While there are no specific traps that are specially marketed for opossums, there are a few different traps made for larger-sized nuisance animals like raccoons, feral cats and—you guessed it—opossums.
Generally, these traps work by using spring-loaded mechanisms attached to the baiting platforms. However, the jargon in the product descriptions can get a little confusing, so keep reading below. We’ll break down what this means and shed a little insight on how these traps work.
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What Does “Spring-Loaded” Mean?
Essentially, each trap is a giant metal rectangle made of steel bars meshed together. On the inside, there is a platform which is attached to a spring. This spring also connects to the door.
The purpose of this platform is to hold bait in order to lure an opossum into the trap and onto the platform, where its weight will activate the spring. Once the spring is tripped, the door will snap shut, trapping the animal inside.
What Stops the Opossum from Escaping?
Because the door is snapped shut from the outside, it’s nearly impossible for an animal trapped inside to escape. The galvanized steel design of most traps prohibit tampering with the door from the inside, and usually, the nuisance animal on the inside simply isn’t strong enough to push open the door to the trap.
More often than not, these animals are much too scared and confused to even attempt to tamper with the trap, and will wait until they are set free.
Will Trapping a Live Opossum Only Agitate It?
While any animal trapped in a confined space will become agitated and scared, rest assured that a caged opossum poses no significant danger to humans.
It’s highly unlikely that opossums are able to carry rabies, despite the catatonic state they appear to slip into when they become scared. In fact, an opossum in captivity may even appear to be dead—these animals have popularized the term “playing ‘possum” due to their tendency to slow their heart rates and go limp for periods of time.
Take a look at how docile this opossum becomes when caught in a trap (and how nicely it exits the trap when freed) in the video below.
What Should I Do With My Trapped Opossum?
Before you get down to trapping opossums, make sure you understand the protections in place for these animals.
Depending on where you live, it may be against the law to release these animals back into the wild without a permit from your local government.
Trapping a live opossum on your own property is generally regarded as legal, but relocating it back into a separate wild location is against mostly illegal in many areas.
For more details on your specific zoning ordinances, check with your local government’s wildlife division.
There are currently no poisons on the market directed toward opossums, and using a rodenticide or antifreeze in order to kill an opossum can come with serious legal consequences.
However, some states permit the use of firearms to eradicate opossums. If you’re not sure whether or not it’s legal to use your gun to discharge an opossum, check with your local wildlife division for up-to-date legal status.
However, think twice before killing an opossum! Not only are they harmless creatures, but they are actually pretty beneficial to have around. Check out this video for some of the fascinating ways opossums help the world around them. They don’t just lay around and eat bugs—they’re actually helping to stop the spread of Lyme Disease!
Where Can I Find Out More Information?
Laws and protections for opossums vary from place to place, sometimes as low as the county level.
If you’re unsure of where to begin, you can always start at the federal level and work your way down. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a state directory tool which can help funnel you to the area where you live.
By using this tool, you can get a phone number or an email address to someone who can give you more information on the laws regarding opossum release and killing for your area.
The laws are very specific for each and every area, and we recommend that you find out which law applies to your area BEFORE purchasing an opossum trap.
When Should An Opossum Trap Be Set?
Because opossums are nocturnal animals, setting bait in your trap before you go to bed is the best idea. This way, the bait will be as fresh as possible during the night time—otherwise known as prime prowling time for an opossum.
Also, be sure to set the trap in dark, secluded corners of your backyard or garden. True to their demeanor, the opossum will want to hide out in a creepy place; not necessarily out in the open. Try to set up the trap near garbage bins or under awnings—somewhere secluded that the shy opossum believes it can be left alone.
Top 4 Best Opossum Traps
In the below section we break down each of our product recommendations in a little more detail.
- HomGarden Live Animal Trap
- ZENY Live Animal Cage Trap
- Ranger Products Large Collapsible Humane Live Animal Trap
- Ant March Live Animal Cage Trap
HomGarden Live Animal Trap
This humane animal trap is ideal for opossums. The large opening also accommodates raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels. Once trapped, its smooth edges and wire mesh help protect the animal from injuring itself.
The sturdy, galvanized steel construction will hold up for many years. And it’s guaranteed not to rust or corrode. Features include:
- Spring-loaded door
- Sensitive trigger
- Secure capture
- Separate release door
- Sturdy door lock prevents animals from escaping
The HomGarden live animal trap comes with everything you need to start trapping opossums. Just use your favorite baits. It even comes with a handle guard so your trapped critter can’t bite you while transporting it.
ZENY Live Animal Cage Trap
The ZENY Live Animal Cage Trap is an ideal solution for those who are looking for a budget option to trap a variety of different nuisance animals in the yard, including opossums.
This trap works using the standard spring-loaded door model. The bait sits on a platform which is attached to the spring on the door, snapping it closed when weight is applied.
What we love about this particular trap is that it works to get the job done without the price inflation of some of its competitors. This is a great budget option for those who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a trap, or perhaps those who don’t have a lot of nuisance animals to trap in the first place.
Ranger Products Large Collapsible Live Animal Trap
The Large Collapsible Humane Live Animal Trap from Ranger Products is perfect for those who have oversized animals prowling around the backyard but are starved for space in the garage.
This trap is made from galvanized steel for long-lasting durability, and folds up for seamless storage while not in use. When it’s time to trap an opossum, the trap easily unboxes itself and gets to work luring in opossums, raccoons, feral cats, and other intruders you don’t want in your yard.
While there is some assembly required after shipment, the manufacturers are Ranger Products also include a video to help with the setup process.
We recommend this trap to those who need to trap large animals but don’t have a ton of space to spare while the trap isn’t in use.
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