

by austin

65K9984

Intro: Basic Live Trap for Rabbits, Squirrels and Other Beasts

For one reason or another I have found myself in need of a easy live trap for various small animals. This includes furry garden invaders, escaped pets, unwanted attic inhabitants and perhaps the holiday being know as the easter bunny.

STEP 1: The Materials

Materials needed

- Wood,

The dimensions of the the cut pieces are below.

(2) 0.75"x6"x16" SIDE
(2) 0.75"X8"X16" TOP/BOTTOM
(1) 0.75"X6"X6" DOOR
(1) 0.75"X8"X8" BACK

I would recommend using treated lumber (fence planks are rough and cheap).

I used plywood that I had left over in my garage, I don't recommend it. (Nailing into the end of plywood is a real pain).

- Fish line, paracord, wire,

-Really any thin strong line with little stretch,

-Small nails or wood screws-

1.25" long should be fine

-Hinge

I reused a hinge from an amorie door, I spring loaded self closing hinge would be a good revision on this part.

-Rubber band

any kind of elastic could work for this

STEP 2: Pookie

ok so the idea is a big wooden box with a door that swings shut behind the beast as it eats the tasty treat at the end of the tunnel.

so first things first you need to make the box. The way I like to do this is to first nail the two sides onto the bottom Aka nail through the bottom and into the side of the pieces of wood that make up the sides of the trap. Make sure to drill pilot holes before you nail or screw. I used three nails for each joint, one in the middle and one at each end. After you get both of the side onto the bottom its time to add the back. line the back up with the two sides and the bottom and nail it on.

STEP 3: Now for the Top

ah yes the top. Im not really sure why I made a step for the top exclusively, but I did. Any way add the top the same way you did the back and nail it on. The top will need to have two holes cut in it and two holes chiseled in it but we can do that later.

STEP 4: The Door

The door will be swinging closed to trap the animal, so it needs to be as tight as possible while still being able to swing freely. cut it a bit more than 6"x6" and then sand it down till its perfect. The door is mounted using a small hinge. I used a hinge from a jewelry box and screwed it on so it can only open in.

STEP 5: The Mechanics

the top of the trap now needs several changes and addition. first you need to drill a hole that if the door is folded flat against the inside of the trap the hole will hit it. This is where the cord will go through to hold the door up when the trap is set. next about 4 or 5inches from the back make a rectangular, i drilled the basics shape out and then used a chisel to straighten it up. this hole is where the trigger will be placed. finally midway between these two holes you need to chisel two rectangular holes about half way through the wood. These need to be beside each other and a little bit bigger than the dimensions of the arms that hold the seesaw.

STEP 6: All Else

all that remains to be done is assembling the see saw and trigger. The first thing you need to do is to cut two peices of wood about 2 inches wide and 5-6 inches long, these will be the arms. Insert these peices in the two holes you chiseld out so that they run parallel to each other put wood glue or liquid nail arounf the base of the two arms to hole them in the indentions. next use a long thin peice of wood that will fit in the gap between the two arms this pecie should be about 8-10 inches long and should be very thin but strong i actually used a peice of metal tube that i had flattened out with a seldge hammer. This long piece needs on hole drilled in the middle where it crosses the arms this is where the axle will go. It also needs two holes drilled in both ends .

STEP 7: Ok So I Guess There More

now use a small nail that you can insert through the two arms and the middle piece, this will be the axle. tie a piece of the fishing line or cord onto the end of the middle piece and connect it to the door through the circular hole in the top of the trap. The piece should be long enough that when the see saw it all the way up the door is pulled all the way up against the top of the inside of the trap. On the other end of the middle piece attach a piece of sheet metal bent into the the shape of a L with an added on tail or like one segment of a lightning bolt. Use a piece of fishing line to connect the sheet metal to the middle piece just tie it through the holes drilled in the piece and another hole drilled in the sheet metal. The sheet metal needs to be able to be hooked on the underside of the top of the trap while the door is brought all the way up so adjust the length accordingly.

STEP 8: Wascally Wabbit.

so your done just put peanut butter on the bottom of the sheet metal and put it though the rectangular hole so that it will be hooked on the bottom edge of the top of the trap. This way when the animal licks the peanut butter off the sheet metal it will be pushed off the ledge and get pulled through the hole allowing the see saw to tilt and the door to close behind the animal. You can also put bait in the very back of the trap so when the animal pushes to get to the bait the trap will be triggered. If you find the door is not closing quickly then try using a hinge with a built in spring or using a rubber band that pulls the trap closed (see picture) just post any questions because I know my instructions are quite confusing.

86 Comments

DGCInfoKitty 3 years ago

I was the kid who wanted to trap a rabbit to eat rabbit pie? No petty for Peter?

Jsoa 6 years ago

I live in Fla. + have some palmettos on the property which rabbits like.
I've tried to burn them + they keep coing back. The rabbits are all
over the property. They carry fleas + mites. Every time it rains, the
fleas come up around the house to escape the water puddles on the horse
fields,+ get on the cats + I can't walk ouside without fleas biting me..
Even though I treat the cats w/ Atvantage Multi they are stil here.
Any ideas. I want to get rid of the rabbits withut killing them. Thanks,John!

Btw, anyone try to use this trap

https://stoppestinfo.com/155-how-to-get-rid-of-rab...

?

imthatguy1125 14 years ago

i would think rabbit wouldnt go into a dark box but the do?

An Villain 14 years ago

yes they do, rabbits love dark, enclosed spaces, you forget they live in burrows.

handsoflight 11 years ago

depending on where you live and the Rabbit species will determine if they burrow or not. cottontails and hares do not burrow.. have lived in Va. NC. Ga Tn and Ky.. mostly cotton tails they nest above ground.

An Villain 14 years ago

yes, we have lots of rabbits at our house.

okiimatsu 15 years ago

I made one and it came out great. i made a few changes and added a couple of things (longer box, magnets for the front door, handle, feet/legs). The rogue squirrel which was living high on the hog on my property was nabbed the first time I set it out within an hour. sayonara sucker. Of course I let him go on the other side of town in a good spot. He got a chance that ninety nine out of a hundred rednecks wouldn't have give him. Thanks for the project!

okiimatsu 14 years ago

omae nihongo nani mo shiranai kuseni nani ittendayo!!!
sayonara!

Xellers 12 years ago

Guys, transliterations, by definition, have no "correct" spellings! There are definitely worse ways and better ways to transliterate something, but that doesn't mean one way is more correct than the other.

pagray 13 years ago

Sayonara
is the correct spelling

Lokisgodhi 13 years ago

Not in this universe.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sayonara

sa·yo·na·ra (s-när) interj. Goodbye. [Japanese saynara : say, thus (sa, that + y, appearance from Middle Chinese jiang) + nara, if it be, indeed.]
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