How to Get rid of Skunks | Top 7 Best Skunk Traps & Buyer Guide
Skunks are one of the safest animals that cause no harm to you or your garden as they neither dig through your plants nor destroy your garden. However, their nocturnal nature and odor makes them unbearable, hence, you should get rid of them soon.
How to get rid of Skunks?
You can get rid of Skunks with the help of the following traps available in the market:
- Gingbau Collapsible Humane Animal Cage Trap
- Havahart 1084 Easy Set One-Door Cage Trap for Skunks
- VIVOHOME Collapsible Animal Cage Trap
- OxGord Live Animal Trap
- Home Garden Humane Live Animal Cage Trap
- Twinkle Star Live Animal Cage
- Smartxchoices Large Live Animal Trap
Top 7 Best Skunk Traps to Catch Skunks without harming them
1. Gingbau Collapsible Humane Animal Cage Trap
This skunk trap is made up of heavy-duty, galvanized steel so that creatures can’t chew through the mesh and escape.
Gingbau Collapsible Humane Animal Cage Trap is excellent for skunks, groundhogs, armadillos, possums, rabbits, and other similar-size animals. Its collapsible design and easy to fold feature saves space, and the highly sensitive trigger assures that the single door shuts down instantly.
Dimensions: 32 inches * 11 inches * 13 inches
Folded Dimensions: 32 inches * 11 inches * 2 inches
Pros:
- Galvanized steel prevents rust and corrosion
- Collapsible design, making it easy to fold
- Sensitive trigger and single door eliminate the chance of escape
- Effective against a variety of animals
- Includes an auto door lock system
Cons:
- The back of the trap is not secure enough to hold a strong skunk for more than a minute
How to Use: This skunk trap comes in a pre-assembled form and you just need to place the bait. Place the bait towards the end of the trap or at the back door to ensure that the skunk gets trapped completely.
2. Havahart 1084 Easy Set One-Door Cage Trap for Skunks
This skunk trap includes two spring-loaded doors to provide extra security to the trapped skunk, along with various other features such as sensitive trigger, galvanized steel, wire mesh, handle guard, and smooth edges, to allow safe, easy, and quick catches.
This Havahart Easy Set One-Door Cage Trap is suitable for trapping skunks, rabbits, minks, large squirrels, muskrats, and opossums etc.,.
Pros:
- A sensitive external trigger rod is located outside to protect the user
- Galvanized steel prevents rust and corrosion
- Increased trap rate with two doors that allow the animal to enter from either direction
- Large handle guard offers protection during transportation
- Smoothed internal edges protect and prevent injuries to animals and the user
- Effective against a variety of rodents
Cons:
- The doors don’t close properly allowing the animal to push out the trap on one side
- You need to know your area’s trapping law before using this live trap
How to Use: You can use the Havahart humane trap by following the steps mentioned below:
- Placing the bait: Place the bait at the end of the trap so that the skunk has to enter inside the trap completely before striding on the trigger plate.
- Setting up the trap: Set the trap near the area where you’ve caught a glimpse of a skunk or any other animal for several days to make the animal comfortable and ensure an easy catch.
- Checking the trap on a regular basis: Extreme hot or cold weather conditions can serve as an obstacle in trapping skunks. So, make sure that you keep a regular check on the trap to assure humane treatment to the trapped animals.
3. VIVOHOME Collapsible Animal Cage Trap
This skunk trap is made up of high-quality galvanized wire mesh to prevent it from rust and corrosion, making it suitable for use in any weather condition.
This trap is suitable for humanely trapping skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, and other animals as the two spring-loaded doors with elastic gravity have sensitive triggers and ensure a trap every time.
VIVOHOME Collapsible Animal Cage Trap has the smallest mesh grid which prevents the bait from being stolen and animal escaping. It also includes a handle and metal protection at the top of the cage to protect the trapped animal from any injury.
Dimensions: 36 inches * 10 inches * 12 inches
Pros:
- Galvanized steel prevents rust and corrosion
- Durable as it is made of rust-resistant wire mesh
- Multiple doors increase the trapping chances
- Sensitive trigger eliminates the chance of escape
- Smoothed internal edges protect and prevent injuries to animals and the user
- Effective against a variety of animals
- Can withstand rough weather conditions
- Large handle guard offers protection during transportation
Cons:
- Doors plunge down with great alarming force
- It’s too easy for the animal to lift the doors and escape.
How to Use: The trap can be placed anywhere as it doesn’t consume much space. You just have to position the bait on the pressure pad in a way that comes in contact with the animal easily. As soon as the skunk will touch the pad, the gravity action door would close automatically.
The trap comes with a protective covering on the handle so you don’t need to worry about getting yourself harm by the animal.
4. OxGord Live Animal Trap
Oxgord live skunk trap provides efficient trapping with its simple baiting system and smooth edges. It’s made up of really durable material in the form of wire mesh so that the animal won’t escape.
The spring-loaded door and the easy trigger make the baiting and trapping super easy and efficient.
OxGord Live Animal Trap includes two doors and can be easily folded, making it suitable to trap skunk, raccoon, possum, rabbit, and other rodents.
Dimensions: 32 inches * 12 inches * 12 inches
Pros:
- Includes two spring-loaded doors
- Durable as it is made of wire mesh material
- Smooth edges don’t harm the trapped animal
- Easy trigger
- Effective against a variety of rodents
Cons:
- Directions for use is not given
How to Use: The trap is preassembled and comes in a collapsed state. You just need to jerk it upwards, set the trap, and let the trap do the rest of the work. However, you need to
Do test the traps locking mechanism before every use by tripping it with a finger or stick. It should trip with very little force. Grass can accumulate underneath and keep the Trap from tripping. Dump out all the grass every time you use it. Make sure no bait is underneath the tripping mechanism too.
5. Home Garden Humane Live Animal Cage Trap
This skunk trap is made up of metal and weighs 9.3 pounds, making it suitable to trap skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, squirrels, rabbits, possums, moles, gophers, skunks, chipmunks, and other animals.
The trap comes pre-assembled and can be used safely around children and other pets as the sensitive triggers and small mesh opening does not allow the trapped skunk to escape.
Home Garden Humane Live Animal Cage Trap also includes a large handle to provide you protection while transporting the animal, and a back door for quickly releasing the animal, making it suitable for homes and farms.
Dimensions: 32 inches * 12.5 inches * 12 inches
Pros:
- Easy to set-up as it comes pre-assembled
- Durable as it is made of rust-resistant wire mesh
- Special back door for releasing the animal
- Sensitive trigger eliminates the chance of escape
- Safe for use around children
- Can be used in homes and farms
- Effective against a variety of animals
- Large handle guard offers protection during transportation
Cons:
- Many times, the trip plate does not release the trap door allowing the animal to eat the bait and escape
How to Use: You need to set the release switch for the door very lightly and ensure that the hook is not angled to the side. Keep the hook straight and as centered as possible. Since the trap has a sensitive trigger and a short trigger rod, as soon as the pedal touches the rod, it would shut the door immediately and trap the skunk.
6. Twinkle Star Live Animal Cage
This live skunkp trap is constructed with great quality, extra thick wire mesh, rust-resistant, heavy-duty steel to humanely trap skunks, raccoons, armadillos, opossums, groundhogs, and similar-sized animals.
Its collapsible design, easy to fold and store function makes it excellent to use around shed, garage apartment, garden, flower beds, backyard, patio, lawn, fences, and front door.
Twinkle Star Live Animal Trap utilizes a sensitive trigger to shut the door in micro-seconds and trap skunks. It also has wire mesh, steady inner edges, and a handle to provide protection to both, the animal and the user.
Dimensions: 32 inches * 12.5 inches * 11 inches
Pros:
- Sensitive trigger eliminates the chance of escape
- Large handle guard offers protection during transportation
- Smoothed internal edges protect and prevent injuries to animals and the user
- Effective against a variety of animals
- Collapsible design, making it easy to fold
- Can be used outdoors
- The trigger switch is located outside the trap so that the animal can’t damage it
Cons:
- Some people found the trapping mechanism of the trap very weak
How to Use: You need to set the release switch for the door very lightly and ensure that the hook is not angled to the side. Keep the hook straight and as centered as possible. Since the trap has a sensitive trigger and a short trigger rod, as soon as the pedal touches the rod, it would shut the door immediately and trap the skunk.
7. Smartxchoices Large Live Animal Trap
This preassembled skunk trap is ideal for trapping skunks, groundhogs, weasels, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, mink, muskrats, ferrets, and other similar-sized undesired animals.
Smartxchoices Large Live Animal Trap comes with a collapsible design and can be folded easily, making it portable. It does not take much space when folded and hence, can be easily used outdoors and indoors with children around.
Dimensions: 32 inches * 12.5 inches * 12 inches
Dimensions when Folded: 32 inches * 12 inches * 3 inches
Pros:
- Galvanized steel prevents rust and corrosion
- Collapsible design, making it easy to fold
- Can be used indoors as well as outdoors
- Safe to use around children
- Portable
- Durable as it is made of rust-resistant wire mesh
- Sturdy enough to carry large animals
- Sensitive trigger and single door eliminate the chance of escape
- Smoothed internal edges protect and prevent injuries to animals and the user
- Effective against a variety of animals
Cons:
- The bars get bent very easily and need to be reshaped after every use
How to Use: The trap comes in a pre-assembled form and you just need to place the bait. You need to lift the trap’s door upwards and place the trigger’s hook at the end of the trap because the trap has a sensitive trigger mechanism that auto-locks the door immediately as soon as the trigger is touched. During this process, the skunk won’t get hurt as the trigger is positioned outside the trap.
Buyer Guide to Select the Best Skunk Trap
Before buying any trap to get rid of skunks, you should consider the following points and check if the product is suitable for you:
- Size: Make sure that the size of the trap is large enough to trap the skunk without harming it.
- Safety: Usually, these traps are well-designed to avoid the chances of any injury as they include a safety handle for protection. But you should double-check its strength and durability before buying it so that the trapped skunk is not able to escape and cause any harm to others.
- Price: The price of any product normally depends on its quality. Expensive traps prove to be more efficient and vice-versa. Therefore, if you want to purchase a large number of traps, you might have to compromise either your budget or the quality of the trap.
- Bait: Many traps come pre-baited and pre-scented in order to lure the skunk in to the trap. If you want a trap for indoor use, you should opt for a non-scented trap that requires you to place the bait manually.
- Trap Trigger: Sometimes, the trigger is not strong enough and keeps on shutting down. So, you need to buy a strong trigger that will trap the skunk effectively and won’t let it go.
- Make sure that the trap doesn’t kill them: Sometimes, the traps don’t have the good holding capacity and air circulation that could suffocate the skunk trapped inside and result in its death. So, it’s really important to make sure that the trap you’re buying doesn’t kill it, but instead humanely traps it so that you can displace it later.
Conclusion
The best ways to get rid of skunks is by not harming them but by humanely trapping them and leave them to a safe place, far away from your home. There are various skunk traps available in the market that doesn’t make use of any poison and safe to use around children.
The majority of the skunk traps are made of galvanized steel to prevent it from corrosion, have a sensitive trigger, can trap various rodents, and include a safety handle and smooth inside edges to protect the trapped animal and you from any harm.