HAVAHART1083 Catch and Release Small 1-Door Easy Set Humane Live Animal Trap for Squirrels, Rabbits, Skunks, and Other Small Animals

5 stars with a slight modification, 3 stars as is.First off, please know that most animal experts/humane centers don't recommend catch and release in a new territory for healthy squirrels as their survival rates are very low. Squirrels are territorial and very hard to relocate successfully. Most actually recommend using a "exit only" trap door to get them out of trouble spots and just let them build a new home in the area. Then patch up the hole when you know they are gone. But, you may just have a problem squirrel that insists on coming back with genes for chewing wood. With the risk of causing a fire in the attack, this is your choice to get them gone for good with at least a chance for survival. For those who chose this method, the below is what I found to be the safest and most effective.The modification - As is, this was not sensitive enough to catch squirrels. They would go in, eat and leave. It seems that some are sensitive and some are not. If you get one that is not sensitive enough, it's easy to adjust. I read a great deal about people adding weight to the trigger plate and bending other parts of the product. Without a doubt, the most simple is to tape a penny or two to the metal plate on top of the trap, immediately under the handle when the handle is pulled back to set the trap. You can see the proper location for where I did this in the first picture...two pennies and some electrical tape. Once you do this and test it out, you will see what I mean about how that increases the sensitivity. However, you don't want it too sensitive such that the door closes when the animal first steps into the box and maybe vibrates the trap. This could cause the door to close on its tail or leg and may cause injury.Bait for squirrels - Peanut butter is by far the best. However, I learned from mistakes. Don't put too much in. The squirrel is inevitably going to freak out once trapped. The very first one I caught was literally covered in peanut butter and I probably set him up for a pretty lousy last days of life. Either he was going to be his new squirrel buddies' best friend, or I just made him an easy to smell snack for another animal. With how good an animal's sense of smell is, it's going to be very difficult for him to now hide. I recommend using a small amount of peanut butter and mix it with crushed nuts so it's not as sticky/messy.When to catch/release - you'll know if one is trying to nest in your roof/attic, probably by late fall. Catch them as soon as possible so that they can try to still make a new nest for winter or if you really care about their survival, you might wait until springtime and even with new babies, they may leave on their own and you can plug up the hole. But if you really have no choice and want them as far away as possible and it's not spring, consider taking a look at the weather and pick a day when it might be a bit warmer after. If you really want to help the critter out in a new territory, when you release, bring some nuts/food with you and toss it on the ground to get him started. Even better would be a neighborhood that has a constant source of food...like bird feeders. A random forest seems like the obvious choice, but there will be very little food supply that is not already claimed. Please know that most relocated squirrels don't survive much longer than 3 months. Squirrels are very territorial and it's hart to create a home. Also, if possible, try not to catch in late Feb and early March, when a squirrel may very well be pregnant. If you catch a pregnant squirrel then (you can usually tell b/c they are fatter and less nimble), you might want to consider keeping it caged while you can patch up any hole it may have made and release it in the same area. Some pregnant females apparently have back up nests in the area and will hopefully find their way there rather than persist on going back to the primary nests. If you really want to reduce the squirrel population in your area and really don't care about the females survival, then so be it; however, try to pick an area where she may be able to find a safe spot rather quickly but know, she and her babies are unlikely to survive. At least you give them a chance though.Monitor your cage - if the animal is stuck in there a really long time, they will end up hurting themselves. They will damage their noses most often trying to squirm through holes. For squirrels, don't leave out overnight, this works well enough and squirrels are active during the day, so you should be able to get the squirrel you are after while you are available to monitor the trap. Once caught, use an opaque towel over it to cover the cage and keep the animal calm. Sometimes, they seem fine and just finish eating your bait, but sometimes they freak out so much, it seems the cage is carrying a small dragon.Trap location - anywhere you have problem squirrels! However, since I know that the only squirrels that get in my roof climb up a tree to get to there so I put mine on the roof by that tree. However, if you do this and wherever you set your trap, make sure to secure it somehow (not necessary if it's on a large flat surface like a deck or the ground). I wedge my trap between my ladder and on top of a rubber mat. Again, lesson learned from when one freaked out so much, he managed to shake/slide the cage off the roof and I found them both on the ground...thankfully unharmed. It would really stink to go through all this trouble to be humane, only to then be responsible for hurting the animal.You took the trouble to buy a live trap rather than a deadly method, so you might as well take the extra efforts to use this in a way that gives the animal the best chance for survival. I don't proclaim to be an expert so do more research if you care to and please leave your own recommendations if you find something that works better than the above. Good luck!

Seriously the best trap ever, so worth the extra money compared to other cheaper traps. We were infested with non-native grey squirrels who decimated our bird feeding areas being eating $$$$ machines. Trapped 16 over the course of several weeks, trap worked like a charm, so easy to set and adjust sensitivity, easy to release animals as well. Baited with trashy, cheap peanut butter, a little in front of the trap and on the trapping mechanism and also right underneath pushing it into the ground (keeps them moving forward to find the bait and activating the trap). Glad to finally have our yard squirrel free! Be sure to drive at least 2+ miles aways away so they don't comeback.

This trap worked great for a rabbit with a few tips.- Set the tension by screwing the tension knob out as far as you can.- Use a scent bait. I had no luck for two weeks until I added the scent bait and we had a rabbit in the trap the first night!- Safe and simple for you to use and set, no danger of hurting yourself.- Humane and very easy to let bugs bunny out to eat someone else's flowers!Bait = https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZYPT2Q1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

You can't get any better when it comes to an easy to set and easy to release a trapped animal without risking getting bit or scratched. The design of this cage is amazing. It takes the risk out of handling a trapped squirrel, racoon, possum, or whatever you catch. Well built and works with ease. Only negative is the high price. You get what you pay for though.

We have a 1/3 acre lot - and due to a huge pine tree in the yard next to our yard - and fence neighbors who constantly feed the squirrels unshelled raw peanuts by the 20 lb. bag full - we have counted at least 10 squirrels in our yard at one time. We estimate there is a colony of squirrels living in the tree numbering 15 or more. We have spent the last three summers dealing with peanut plants sprouting in our raised beds and lawns - more than 10-15 plants A DAY coming up - as well as our destroyed plants and holes in our lawn because of squirrels digging and burying peanuts. Yes, two years ago we politely asked our neighbors to stop feeding the squirrels- or at least microwave the raw peanuts before putting in their feeders - but to no avail. But by far our biggest motivator to capture and relocate the squirrels was the fact that our two dogs find and eat the rotted peanuts and then throw up for the rest of the day! Something had to be done! We did TONS of research on humane catch and release traps - and although the cheaper traps were tempting because of their price, HAVAHART EASY SET AND RELEASE is the ONLY trap that made sense. Yes, they are a bit more expensive, but it is TRULY one simple pull to set the trap and the same movement in reverse to release the squirrel! Your hands are always protected by the sturdily built cage top. Watch the HAVAHART videos on Amazon - you’ll understand completely. So our experience: We received the size “small” cage approximately 4:00 pm on Wednesday and we put some peanut butter on a soda cracker and placed it BEHIND the pressure pan inside the cage that drops the trap door. We put the cage trap in a path the squirrels use often. After less than half an hour, we had captured our first squirrel!! (Be sure to check the trap every 15 minutes - once the squirrel is in the cage, you will want to release it as soon as possible in the new location.) We put the entire cage with the squirrel inside a large black lawn and garden plastic bag, which calms the squirrel, and carried the cage in the bag to the car. Once in a suitable location - as recommended by Havahart at least three miles away, we opened the cage with one hand to easily release the squirrel who then scampered off. The first day, we put the cage trap outside twice - two squirrels caught and released in less than two hours. The next day, three squirrels caught and released in about two hours. Today three more squirrels in less than two hours. The reason we have stopped at “three a day” is because we are also immediately driving three miles into the country to release them, and that takes time. Anyway, this is the BEST squirrel “live catch and release cage” out there and we couldn’t be happier with the results!!! Be sure to buy the EASY SET - you’ll be so glad you did!!! A side note, DO NOT put the cage out at night or you may capture skunks, rats, or raccoons! Also, please don’t put the cage out unless you are going to be home and watching the trap - so you’ll be able to release the squirrels as soon as possible.UPDATE: We have been using this STURDY AND EFFECTIVE product for the last 13 months, and today we caught and released our seventy-first squirrel! Yes, 71 squirrels have been removed from our property and released 3-4 miles away. The cage still looks and operates like new. So, the moral of this review is DON’T feed wild animals or it upsets nature’s balance - and if you have a squirrel problem - buy this safe and humane trap.