Humane Raccoon Traps

Learn raccoon trapping techniques before you set your raccoon trap.

Raccoons can become a real nuisance and many people consider them to be among the most destructive pests. It is not uncommon for raccoons to destroy vegetable gardens, lawns, rummage in dumpsters and trashcans and rip apart bird feeders. While raccoons can cause plenty of damage outside of the home, they can also easily find ways to get inside to forage in the kitchen or nest inside the attic or crawlspaces.  Some of the most common ways they gain access to homes is through the chimney, pet doors, and through the eaves. Raccoons love to nest under porches and in attics and the problem can get more difficult to handle if there is a litter of baby kits present. Typically, raccoons cause problems with homeowners most during the months of May through September, but also can be active throughout the year.

Know your Enemy - A Quick Raccoon Retrospective.

Raccoons are common in suburban and urban areas throughout North America. These resourceful little land mammals are easily identifiable by the long fine coat, ringed tail (4-7 prominent dark rings) and black mask. Adults weigh anywhere from 12–25 pounds, and measure about 12” in height. Raccoons are highly intelligent and are known to be as brazen as they are curious. They are sociable animals, especially during mating season, and communicate with a range of whimpers, cries, whines, squeeks, screams and purrs. Raccoons have an average lifespan of about 10 years in the wild.

Raccoons will eat just about anything! While their normal diet is primarily insects, nuts, worms, shellfish, frogs, eggs, snakes and fruit, garbage offers a lot of options for these omnivores. Unfortunately for homeowners in suburban areas and cities, the presence of open garbage in dumpsters, cans, and trash bags provides a great incentive for raccoons to begin causing mayhem.

Females give birth during the months of April and May with an average litter of 1-6 baby kits. Babies stay with the mother until Autumn, then go off on their own to find a den for the winter. A suitable den in the wild can be the hollow of a dead tree, a crevice in a rock formation, or an abandoned animal burrow. Urban raccoons will happily move in under porches, up in attics, or any covered manmade structure.

Raccoons aren’t considered to be true hibernators, but they typically sleep for days to weeks at a time during winter months and are considerably less active on the whole. In January, female raccoons will stay in their dens, while the males roam looking for mates.

Humane Raccoon Trapping and Relocation

Your first order of business before you even consider raccoon trapping is to find out if these animals are protected in your state or province. Many states (provinces) have strict regulations and require homeowners to enlist professional animal control services.

Humane raccoon traps such as the Havahart Raccoon Trap 1081, Havahart Raccoon Trap 1085 and Havahart Raccoon Trap 1079 are extrememly effective at catching these wily and mischievous animals. With the use of an incentivizing raccoon trap bait, the animal will walk right into the cage and the door will close behind them. No harm will come to them and a professional can then safely relocate the animal. Raccoons should be taken to a wilderness area at leas ten miles from where the trap was set.

Our Top 5 Raccoon Traps:

canada goose expedition parka   Havahart 1079 Professional Single Door Raccoon Trap (32x10x12). Designed and used by professional trappers & animal control officers. Wire mesh with steel reinforcement. Galvanized to resist rust and corrosion. Spring loaded door snaps shut for quick secure captures. Smooth internal edges prevent injury to the animal.
north face parka   Havahart 1081 Professional Single Door Cage Trap for Large Raccoons (42x15x15). Same as above. Larger cage accommodates mature or larger raccoons. The size of the trap is designed specifically for larger raccoons and increase the likelihood that you will capture the right animal.
columbia whirlibird parka   Havahart 1089 Collapsible Single Door Cage Trap for Raccoons (32x10x12). Same as above with the exception that this is a collapsible unit that folds away for easy storage. Comes Fully assembled with instructions and tips on bait and trapp setting.
m-51 fishtail parka   Havahart 1045 Two Door Cage Trap for Raccoons (36x10x12). Two entry doors all you to capture more than one racoon at a time. Effective for mothers with babies. The mother will often follow the baby into the trap. For certain placement situations the extra door also increase your chance of capturing a single raccoon.
patagonia downtown loft down parka   Havahart 1050 Two Door Cage Trap for Raccoons (42x10x13). Same as above only designed for larger or mature raccoons. Bigger size discourages smaller raccoons and encourages larger ones. Fine mesh pattern reduces the incidence of bait stealing. Extensive field testing has proven all Havahart cage traps to have a high catch rate with fewer escapes.

It should be noted that while raccoon traps are designed specifically for raccoons, it is not uncommon to catch other wild animal and even domestic animals. Cats, skunks, groundhogs, woodchucks, opossums or even the wrong raccoon can easily find their way into your trap. Knowing how to properly hand a trapped animal is also something to be considered. Approaching a skunk trapped in your cage can be a tricky matter. Trapped raccoons also are known to display a pretty alarming amount of aggression and let out blood curdling screams as you approach the cage and attempt to move it. While the animal may suffer some stress, they are not physically harmed and will be fine after they are released.

Safety Considerations to Consider Before Setting a Raccoon Trap

There is a small chance that an animal may be rabid. Rabid raccoons can be identified by loss of use of the back legs, foaming mouth, and being out in the open during daylight hours (raccoons are nocturnal). A licensed pest control professional is vaccinated against rabies and knows the indicators to look for in order to properly identify a rabid animal.

Humane raccoon traps are simply the best way to solve a raccoon problem. We do not advocate the use of leg traps under any circumstances. Depending on the size and number of raccoons that need to be removed, there are varying sizes of raccoon traps and even some that will accommodate more than one animal. Raccoons should always be handled as gently as possible in order to avoid stressing the animal unnecessarily. In certain situations and where state laws are in effect, a certified animal control specialist may be called. Humane raccoon trapping standards apply in the Unites States.