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Trapping
Trapping can be used to remove rabbits from problem areas. Several excellent styles of commercial live traps are available from garden centers, hardware stores, and seed catalogs. Most commercial traps are made of wire and last indefinitely with proper care. Live traps often can be rented from animal control offices or pest control companies.
Dry corn and dried apples make very good year-round bait. Dried leafy alfalfa and clover are good cold-weather baits. Apples, carrots, cabbage, and other fresh green vegetables are good baits in warmer weather, but these soft baits become mushy and ineffective once frozen. For best results, use baits similar to the fruit on which the target rabbits are feeding. Position the bait at the rear of the trap. Placing a trap involves a few easy steps:
- Place traps where you know rabbits feed or rest. Check for runways along the edge of cover. To locate an active runway, look for rabbit droppings and clipped twigs. Place sticks in the ground in front of the trap to guide the rabbit into the trap.
- In winter, face traps away from prevailing winds to keep snow and dry leaves from interfering with the door.
- Move traps if they fail to make a catch within a week.
Check traps twice a day to replenish bait or remove the catch. Legally, in Pennsylvania, traps must be checked every 36 hours, but they should be checked every 12 hours, particularly in suburban areas where neighborhood pets might be caught.
A commercial wire trap can be made more effective by covering it with canvas or some other dark material. This will cause the trap to resemble a safe, secure environment. Be sure that the covering does not interfere with the trap's mechanism.