What kind of bait to catch a opossum?
What Is The Best Bait To Catch An Opossum? - The opossum is one of the best scavenging animals that is to be found in the United States, but the counter to this fact is that it is also one of the most frustrating to deal with, regularly getting into the garbage or stealing from pet food containers or sacks. If you are thinking of dealing with the problem by using a trap, there are a variety of different baits that can be used in order to try and attract the animal into the trap. However, when it comes to trapping an opossum, there are a variety of different factors that are more important to successful trapping, including the location and type of trap that is being used.
Different Types Of Bait Available
Because an opossum will scavenge any food that it can get hold of, there is no one type of bait that is a lot more successful than the others. As they have a good sense of smell, foods that they can catch the scent of from a short distance away can work quite well, with fish or meat, preferably a little on the turn so that it is a little smelly is often successful., while pet food can also work well. Fruit such as apples, or even aniseed oil on bread or a cracker can also work as bait. There are commercial baits available, but as these don't tend to have any greater affect than the foods found around the home, most people won't see the need to use these products.
One useful technique is to place a small amount of the bait at the opening of the trap, and the remainder inside, as this will help get the opossum to the right end of the trap, and will help to reassure it that the food is safe.
Using Poison Bait To Deal With An Opossum
Many people think of poison bait as a different type of bait, but in reality this isn't a type of bait at all, as it doesn't require a trap in order to do its dirty work. The problem with using this type of bait is that it is very toxic, and because opossums are inquisitive creatures similar to cats and dogs in some ways, it is very difficult to place the poison in a location where it cannot be reached by domestic animals or even children. This approach also means that you will need to find and deal with the carcass, which is even less pleasant than relocating the opossum once it has been captured in the trap.
Finding Opossum Entry Holes
When it comes to find a good spot to place your cage trap, one of the best locations is near where the opossum is active on a regular basis. This will usually mean any holes in the fence or hedge that the animal is using to gain access to the yard or garden. While some people will place the trap directly over the hole, some opossums will find this change too obvious, and you may need to place the trap a short distance away from the hole in order to get the best success.
Locating A Trap To Catch The Animal
As well as looking to place a trap near the holes that the opossum is using to get in and out of your yard or garden, you can also look for areas of high traffic. This can be the route the animal is using to get to a particular food bowl or the route it is using to get to the garbage, while signs such as feces and footprints can also be indicators of this type of location. Try to anchor the trap in that location so that it can't be moved by pets or other animals, and if you do have pets, try to place the trap out of their reach, or keep them away from the trap while you have the trap set.
Choosing The Right Trap
The type of trap that you should be using to catch an opossum is often referred to as a 'cat trap', as opossums weigh about the same as the cat, and the cages are ranked by size and the weight that is required to trigger the trap. If you choose one that is too small the opossum will be too cautious, or may not be able to get in at all, while large traps may not trigger, and you'll simply be giving the opossum a free meal.
Dealing With Opossums Once They Are Trapped
Depending on your state, there may be regulations about where the animals can be relocated, or whether they have to be humanely killed by a particular state body. If there are no particular regulations in your state, it is best to relocate the animal at least ten miles from your property, and away from other homes where the animal could cause a problem. Carry the trap with a thick blanket over it to protect yourself from bites and scratches, and remove this before opening the trap and backing well away.
Go back to the main Opossum Removal page for more information about what type of bait to use to trap a opossum. What kind of food do you put in a opossum trap to catch the animal? What is the best opossum bait?
