Making Homemade Rabbit Traps

Rabbit is a favorite pet for some hobbyists, its snow white color and smooth fur are some adorable characteristics. However, a rabbit can cause nuisance to the surroundings, if it is not kept in a proper cage. It can survive in both rural and urban environments. As the reproductive rate of rabbit is fast, its population increases within a short duration. In the wild, the increase in rabbit population is under control as there are natural predators like cat, coyote and fox. The problem lies in urban areas, where there are no predatory wild animals.

Many a times, hobbyists release domestic rabbits into the wild when the number of pet rabbit increases. At times, those rabbits left in the wild return to nearby landscapes in search of food. They feed on fruits, vegetables, flower beds and other plants. Rabbits can be devastating to garden plants. The presence of rabbit can be confirmed if there are droppings in the vegetable garden. Since rabbits are nocturnal, they usually go unnoticed for several days. In order to control rabbits, you can consider using repellents that are available in granular or liquid form. Another way of controlling the entry of rabbits is by making use of rabbit traps.

Making Homemade Rabbit Traps

Homemade rabbit traps can be made by using readily available materials. The requirements for constructing a rabbit trap are a sturdy box, long stick, string or wire, piece of plywood, screw hook and knife. One thing to be taken care of is the size and weight of the box; the box should be large and heavy enough to fit and hold the rabbit. If the box is light, the wild rabbit may escape from the trap. Also, select a strong and thick stick so as to hold the weight of the box efficiently.

Select a large wooden or metal box for making a homemade rabbit trap. You can screw-in the screw hook at the center, from inside the box. This screw hook will serve as a hanger for the rabbit's food. Place the piece of plywood in the garden area where rabbits are expected to visit. Use the stick to prop up the box (adjacent to the plywood); the height of the box should be sufficient to fit the rabbit underneath it.

Select a vegetable that a rabbit eats, for example, a carrot and tie it to the string; you can tie several foods along the length of the string. Then, pass the other end of the string through the screw hook and attach it to the stick. While doing so, adjust the string length so that the food is suspended above the ground. When the rabbit tries to eat the food, it will pull the stick and the box will fall, thus trapping the rabbit.

Carefully lift the box along with the plywood when a rabbit gets trapped inside the box. As per your choice, you can release the rabbit in a nearby forest or raise it as a pet. Homemade rabbit traps are also effective to control other rodents like rat and mice. In addition, it can also be used for hunting rabbits in the wild.