How do I Trap a Raccoon & Not a Skunk?
- 1). Bait a raccoon trap with fresh fruit rinds or nuts. These will attract fruit and vegetable-loving raccoons, but skunks may stay away, preferring their usual diet of bugs, rodents and worms.
- 2). Set the bait in a covered plastic container, but leave the cover loose. Raccoons are very curious and are experts at finding and uncovering food in closed containers. Skunks may also have this ability, but they are more likely to pass by a closed container.
- 3). Locate the trap off the ground so the animal has to climb to get to it. Skunks are not good climbers, but moderate height is no obstacle for raccoons. A picnic table, a bench or even a chair will provide solid footing for the trap while being too high for a skunk to enter.
- 4). Put the bait on the opposite side of the trap from the door so that the animal has to enter the trap to get the food. If it is too close to the entrance, a raccoon can just reach in to get it. You do not have to place the bait on the metal plate that triggers the door. Once the animal is in the cage, it is likely to step on the plate while reaching for the food.
- 5). Check the trap in the morning and call an animal control expert if you catch a raccoon. Caged raccoons are dangerous. You should never try to relocate one yourself.