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Release a Trapped Opossum

Do you know how to release a trapped opossum (Didelphis virginianus)? Many people think that cage trapping is easy.  Frankly, it is. But it is easy in the sense that following a recipe is easy. Everything is great if you follow the steps but the situation can turn badly if you fail to follow the steps. Of course, many people cut corners and the results can show. But there is a way that releasing a trapped opossum is different. Opossums, unlike cake ingredients, have minds of their own.

The following YouTube video explains how to properly release a trapped opossum. The reason for the instruction is two-fold. First, it’s important to understand the safety and animal welfare issues related to using cage traps and dealing with cage-trapped animals. I discuss these issues more fully in my book, Being Kind to Animal Pest rev ed.  The second reason is that opossums are different than most animals. Most cage-trapped animals leave the trap almost immediately when the cage door opens. Opossums are different. They frequently just stay in the cage letting you wonder why the opossum hasn’t left. I explain how to handle that situation.

Keep in mind, that the release in the video was an on-site release. Do not translocate (often misnamed relocation) animals unless your state’s wildlife laws permit translocation. Translocation can be quite cruel and can endanger the translocated animal or other animals. To learn more visit Translocation.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Cage Trapping in Hot Weather

Readers of my blog know that cage trapping (frequently mischaracterized as “live trapping”) is not as humane as is often claimed or believed. Animals caught in cage traps can suffer in a variety of ways. In this blog, I want to discuss cage trapping in hot weather.

Why Cage Trapping in Hot Weather is Cruel

When cage trapping in hot weather, trappers need to remember a few things. First, furred animals exposed to direct sunlight can bake. To

Cage trap covered on the top and sides with cardboard. Ends are left open for air circulation. Photo: Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.
Cage trap covered on the top and sides with cardboard. Ends are left open for air circulation. Photo: Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

help understand what an animal is going through, put on a winter coat and go out side and sit in the sun on a summer day. I doubt you would want to keep the coat on for very long. Animals, however, don’t have a choice. Second, some of the animals being caught will be nocturnal. Skunks, for example, are not typically moving around during the day. So nocturnal animals can suffer in two ways, being exposed to daylight (means their vulnerable) along with the heat exposure. Daytime animals, like squirrels, also feel vulnerable when caught in a cage trap because they can’t run an hide. They are trapped in full view of the variety of predators that may be lurking about.

How to Manage Cage Trapping in Hot Weather

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can employ to make cage trapping in hot weather more humane. First, consider trap location.

Being Kind to Animal Pests, 2nd ed.
Being Kind to Animal Pests, 2nd ed.

Will this spot be exposed to the sun all day? Could you move it to a location where it gets shade? Don’t discount shade. It means a lot. Second, cover half of the length of your cage trap with a cloth or stiff cardboard. This boxed area gives the animal a place to hide and obtain shade if needed. The animal will be able to move to the shaded area if it wishes or out into the exposed portion of the cage; thereby self-regulating. Third, in extremely hot areas, such as roof tops, or the south, trappers may wish to provide animals a source of moisture. Water bottles can work but so do slices of apple or other water rich foods. Last, but not least, check the traps at appropriate times. Nocturnal animal traps ideally should be checked in the morning. Diurnal animals before dark. It’s never wrong to check more than once a day. But that is for another blog.

To learn other tips for humane cage trapping, purchase, Being Kind to Animal Pests 2nd ed.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Winter Trapping Tips

Winter Trapping Tips

Each season brings its own challenges to the WCO and winter is no different. Here are a few tips to maximize your results when Mother Nature tries to slow you down.
1. Choose the right glue board. I am not a big fan of glue boards but sometimes they are needed. In cold weather, choose the freezer-style glue boards as they stay tacky even down to freezing temperatures.

Board used to protect a cage trap from snow. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
Board used to protect a cage trap from snow. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

2. Protect your cage traps from snow. Snow can conceal your bait and bury your traps making it ineffective. Worse yet, you have to dig out your traps later. Protect your traps in advance by setting them under an evergreen tree, under an eave, on the lee side of a tree or building, or place a sheet of plywood on top.
3. Improve your baiting technique. Bait won’t volatize as easily in cold weather so don’t think that your bait will have the same draw as it does in the summer. Thus you need to pay more attention to locating your traps in the best location. But since that may not be possible (see point 2) think about using trailing lures to help guide the animal to the trap.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. He has written the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. Reach him at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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10 Ideas to Consider Before Leaving Your Cage Trap Part 2

10 Ideas to Consider Before Leaving Your Cage Trap Part 2

English: Self folding aluminium trap used to c...
English: Self folding aluminium trap used to catch animals on the ground and keep them alive when captured. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As you learned from part 1, leaving your cage trap should cause you some stress. Here are 5 more reasons you should be stressed before leaving your cage trap.

  1. Did you consider the weather? Unfortunately a lot of people think cage traps are by definition humane. The truth of the matter is that they are not. Animals caught in cages can suffer heat stress in the summer sun or suffer hypothermia in the winter rain. Always consider the movement of the sun and potential weather conditions when you’re setting traps. When harsh weather is coming, it is better to wire doors open than to risk catching an animal when the weather won’t let you return. Placing the trap cover over 50% of the length of your trap can go a long way to improve the welfare of your trapped animal.

  2. Evaluate the public risk for setting the trap. By public risk, I mean the potential for children, pets, and thieves to encounter your traps. Whenever possible, set your traps in locations that cannot be easily accessed by the public, especially children. Placing a trap on the roof of the building (properly secured) is a better location for squirrel trapping than on the ground. Placing a trap in the bushes where it’s hidden from view is a better location than in the middle of the lawn.

  3. Is your trap properly anchored? This is especially important when you’re using traps with gravity doors as opposed to spring-loaded doors. Secure your traps in such a way they cannot easily be knocked over or vibrate as the animal steps inside.

  4. Use the smallest cage trap necessary to capture the target animal. Proper trap selection helps to reduce non-target captures. Small traps by definition can’t catch large animals.

  5. Use positive sets whenever possible. A positive set is the placement of the trap in such a manner that the animal is forced into the trap as it leaves its den. While bait may be used to reduce refusal, only the animals that leave the whole are the ones capable of being caught. In this regard only the “this guilty” animals are taken.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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10 Ideas to Consider Before Leaving Your Cage Trap Part 1

10 Ideas to Consider Before Leaving Your Cage Trap Part 1

English: A cage trap designed to catch rats. T...
English: A cage trap designed to catch rats. The door closes by gravity when the rat moves the penal which is attached to levers. The cage contains bread as bait. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
  1. Did you select the right location? Set the cage trap for the convenience of the animal not your convenience. Bait will never overcome the problems of a poor set location.

  2. Are your traps properly stabilized or secured? A wobbly trap is an empty trap because it will easily misfire. Traps placed on roofs or on buildings need to be securely anchored so they don’t become a fall hazard.

  3. Did you consider the area around your trap? Cage traps allow animals to reach out of the cage and grab (or destroy) items in the area. Raccoons are known to shred shingles when trapped on roofs. One wildlife control operator placed a trap too close to the garden hose. When he returned the next day, the raccoon had pulled all 50 feet of the garden hose into the trap forcing him to by the customer new one. Consider the 1 foot area around a trap (in all directions) at risk when setting a trap. Use plywood, hardware cloth etc. to protect surfaces from damage.

  4. Is the cage trap’s treadle free from obstruction? Setting traps on soil or mulch occasionally stirs up debris underneath the treadle thereby interfering with its action. Test fire the trap before leaving.

  5. Is the cage door free from obstruction? When setting cages up against burrows, particularly around buildings, the door can become jammed by the structure or your barriers. Always ensure that your barricades or positive trapping systems don’t interfere with door action.

To Read Part 2 Click Part 2

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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