Our Little Garden Friends
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Haveaheart traps are available at hardware stores and online
Have A Heart And Relocate Those Troublesome Critters
If you love to garden and have been frustrated by all the critters that simply think your home is the "All You Can Eat Buffet" then you will do what I did and purchase a nice Haveahart trap to capture them and relocate them.
The nice thing about these traps is they are not meant to harm the animals and are quite easy to use. Since I have had problems with Groundhogs, also known as Woodchucks in the past, I decided to take the trap down one more time and use it this year.
If you have problems with any small critters in your yard, possums, racoons, squirrels, groundhogs or others, this article and my video will show you how easy it is to capture them and relocate them so you can enjoy your garden again.
Things you will need:
* Haveahart trap, size depends on what you are looking to trap.
* Carrots or other food they are attracted to.
* Place to relocate your critters and it should be far enough away that they won't find there way back to your home.
* Haveahart trap, size depends on what you are looking to trap.
* Carrots or other food they are attracted to.
* Place to relocate your critters and it should be far enough away that they won't find there way back to your home.
Determine the size trap you will need and check the Haveahart web site to see the model number and size you need and either purchase it directly from them or go to Home Depot or the internet and buy one.
*I noticed in my local Home Depot they carry a few sizes, just not sure about their prices compared to online
I am using the Model 1079 which is large enough for most small animals as you can see in my photos and video.
Now you will need to find a spot where you know they seem to come from. I found them coming and going next to my tool shed where they have easy access to my neighbors yards and mine.
Once you have the spot, you will be able to set the trap and leave it. Note I have covered the trap with stuff to make it seem more natural. I keep my empty flower pots here, so I used them to make the trap blend in.
Different animals like different food...so try a few different things.
I have used string beans, carrots (which seem to be very popular), peanut butter, zucchini and other veggies. They all seem to work fine. They also sell food for these animals so you can buy some and use that as well.We already know that our groundhogs love the sunflower seeds in the bird food I feed my birds.
If you are trapping groundhogs, check back every few hours to see if the door on the trap is shut...
Groundhogs will eat all day, in one day we caught one early in the day, relocated him and then caught a second one later in the day. Possums are nocturnal and will only forage for food at night, so leave the trap and check it in the morning.
You may have to clean the trap before relocating your animal. Once done you can begin the relocation process.
I noticed the groundhogs all had to eliminate their solid waste when in the trap. Might be from nerves or they simply have to go after they eat. I took the trap to my grass and hosed it clean making sure not to get the water on the ground hogs. Once the trap was clean, I put some newspapers on the back of my SUV and put the cage in and we were on our way. I also covered the cage with a large towel to keep them quiet.
Final step is to relocate your critter to a new and safe home...
I am lucky because I live in New Jersey and we still have plenty of parks, woods, farm land where relocation is relatively simple. Of course that is probably why we have these critters. I am sure if I lived in an urban area the varmints would be the ones you would want to eliminate them and not relocate them, but for the sake of this article, we are talking about native rural wildlife, not urban pests.
I have relocated my critters in a gorgeous county park, that is full of natures beautiful creatures and then of course all the people that come to enjoy our parks. You may want to check with your local health department or park department to make sure it is OK to relocate your critter before you do it as I did.
* You may want to check with your local health department or park department to make sure it is OK to relocate your critter before you do. Some pests are just that and may not be welcome at your local park or recreation area.
* Take workman or heavy gloves with you on your release of the critters. Safety is critical and you don't want to deal with a bite or bad scratch from one of your animal friends.
* Wild animals are not pets, so handle them with extreme care. Remember, that a possum may look like he is injured or even dead, but that is what they do when they are scared, don't attempt to handle them yourself.
* I am careful on my release and simply open the trap and wait for them to leave or help them by tilting the trap.
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