Pro Tip : Plastic for Shy Raccoons
Picture in your mind a live trap for raccoons.
Does it look a lot like the one to the right?
If it does you are not alone; as most people associate live traps for raccoons with box traps made out of heavy gauge wire. Want more proof? Just Google “raccoon trap” and you’ll see plenty of pictures of this standard type of raccoon trap.
These standard, wire cage traps are great tools for catching raccoons.
We use a lot of them and, more times than not, they are very effective.
In today’s post, however, we profile a different type of live trap for raccoons; a trap made mostly of plastic.
Though plastic raccoon traps are not as common, we can assure you they are effective! And, at times, they are the tool which seals the deal on a wary raccoon.
Plastic Raccoon Trap
We own and utilize plastic cage traps mainly because we’ve had some troubles catching raccoons which, seemingly, knew better than to enter the standard wire trap. On these jobs, the trap shy raccoons wouldn’t go into the traps completely. They would only take what bait they could reach at the entrance or pull through the small openings on the sides.
When this happened, we would go to plan B (or sometimes C) and change the set-up by trapping them directly on a trail/entry with a walk-through trap or by suspending the tastiest of treats from the roof of the trap.
But, changing to plan B means spending more time at a particular job and not delivering the desired removal in the most efficient manner. Believe us, our goal is to catch the raccoons(s) on the first night!
Were these trap shy raccoons smarter than the others? Had they been caught and released before from wire traps? Were these raccoons too well fed and, therefore, snobbish about the treats we offered?
We aren’t really sure why there are those other raccoons that are leery of the standard trap.
We’re just glad we have a tool that helps us catch the shy/smart raccoon more efficiently.
That tool for us is a plastic raccoon trap like the one pictured to the right.
This trap is a solid, molded polyethylene box with a metal door, trigger mechanism, and carrying handle.
They only come in white as far as we know and we have not given any of them custom paint jobs.
They are marketed as Dura-Poly Live Traps or just simply plastic raccoon traps. We call them poly traps.
Two reputable places where you can view or purchase them online are:
- Tomahawk Traps – a trap manufacturer
- Wildlife Control Supplies – a supplier to the nuisance animal control industry
Thoughts on the Dura-Poly / Plastic Raccoon Trap
Why are these traps sometimes the best tool to help us catch raccoons?
We believe they are effective for us with trap shy raccoons simply because the raccoons are not used to seeing them.
We believe raccoons are capable and quick learners not to be underestimated. In the urban and suburban areas of Canton, Akron, and Kent where we trap nuisance raccoons, frequent raccoon/human interactions surely “educate” a number of raccoons. Our belief is that some raccoons have had enough experiences around wire traps to know to stay away.
The solid, smooth plastic trap doesn’t seem to put these educated raccoons on edge the way the wire traps do. For that reason, these poly traps help us efficiently remove smart raccoons.
Beyond helping us catch trap shy raccoons there are other positive features of the plastic/ Dura-Poly trap.
- The solid construction keeps the feces and urine of a trapped animal contained. As you can see in this picture, during the raccoon’s confinement in the trap it pooped. Animals in traps often do this. The solid bottom and sides contain the mess which would otherwise be on the material on which the trap was placed.
- The solid construction doesn’t allow raccoons or other trapped animals to reach out of the trap at all. This can be beneficial for the inexperienced trapper who sets a wire trap directly on a roof, insulated attic space, grass, or mulch and returns to find a raccoon and a mess. Since a raccoon will scratch and dig and grab whatever it can through the wire, keeping their nimble paws and fingers inside is a good benefit of the trap.
- The opaque material keeps animals calmer and provides more privacy for the homeowner when the animal is in the trap. For example, the trap above that is sitting by the deck has an animal in it. Can you or your neighbor see that there is an animal in there at all? Can the animal see you approaching or the hawk circling above?
- The solid/opaque construction helps in the event of a skunk catch. Covered and solid traps are a must for skunks. This type of trap fits the bill.
Lastly, the only drawback against the poly trap is that it is more expensive than a similar wire trap (considering the size, door springs and mechanism). This is not really an issue for us as a business as it might be for a do-it-yourselfer looking to purchase one trap for a (hopefully) quick fix.
Akron, Canton, Kent OH | Raccoon Control and Removal
Though not as commonplace, the plastic raccoon trap is a great tool to have at the ready.
If you are reading this because you have a raccoon problem and are looking for a good trap; good luck. We hope this review of the Dura Poly Plastic Raccoon trap helps you make an informed decision.
But, if you happened here because you were looking for a nuisance animal removal company that had the tools and experience to efficiently do the job AND live in the Akron(Summit County), Canton(Stark County), or Kent(Portage County) Ohio area–you are in luck. We can catch your problem raccoons!
For more on raccoons, raccoon removal, and raccoon repair:
And if you are in our area and feel you have squirrels or raccoons or bats in the attic and need some other professional nuisance animal help, give us a call.
