Skunks are actually quite beneficial to farmers, landowners, gardeners, and forester They are nocturnal omnivores who eat large numbers of pests such as cutworms and grub beetles.
They provide a source of pesticide-free bug control that is absolutely free.
They’re not aggressive unless provoked and give plenty of warning before spraying when they are provoked.
If you want to get rid of them though, which is quite understandable, there are a number of live capture traps on the market that are designed with skunks in mind. These traps allow you to trap, transport, and release skunks without getting sprayed.
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What Are Skunk Traps?
Skunk traps are dark enclosed boxes or tubes with a spring-loaded trap door that will close when the skunk trips it from the inside. The darkness inside the trap provides a secure feeling for the skunk. This dramatically reduces – but doesn’t eliminate – the chances of the skunk spraying.
How Do Skunk Traps Work?
Traps have to be baited with food that will attract the skunk. They have an excellent sense of smell and are drawn by sardines, fish-flavored cat food, peanut butter, and eggs.
Be sure to use peanut butter and/or eggs if there is a chance raccoons or cats might be caught in the traps.
When they emerge from their den, they’ll smell the bait and enter the trap. Stepping on a pressure plate will trigger the door behind them. The spring on the door will snap it closed and they’ll be caught.
Read Also: What are the best kinds of skunk repellents?
Did You Know
You should place the opening of the trap near the mouth of the skunk den. Do this in the middle of the day when skunks are least likely to be active. Once the sun goes down they will begin to stir around.
How Do You Find The Best Skunk Trap?
Pest management experts have partnered with colleges and universities to determine that dark, enclosed traps are the best kind for capturing skunks alive and unharmed. From there, manufacturers have built traps in accordance with their findings.
All the traps we’re reviewing today match those recommendations. The type of material, quality of the spring loaded doors, the hinges, and the ease of releasing the animals are what differentiate one trap from another.
Are Skunk Traps Effective?
Yes. Although skunks are generally considered beneficial due to their preferred diet of insects and grubs but they can also do a lot of damage to your yard when they’re digging for those grubs.
Except during mating season, they are solitary by nature, so there will normally only be one skunk per burrow. Once you’ve caught it, you can shovel dirt into the burrow to fill it up and use the trap on the next one.
Are Skunk Traps Safe Around My Pets and Children?
That depends on the age of your children and the size of your pets.
- Small children below the age of 10 should not be left alone with traps or allowed to have access to them. They can get their hand, arm, foot, or leg caught in the trap and become frightened. The trap can injure them when it closes but their panicked efforts to free themselves may cause them more injury than the trap itself.Older children can be taught the basics of trap safety. You can even train them to help you set the traps and release the skunks when they’re caught.
- Your pets regardless of size should be kept away from the traps. A small pet can be caught in the traps just like the skunks. Large pets can get their muzzle or a paw stuck in the trap. They will most likely injure themselves trying to break free.
Although live traps are generally safe for adults, they should never be considered safe around pets, and their safety around children should be based on a sliding scale according to your child’s age and developmental level. When in doubt, don’t leave your children unsupervised around traps.
Top 5 Best Skunk Traps
- J T Eaton Spring Loaded Catch and Release Humane Skunk Trap
- Northern Tool & Equipment Spray-Proof Skunk Trap
- Havahart Cage Trap
- Z TRAP SKUNK-N-MORE Live Trap
- THE SNARE SHOP Spray Proof Skunk Trap with Removable Back Plate
J T Eaton Spring Loaded Catch and Release Humane Skunk Trap
This dark polyethylene trap is square instead of round so once the animal is inside they can’t roll it over and over again. It stays in place. It is easy to transport and release the trapped skunk, with a convenient handle on top. The release mechanism is well designed, although there are occasional quality issues with it.
The transparent plastic piece that allows you to see inside the trap is too thin. Many people have replaced it with something thicker and stronger.
Northern Tool & Equipment Spray-Proof Skunk Trap
This is a green PVC pipe with a metal handle on top and a square door on one end. The PVC pipe is six inches in diameter on the inside, big enough for the skunk to get inside, but too small for them to raise their tail and spray. Skunks can’t bite or scratch you either.
There isn’t any way to look inside the trap and see what you’ve caught. Skunks can dig in their claws and brace themselves when you try to empty the traps. Several users have had to sling the trap around to dislodge the skunk inside it. A slightly bigger diameter would eliminate that problem.
Havahart Cage Trap
This mechanical wildlife trap from Havahart is constructed of heavy-duty steel wire mesh. It resists rust and corrosion and is sturdy enough for skunks, muskrats, and opossums. It’s made in the US and comes with two spring-loaded doors and protective handguards.
This Havahart Cage Trap is ideal for professional or home use. Its simple design allows for easy setup and release. And the trip plate can be adjusted to the animal’s size and weight.
The heavy-duty handle allows for easy transport, while the sturdy locking mechanism keeps the animal secure. And the smooth, rounded edges are safe for both the wildlife and the handler.
Z TRAP NO. 6 SKUNK-N-MORE Live Trap
This is another PVC tube trap with metal slots on either end so you can see what you’ve caught. The six-inch interior diameter prevents skunks from raising their tail, therefore they can’t spray. The trap door is gravity operated. Once it drops it locks itself until you open it to release the animal.
It is 24 inches long and six inches in diameter, dark color, and a large carrying handle for easy transportation. All the metal components are zinc coated to prevent rust. The back door pivots to all for baiting, not for releasing the animal.
THE SNARE SHOP Spray Proof Skunk Trap with Removable Back Plate
This is another PVC tube trap, but with a removable plate on the back end for baiting the trap. The front door is a gravity operated “guillotine style” that drops straight down when the animal triggers it. The door is powder coated. Although this trap is identical in many ways to other tube traps it doesn’t work as well as the others. There may be something in the manufacturing process that leaves a repugnant odor the skunks don’t like. It is also fairly pricey compared to other traps that work better.
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