Thanks Chris. This is the first year that the squirrels are feasting on my tomatoes. They take one, take a bite and discard it. At this rate, I will have none to harvest. They ate all of the eggplants on my four plants already as well. Made your trap today. Within a few hours, and a few adjustments - had my first raider. Four more to go! Sent the first on a filed trip five miles away -
Wildlife relocator here, you’ll eliminate most of the problems shown at about 6:30 in the video by using clear plexiglass instead of the cap at the end. Even a hardware cloth end will give the critter more confidence to enter as they can see daylight instead of having to enter a dark tube. Try it you’ll get almost 100% results.
Thanks for the plans. I built it yesterday with a few modifications. I drilled holes along the top of the tube, not the door. The squirrel should also see the shine of a heavenly light on the beloved peanuts. I also plan to put a transportation latch on the door so I can leave the base at home, and just transport the tube to the release point. I'll use this on "Franklin Ground Squirrels", the major pest in the high desert. Thanks again. : ) UPDATE: I'll do the upgrade today. I was wondering about the placement during construction.
@@chrisnotap I agree with RRR. No constant banter about how great you are, just solid, useful information, edited to be just the meat and potatoes! Great job. I will let you know how it goes as I tally up the count.
Feedback from someone who has made this trap and can attest to its efficacy for at least 3 successful captures in the last 2 weeks: it does indeed work. Here are some of my thoughts on how to make it better, based on my experience. Use a PVC shower drain instead of a solid PVC endcap. Not only is it cheaper than the solid endcap, but it allows both (1) uncaptured squirrels to see and smell the peanuts up close when they spot them through the drain end (thus, strongly encouraging them to come investigate), and (2) captured squirrels to enjoy safer breathing once they are trapped in the tube (I didn't like the idea of drilling holes through the metal trapdoor, since that would produce sharp burrs on the inside of the door. Whenever a squirrel is captured, they of course begin a frenzied back-and-forth running in the tube, and I didn't want them to cut their nose, etc. (I believe in elimination, not senseless torture.) Be sure to use a medium-sized hard hinge as author instructs, not a small malleable brass one intended for a small wooden cabinet door. I opted for the latter since I was trying to be frugal, and discovered that the tightening of the clamp to fasten the hinge in place atop the trapdoop opening warped the hinge spine just enough to make it bind and challenge its fluid closure. So, I had to then spend time rebending the hinge spine to reinstate its smooth movement. I should have just followed his instruction and got the same hinge used in the video. I don't want to have to readjust the tube for each individual squirrel's weight, since there are several in my area, and they rotate their 'investigations' of the tube---I wanted to capture all of them, whomever was next to dare into the tube, it made no difference to me. ALL MUST GO! haha If you don't want to make adjustments per different squirrels' weights, and if you share my preference to just make the pivot most sensitive to where it'll capture any target weight, you can also simply make a cage from a sheet of diamond-shaped wire mesh from the hardware store which will prevent non-capture triggering of the trap. Place it over the back 3/4 or so of the tube (be sure to close off the back end, too), so as to prevent squirrels from triggering the trap when snooping around it, since they WILL come put their front feet up on the sealed end while investigating, just as the author stated. When using the PVC shower drain end, which allows for them to really get a sense of the peanuts in there, they will be even more aggressive around the back end of the tube. I just set up the tube's pivot point to be most sensitive, whereby it would be triggered by any weight animal....unfortunately, this also meant that wind could set it off if I was not conscientious about the direction in which I setup the trap. Be aware of blow-by wind triggering closure (set it up perpendicular or back-to wind). Alternatively, just use the trap on calm mornings when squirrels are hungry for breakfast after waking and when there is no wind yet. Alternatively, erect a board of some sort and stabilize it perpendicular to the trapdoor opening so that wind won't trigger closure of the trap. Consider staging the tube with a solid stream of peanuts for a consecutive few days while making it non-triggerable by placing a scrap wood block under the sealed end, and bend the door needle toward the opening on the trapdoor end so that the door is less sensitive to drop if somehow the woodblock gets shifted, or especially when squirrels are rapidly backing out of the tube happily with a legume in-tooth. This will help to garner the tree-rats' trust and comfort, and they will learn to not fear the trap and grow to enjoy the mysterious contraption. Then, once they're familiar with casually and routinely going all the way into the tube without any fear of it at all, make the trap live one morning by quietly going outside to quickly remove the block and readjusting the door needle. (However, take care to not interact with any other part of the trap, as the squirrels are likely sitting in the bushes watching you and will fully reinstate their standoffish suspicions if they see you lingering around the trap too much or doing anything that takes awhile, leaves too much of your scent, etc.) If you pull this off smoothly, they won't notice the difference until they become an easy, quick capture that morning and have to rejoin their other recently-involuntarily-evicted relatives that await them up the highway at the nearby county park with glances of group shame that convey something like "so, I guess YOU fell for the magical white peanut dispenser, too, huh?" In closing, this strategy has worked well for me, but a caveat should be discussed here: squirrels are incredibly intelligent rodents, and somewhat social by nature. They learn quickly. I have noticed the first 3 captures [of the 6 or so in the area outside my apartment] went relatively smoothly. However, I am now noticing some appreciating difficulty with each additional capture: as a community of tree-rats, they seem to be learning what the true purpose of the trap is while developing the correlation between it and the disappearance of their relatives, and, thus, keeping their distance from it more and more, even if it means going hungry and not falling for the tempting ample legume bait inside. Unfortunately, provided the absolute destruction and disruption they pose to my extensive avian community and its many birdfeeders, this has motivated me to escalate my approach from mere relocation, to outright extermination. I regret to say that I will be putting out a bowl of peanuts in a clear glass dish, and shooting them individually with an air rifle next time I see them. Yes, they are cute and I wish I would not have to terminate them...but once you personally experience their absolutely arrogant destructive capabilities and feverishly obnoxious antics which scare off all your beloved & beautiful songbirds that give you a reason to wake up early each morning, ....trust me, you, too, may quickly leave that whole "aww-but-they're-so-cute" mentality far, far behind. Bottomline, my opinion is that this PVC tube trap certainly works and was well worth the $33 in materials I spent to build it (May 2020 in FL market), but it may not be the most effective option for a community of squirrels. Nevertheless, I am grateful that it was able to save me from putting pellets in the skulls of at least 3 of them...
Thank you so much for this! I made the trap and the squirrel outsmarted it a few times but with some modifications we finally caught it and safely released it. The first time it seemed that the squirrel was able to scratch the magnets loose and bust out. To fix this I put the magnets on the hose clamp on the outside so that they would still hold the door shut but from the outside instead and I used 4 of them instead of 2. Also - no adhesive necessary! Then the squirrel managed to flip the trap door up so it landed back on the pvc before going inside so I used a piece of the coat hanger bent into a V to make two prongs that stuck out over the trap door to keep it from flipping up. I just used duct tape to attach the prongs to the pvc. Third time - the squirrel got trapped but was able to bust the door (hinge) out from under the hose clamp, so I screwed the hinge through the pvc into a small wooden block against the top of the tube. I also put the hose clamp back on for reinforcement and to hold the magnets. Lastly, I used duct tape to secure the pvc tube to the "coupler" piece so it couldn't slide around. All in all this was a great design and after a few modifications - success!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Made it just like the video and it worked great! Mr Oto Beecheyi dug a burrow in my raised bed and just drove the dog nuts. Caught him 72hrs after the build and released him in the orange groves a mile from here. Unsalted whole peanuts worked better than shelled walnuts; he ignored them. Thanks!
It's a very strange type of poisoning. It starts on the outside and then bores it's way in to the vital organs until the animal dies. Its extremely fast and lethal, and there is no known cure for it
I bought one of the humane traps and the problem is they figure it out. After I caught six squirrels, I cannot catch the last two. They clear the trap and never trigger it somehow. I can never find how they get away with it.
fall22123: How I miss living on the farm where I could administer that kind of injection. but alas I now live in town and folk get pissed at touching off even a .22. so I have to trap the long haired rats.
building one today. I just happened to have everything I need at home. putting my junk to use. love making free projects. thanks for the updated version.
I couldn't afford the $8.00+ for 2 ft. of pvc at Lowes to play with the squirrels but I used your design to make a rectangular box from scrap wood that works as well. 15 squirrels have a new home some distance from here. Catching 2 to 3 everyday. Sunflower seeds as bait. Thanks for a great idea.
Great minds think alike!! I was just putting the finishing touches on a wood version too and will be getting footage soon when the rain stops. Stay tuned.
I can't believe it's taken me 6 years to find this channel. Awesome videos!!!! One thing that will help you with catching more squirrels and making them more at ease, use some peanut butter on the peanuts. It will entice them even more to go inside for the peanut butter. Doesn't take much, just dab some on a couple and put them to the back. Squirrels love peanut butter and it's like a treat to them.
Brilliant. Amazingly successful - 4 different squirrels caught in 5 days! My first attempt failed because my squirrels were not so accommodating as yours and triggered the trap by walking over the top of the tube to get to the bait. (I hadn't read the comments and missed the suggestion from ilickcarpet.) I adapted your design by using wire mesh at the bait end of the tube to increase visibility and making a removable casing for the whole tube, covering long sides and top and with wire mesh at the bait end and open at the door end. I also made an arched baffle slightly further in than the trap door, but allowing free movement of the tube, which prevented squirrels from squeezing between the inside of the case and the outside of the tube. Now, the only way to get to the bait and trigger the trap is to walk into the tube (though one cautious squirrel paused at the tipping point and retreated). Thank you so much.
When I was 12, and could climb trees, I rescued two baby squirrels from a nest hole in a tree after their mum was killed when crossing a street. I kept one and gave the other to a friend. My squirrel would ride around on my shoulder, just like a parrot, and would play tag with me in the yard like a dog. Lots of fun. Teeter-totter trap is clever.
Chris I love this trap. So far I have caught nine squirrels and one rat. One of the squirrels I caught three times since I prematurely released it twice. For us the squirrels are a nuisance since they dig up and damage bulbs in our backyard as well as harass and eat from our finch bird feeders. The squirrels have learned to outwit my two Have a Heart traps. But this one keeps on working squirrel after squirrel. I attached my door with screws until the rat I caught unscrewed two nuts and almost got way. I now use your design We read that squirrels have a high return likelihood unless they are transported 7+ miles away. So far that has worked for us. One problem I have noticed is that on the big squirrels they cannot turn around so I have to shake them out of the trap. I love this trap! Dan
That's great!! Interesting about the rat. I have read that about the distance thing with squirrels. My thinking is they are able to go to great heights in trees and can probably pick out landmarks to get back home but at 7 miles plus is just too far to make out those landmarks.
You may not have seen my squirrel proof bird feeder yet. Here is the first video and then the UPDATE video, if you're interested. ua-cam.com/video/6F4k13Yx3w8/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/8kklUMVchMo/v-deo.html
Dan - I also love this trap and have the same problems with squirrels digging up my wife's bulbs to bury peanuts in her pots and flower beds. I'm really hoping the three miles I transport them is enough. Is the magnet you're using staying place? I had to replace mine with a screw-on door-closure unit.
Like the improvements, especially to the "trigger door holder"- it looks a lot more reliable now, and won't get hit by an excited squirrel backing up, before he's in the trap.
Sir - I built this exactly as you describe. Took me two days because silicone seal had to dry. I put it out this afternoon and had a squirrel in 4 hours. I put the trap in the car, drove two or three miles away and released it. Will he find his way back? This was a particularly athletic squirrel - able to leap from the roof to the peanut tray - about 10 feet. The 4" PVC was the heavy-wall kind, so the trap probably weighed close to your wood model.
Hey, Chris...! Thanks for this great video. I built the trap and it worked the first time! I managed to get several of the more aggressive squirrels trapped and relocated to large wooded parks about 5 miles away. One squirrel was really smart and managed to grab and back out so fast that the trap didn't close right... but after snitching the bait for a few days, he inevitably made a mistake and got caught. The trap couldn't be simpler to design or build, really! Thanks again.
I've never used a trap just like yours, but I have trapped many squirrels. I've found peanut butter works best. The squirrels can smell it from a long distance, and come running. You can smear a little peanut butter on peanuts for ease of use.
The squirrels here seem to know the sight of a peanut in the shell or they may smell it too. I find it the best since there is no clean up since it is dry.
Thanks Chris, it's really good that you've shared this with us... I've made plastic bottle versions of this for a mouse a couple of years ago but I'll be building this pvc version of yours tomorrow as we've had a rat move into my shed down the bottom of the garden (I video-ed it snaffling up monkey-nuts in the daytime (boo)). Light permitting my daughter and I will be relocating this fella to the railway-sidings that are well away from any homes before nightfall. Thanks again
+John L Paval Interesting. I use peanuts in the shell like in the video, a few at the door of the trap, they take that away and come back and sniff around the door and see that there's more inside and venture inside to check it out. Not sure what else to tell you to try.
Great changes, Chris. The fox squirrels are so smart and difficult to trap, but I think you have outsmarted them! I have trouble with chipmunks getting inside the wire squirrel trap and stealing all the food, triggering the trap, but then escaping through the wire. I keep having to go out to reset it. Your trap is so much easier to reset and if the chipmunks get it, that's OK. I'll just let them out and reset a much easier trap! Now I can make several instead of buying a new wire one that the squirrels are good at avoiding anyway. Bless you!!!!! (The fox squirrels are not native to my area in the mountains, but have infringed on the habitat of our native Aberts Squirrels and Pine Squirrels to the point that they are disappearing. Hence my trapping the fox squirrels and relocating them to the lower altitudes so we can enjoy our native species.)
Chris, I made three of your traps, just as you show in the videos. The only exception is that I added a "U" shaped plywood barrier at the cap end of the base, in order to prevent any squirrel from standing up on the far end of the trap. Its not big and only high enough to rub against their chests if they try to use the tube for leverage. So far, after over a couple of weeks, not one squirrel. I've tried peanuts, shelled and unshelled, and even almonds which are supposed to be a squirrel's favorite. Nothing. Only the ants are enjoying the almonds. Obviously your squirrels are hilly-billy squirrels and mine are college educated. They are driving me nuts, and dig up every raised container I have on my back deck, and side of the house. I've made up a mix to keep them off the beds, and this has done the trick. Obviously the Cayenne pepper, Jalapeno, and onion, residue is not their favorite thing. Unfortunately I am going to have to spray the containers about twice weekly. I'm going to keep the traps set for another couple of weeks, but if nothing happens, I'm going to have to write this off as a loss.
Interesting. Sounds like you've done a good job at improving it too. Maybe you're right, they're more educated! Have you tried putting the trap on your raised containers where they like to dig?
The trap on the back deck is sitting right on the container furtherest right and where the squirrel would make it up there. I have a picture of it, but don't see where I can add the picture here to the post. If I could, I'd show it to you.
Chris, they are gray squirrels. And the neighborhood is now swamped with them. Last fall's nut crop here in Raleigh were very good, and also the new broods are out and doing well. Last week, four of the young ones from the nest in my back yard were romping around, having the time of their lives. I had a wren's nest in one of my hanging coleus planters, with three baby wrens. I had been feeding the mother, and even talking to the babies. But last week, they left the nest and are gone. And like a dummy, I forgot to remove the feeder and day before yesterday, I opened the front door and two of the grown squirrels from the front yard were there trampling my fern and coleus. The little bastards are gonna pay for all this. So I just bought two Have-a-heart traps and even they will not be enough for all the squirrels that are everywhere around my house. So, I had planned on building a couple more of my own, but making them square and larger. And suddenly I see you have made an improved version, which is what I was looking for. I may just make two and see which ones work best the factory ones, or the home made ones.
Bravo on the Trap. I can testify that this type of trap WORKS!. Just don't make the same mistake the first time I did. If the door is shut then you got one. I made some modifications to the door. I used duck tape instead of that clamp. Used a manual door latch. Could not find the pizza pan so I used a plastic lid
@@chrisnotap I built your PVC trap back in ?? - see my first comment in the site for date - and just yesterday completed your wooden model - and caught two squirrels already. I drive them into a neighboring area where they'll have to cross a deep ravine to get home - hoping they don't. Geez! My wife just alerted me that another squirrel has sprung the new trap!
I like your improvement. I’m going to build this one as well. The one made out of wood is not being successful, I think is my changing to the base where the pivot screws sit on. I’ll do how you built it and find out. Thank you
Would they be less hesitant to enter if the bait end had a steel plate fitted cap with air holes too? I'm thinking the extra light and air would make it seem less risky to them & encourage them to explore.
Caught my 6th squirrel this morning and gave him the now standard three-mile drive into another neighborhood. I had to find another type of magnet for the trap door plate - I used a screw-on door-closure magnet - same as on some cabinets in the house. The other magnets, secured with silicone seal, couldn't stand up to the squirrel scrabbling against the door to escape. There always seems to be one more squirrel to trap.
As a kid, my parents “trapped” a squirrel that was burrowing into ventilation holes in our attic and throwing out insulation, chewing wiring, etc. We took it inside in a quiet area overnight, as it was a cold winter, and was going to release it in a nearby forest the next day….but then overnight it gave birth to 3 babies. We called around to find a wildlife rehab person with a large enclosure mom and babies could stay in until ready to relocate, and mom held all 3 babies the whole car ride over. If you trap squirrels to relocate, please check if it is breeding season and if it might be nursing (you can usually tell) in case it has babies stashed somewhere.
You can only fool them once. Very smart little devils. Looks like dinner to me! Good modification though. Need to red my last comment on the first video.
Actually I caught 2 squirrel twice each the first day I tried it, meaning I caught a total of 4. They didn't seem to remember they had been trapped earlier.
Yes,roughly the same size as the squirrels. Glad i got him, he was setting up shop under the house and of course i let him go on the other side of the river. Thx!
I'm not sure why this is so funny to me, but I laugh like it's a Chappelle comedy show or something. They are so careful. Check everything out. In, out ... in, out. Making sure everything is as it should be, and then ... flip. Game over. So funny.
What about using 1/2" mesh hardware cloth on the end instead of the pvc cap. Can be bent around the end and secured with a hose clamp. That way the squirrel can see through the tube and be less hesitant to enter.
I did that, exactly how you described. Mesh and hose clamp so they could see the food and then go in from the door end but what would happen is they'd use their claws to pull at the mesh, then they'd go on top of it and in doing so would rock the trap too much and set it off. Without the mesh it works way better. As soon as they get that first free peanut at the doorway , they are looking down the tube and see the other peanuts in there and come back to get them.
I am going to make a box covering half of the PVC so the squirrels can’t stand on the PVC tube and trigger the door. That way I can set the tilt really light.
Chris, I made the new changes. I caught a small squirrel and everything worked great! Next there was a large grey squirrel. He was strong enough to tip the trap over and got out. Next I put a metal strap over the pivot blocks so the tube would not come off the base board. Once again he knocked the whole trap over and got out. I think maybe the magnets are not strong enough to keep the door shut when the trap overturned ( when trap turned over the wood block for the door to keep it closed didn't work. Any ideas...I'm at a loss for new ideas! I think the giant squirrel has been eating his Wheaties!!!
I really like that stack rock sculpture in the background there. I'm thinking maybe figure a way to make the peace of wood that holds the door closed slide forward and backward with bolts and wing nuts through 2 notches sawed in the plank. That way you could adjust it if you could not find level ground or if you wanted to put it up in a tree. What do you think?
Honestly it doesn't get much easier to just use the drill to put the 2 screws into the wood. You only will move it about 3 times as you experiment to find the right balance for the weight of the squirrels in your area.
Great video and super squirrel trap, I've got all the parts but the hinge. I can't find one that works like yours. Where did you get it? And what exactly is it called? A part number would really help. Thanks
Very clever, but the best overall solution is to keep their food sources on your property down to as close to nil as possible. That and preventing them from nesting in man-made structures. Same for rats and mice, just don't feed them and house them excessively and they will choose some other area to haunt.
You must live in the city. Many of us have trees that produce acorns. No way you’re getting rid of their food source on my property unless you’re going to cut down tons of trees.
@@Gdesign959 I'm referring to unguarded bird feeders, AKA a Las Vegas buffet for all rodents including squirrels, you can have this problem in any location. Check out this channel's squirrel-proof feeder uploads, works out in the country too.
I made an additional change. The tin used to make the door was not heavy enough. The second squirrel I caught squeezed out by pushing on the tin door and bending it and was able to set itself free. I simply made another door out of heavier metal. I also used a small strap hinge. It seems to work better. Results to follow.
Could we ask for measurements of the pipe, platform, as well as the distance from end of board to the door blocker strip and the hinge holders that are on both sides of the 1/2 inch rocket pipe. This would allow for quicker assembly. Great idea by the way.
Find my favourite tools here! www.amazon.com/shop/chrisnotap
Thanks Chris. This is the first year that the squirrels are feasting on my tomatoes. They take one, take a bite and discard it. At this rate, I will have none to harvest. They ate all of the eggplants on my four plants already as well. Made your trap today. Within a few hours, and a few adjustments - had my first raider. Four more to go! Sent the first on a filed trip five miles away -
Wildlife relocator here, you’ll eliminate most of the problems shown at about 6:30 in the video by using clear plexiglass instead of the cap at the end. Even a hardware cloth end will give the critter more confidence to enter as they can see daylight instead of having to enter a dark tube. Try it you’ll get almost 100% results.
Thanks for the plans. I built it yesterday with a few modifications. I drilled holes along the top of the tube, not the door. The squirrel should also see the shine of a heavenly light on the beloved peanuts. I also plan to put a transportation latch on the door so I can leave the base at home, and just transport the tube to the release point. I'll use this on "Franklin Ground Squirrels", the major pest in the high desert. Thanks again. : ) UPDATE: I'll do the upgrade today. I was wondering about the placement during construction.
Some of thEE best "project videography" on UA-cam. Puts your videos in a class by themselves.
+RedRed Robin Really? Wow! Thanks for that! This kind of feedback keeps me going!
@@chrisnotap I agree with RRR. No constant banter about how great you are, just solid, useful information, edited to be just the meat and potatoes! Great job. I will let you know how it goes as I tally up the count.
Your video saved my sanity... Worked like a charm! Even my smartest squirrel was eventually tempted and was caught. Thanks!!
Feedback from someone who has made this trap and can attest to its efficacy for at least 3 successful captures in the last 2 weeks: it does indeed work. Here are some of my thoughts on how to make it better, based on my experience.
Use a PVC shower drain instead of a solid PVC endcap. Not only is it cheaper than the solid endcap, but it allows both (1) uncaptured squirrels to see and smell the peanuts up close when they spot them through the drain end (thus, strongly encouraging them to come investigate), and (2) captured squirrels to enjoy safer breathing once they are trapped in the tube (I didn't like the idea of drilling holes through the metal trapdoor, since that would produce sharp burrs on the inside of the door. Whenever a squirrel is captured, they of course begin a frenzied back-and-forth running in the tube, and I didn't want them to cut their nose, etc. (I believe in elimination, not senseless torture.)
Be sure to use a medium-sized hard hinge as author instructs, not a small malleable brass one intended for a small wooden cabinet door. I opted for the latter since I was trying to be frugal, and discovered that the tightening of the clamp to fasten the hinge in place atop the trapdoop opening warped the hinge spine just enough to make it bind and challenge its fluid closure. So, I had to then spend time rebending the hinge spine to reinstate its smooth movement. I should have just followed his instruction and got the same hinge used in the video.
I don't want to have to readjust the tube for each individual squirrel's weight, since there are several in my area, and they rotate their 'investigations' of the tube---I wanted to capture all of them, whomever was next to dare into the tube, it made no difference to me. ALL MUST GO! haha
If you don't want to make adjustments per different squirrels' weights, and if you share my preference to just make the pivot most sensitive to where it'll capture any target weight, you can also simply make a cage from a sheet of diamond-shaped wire mesh from the hardware store which will prevent non-capture triggering of the trap. Place it over the back 3/4 or so of the tube (be sure to close off the back end, too), so as to prevent squirrels from triggering the trap when snooping around it, since they WILL come put their front feet up on the sealed end while investigating, just as the author stated. When using the PVC shower drain end, which allows for them to really get a sense of the peanuts in there, they will be even more aggressive around the back end of the tube.
I just set up the tube's pivot point to be most sensitive, whereby it would be triggered by any weight animal....unfortunately, this also meant that wind could set it off if I was not conscientious about the direction in which I setup the trap. Be aware of blow-by wind triggering closure (set it up perpendicular or back-to wind). Alternatively, just use the trap on calm mornings when squirrels are hungry for breakfast after waking and when there is no wind yet. Alternatively, erect a board of some sort and stabilize it perpendicular to the trapdoor opening so that wind won't trigger closure of the trap.
Consider staging the tube with a solid stream of peanuts for a consecutive few days while making it non-triggerable by placing a scrap wood block under the sealed end, and bend the door needle toward the opening on the trapdoor end so that the door is less sensitive to drop if somehow the woodblock gets shifted, or especially when squirrels are rapidly backing out of the tube happily with a legume in-tooth. This will help to garner the tree-rats' trust and comfort, and they will learn to not fear the trap and grow to enjoy the mysterious contraption. Then, once they're familiar with casually and routinely going all the way into the tube without any fear of it at all, make the trap live one morning by quietly going outside to quickly remove the block and readjusting the door needle. (However, take care to not interact with any other part of the trap, as the squirrels are likely sitting in the bushes watching you and will fully reinstate their standoffish suspicions if they see you lingering around the trap too much or doing anything that takes awhile, leaves too much of your scent, etc.) If you pull this off smoothly, they won't notice the difference until they become an easy, quick capture that morning and have to rejoin their other recently-involuntarily-evicted relatives that await them up the highway at the nearby county park with glances of group shame that convey something like "so, I guess YOU fell for the magical white peanut dispenser, too, huh?"
In closing, this strategy has worked well for me, but a caveat should be discussed here: squirrels are incredibly intelligent rodents, and somewhat social by nature. They learn quickly. I have noticed the first 3 captures [of the 6 or so in the area outside my apartment] went relatively smoothly. However, I am now noticing some appreciating difficulty with each additional capture: as a community of tree-rats, they seem to be learning what the true purpose of the trap is while developing the correlation between it and the disappearance of their relatives, and, thus, keeping their distance from it more and more, even if it means going hungry and not falling for the tempting ample legume bait inside. Unfortunately, provided the absolute destruction and disruption they pose to my extensive avian community and its many birdfeeders, this has motivated me to escalate my approach from mere relocation, to outright extermination. I regret to say that I will be putting out a bowl of peanuts in a clear glass dish, and shooting them individually with an air rifle next time I see them. Yes, they are cute and I wish I would not have to terminate them...but once you personally experience their absolutely arrogant destructive capabilities and feverishly obnoxious antics which scare off all your beloved & beautiful songbirds that give you a reason to wake up early each morning, ....trust me, you, too, may quickly leave that whole "aww-but-they're-so-cute" mentality far, far behind.
Bottomline, my opinion is that this PVC tube trap certainly works and was well worth the $33 in materials I spent to build it (May 2020 in FL market), but it may not be the most effective option for a community of squirrels. Nevertheless, I am grateful that it was able to save me from putting pellets in the skulls of at least 3 of them...
Wish I could see your PVC shower drain end, which you used, how it's attached.
I agree with your pain too. Maybe are cute, but attractiveness is no excuse for their destruction and malice.
Thank you so much for this! I made the trap and the squirrel outsmarted it a few times but with some modifications we finally caught it and safely released it. The first time it seemed that the squirrel was able to scratch the magnets loose and bust out. To fix this I put the magnets on the hose clamp on the outside so that they would still hold the door shut but from the outside instead and I used 4 of them instead of 2. Also - no adhesive necessary! Then the squirrel managed to flip the trap door up so it landed back on the pvc before going inside so I used a piece of the coat hanger bent into a V to make two prongs that stuck out over the trap door to keep it from flipping up. I just used duct tape to attach the prongs to the pvc. Third time - the squirrel got trapped but was able to bust the door (hinge) out from under the hose clamp, so I screwed the hinge through the pvc into a small wooden block against the top of the tube. I also put the hose clamp back on for reinforcement and to hold the magnets. Lastly, I used duct tape to secure the pvc tube to the "coupler" piece so it couldn't slide around. All in all this was a great design and after a few modifications - success!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Made it just like the video and it worked great! Mr Oto Beecheyi dug a burrow in my raised bed and just drove the dog nuts. Caught him 72hrs after the build and released him in the orange groves a mile from here. Unsalted whole peanuts worked better than shelled walnuts; he ignored them. Thanks!
That's great! Yes, they seem to go for shelled peanut right away.
My husband made me two of these traps today. Thanks so much!!!!
That is awesome!
I like the way the straight pvc coupler fits with a slight mod.
I have a small lathe and turned off the raised stop from the inside diameter.
That's a clever and humane idea. Squirrels and rabbits around my house tend to die from lead poisoning though.
That cracked me up.
It's a very strange type of poisoning. It starts on the outside and then bores it's way in to the vital organs until the animal dies. Its extremely fast and lethal, and there is no known cure for it
It's uncanny- the squirrels around MY house keep dying of lead poisoning, too! Very, VERY acute lead poisoning. In fact, it proves fatal immediately!
I bought one of the humane traps and the problem is they figure it out. After I caught six squirrels, I cannot catch the last two. They clear the trap and never trigger it somehow. I can never find how they get away with it.
fall22123: How I miss living on the farm where I could administer that kind of injection. but alas I now live in town and folk get pissed at touching off even a .22. so I have to trap the long haired rats.
building one today. I just happened to have everything I need at home. putting my junk to use. love making free projects.
thanks for the updated version.
Brilliant, I made one and caught 3 squirrels so for, best bait chocolate digestive biscuits. Many thanks.
I couldn't afford the $8.00+ for 2 ft. of pvc at Lowes to play with the squirrels but I used your design to make a rectangular box from scrap wood that works as well. 15 squirrels have a new home some distance from here. Catching 2 to 3 everyday. Sunflower seeds as bait. Thanks for a great idea.
Great minds think alike!! I was just putting the finishing touches on a wood version too and will be getting footage soon when the rain stops. Stay tuned.
I can't believe it's taken me 6 years to find this channel. Awesome videos!!!! One thing that will help you with catching more squirrels and making them more at ease, use some peanut butter on the peanuts. It will entice them even more to go inside for the peanut butter. Doesn't take much, just dab some on a couple and put them to the back. Squirrels love peanut butter and it's like a treat to them.
Brilliant. Amazingly successful - 4 different squirrels caught in 5 days! My first attempt failed because my squirrels were not so accommodating as yours and triggered the trap by walking over the top of the tube to get to the bait. (I hadn't read the comments and missed the suggestion from ilickcarpet.) I adapted your design by using wire mesh at the bait end of the tube to increase visibility and making a removable casing for the whole tube, covering long sides and top and with wire mesh at the bait end and open at the door end. I also made an arched baffle slightly further in than the trap door, but allowing free movement of the tube, which prevented squirrels from squeezing between the inside of the case and the outside of the tube. Now, the only way to get to the bait and trigger the trap is to walk into the tube (though one cautious squirrel paused at the tipping point and retreated). Thank you so much.
That's great! I'd love to see some pictures! I'm at chrisnotap@gmail.com
When I was 12, and could climb trees, I rescued two baby squirrels from a nest hole in a tree after their mum was killed when crossing a street. I kept one and gave the other to a friend. My squirrel would ride around on my shoulder, just like a parrot, and would play tag with me in the yard like a dog. Lots of fun. Teeter-totter trap is clever.
Great update, but you might want to put a cage surrounding the top outside the PVC pipe so that a squirrel will not hop on and engage the door trap
Great tip! I found a leaf bag or small cardboard box works quite well.
This trap is amazing. 12 squirrels and 5 chipmunks in about a months time. Thankyou.
Chris, can I just say I absolutely love love love all the camera angles that you gave us, thank you very much it is much appreciated as a viewer.
That is great feedback! Thanks!
On a side note, you also invented a squirrel bazooka.
that's good)
gibbage1 strap it onto an air cannon and your gtg
Photon Squirrel-pedoes AWAY!!!
Fear my squirrel cannon! It sends 9,000nut pounds per square inch barreling down the tube at lethal squirrel-ocity!
Chris I love this trap. So far I have caught nine squirrels and one rat. One of the squirrels I caught three times since I prematurely released it twice. For us the squirrels are a nuisance since they dig up and damage bulbs in our backyard as well as harass and eat from our finch bird feeders. The squirrels have learned to outwit my two Have a Heart traps. But this one keeps on working squirrel after squirrel.
I attached my door with screws until the rat I caught unscrewed two nuts and almost got way. I now use your design
We read that squirrels have a high return likelihood unless they are transported 7+ miles away. So far that has worked for us.
One problem I have noticed is that on the big squirrels they cannot turn around so I have to shake them out of the trap. I love this trap!
Dan
That's great!! Interesting about the rat. I have read that about the distance thing with squirrels. My thinking is they are able to go to great heights in trees and can probably pick out landmarks to get back home but at 7 miles plus is just too far to make out those landmarks.
You may not have seen my squirrel proof bird feeder yet. Here is the first video and then the UPDATE video, if you're interested. ua-cam.com/video/6F4k13Yx3w8/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/8kklUMVchMo/v-deo.html
Dan - I also love this trap and have the same problems with squirrels digging up my wife's bulbs to bury peanuts in her pots and flower beds. I'm really hoping the three miles I transport them is enough. Is the magnet you're using staying place? I had to replace mine with a screw-on door-closure unit.
Like the improvements, especially to the "trigger door holder"- it looks a
lot more reliable now, and won't get hit by an excited squirrel backing up,
before he's in the trap.
Thank you so much for sharing your idea! And your improvements! I have it setup and ready to go.
Sir - I built this exactly as you describe. Took me two days because silicone seal had to dry. I put it out this afternoon and had a squirrel in 4 hours. I put the trap in the car, drove two or three miles away and released it. Will he find his way back? This was a particularly athletic squirrel - able to leap from the roof to the peanut tray - about 10 feet. The 4" PVC was the heavy-wall kind, so the trap probably weighed close to your wood model.
That is not a kill trap, that is a fun trap. I love it.
The squirrels will appreciate your fixing that problem. 😅
Hey, Chris...! Thanks for this great video. I built the trap and it worked the first time! I managed to get several of the more aggressive squirrels trapped and relocated to large wooded parks about 5 miles away. One squirrel was really smart and managed to grab and back out so fast that the trap didn't close right... but after snitching the bait for a few days, he inevitably made a mistake and got caught.
The trap couldn't be simpler to design or build, really! Thanks again.
That's great that it worked for you!!
Update, 6/14/2024 -- I just caught six squirrels in five days. What a super humane trap design!!! Thank you again, Chris!
Life of a squirrel 🐿goes around houses eating free food & checking for Theme park rides😂💗👍
Thanks for the great video. Just completed mine and waiting for my first customer.
Good luck!
@@chrisnotap Thanks. Didn't take long, now i have to go and relocate!
I didn't have plastic cradle for the tube, so I used a large tie wrap. Great idea
I've never used a trap just like yours, but I have trapped many squirrels. I've found peanut butter works best. The squirrels can smell it from a long distance, and come running. You can smear a little peanut butter on peanuts for ease of use.
The squirrels here seem to know the sight of a peanut in the shell or they may smell it too. I find it the best since there is no clean up since it is dry.
The Butt shot with his little legs sticking out is hilarious ...put a smile on my face !
Thanks Chris, it's really good that you've shared this with us... I've made plastic bottle versions of this for a mouse a couple of years ago but I'll be building this pvc version of yours tomorrow as we've had a rat move into my shed down the bottom of the garden (I video-ed it snaffling up monkey-nuts in the daytime (boo)). Light permitting my daughter and I will be relocating this fella to the railway-sidings that are well away from any homes before nightfall.
Thanks again
The squirrel gun! difficult to reload but totally worth it!!
Chris.... I didn't realize whose video I watching. Nice trap.... I'm going to watch your DIY video after I am done commenting.
Hope you enjoy!
Made the improvements- good idea. Squirrels still won't go near the trap. Tried all kinds of bait. They look at it and walk around it.
+John L Paval Interesting. I use peanuts in the shell like in the video, a few at the door of the trap, they take that away and come back and sniff around the door and see that there's more inside and venture inside to check it out. Not sure what else to tell you to try.
Nice
I got mine done like yours , now waiting haha
👍
I think you have it mastered now. It works real well for you. I'm gonna go out in my shop and make one or two of em'. Nice Job by the way.
Great changes, Chris. The fox squirrels are so smart and difficult to trap, but I think you have outsmarted them! I have trouble with chipmunks getting inside the wire squirrel trap and stealing all the food, triggering the trap, but then escaping through the wire. I keep having to go out to reset it. Your trap is so much easier to reset and if the chipmunks get it, that's OK. I'll just let them out and reset a much easier trap! Now I can make several instead of buying a new wire one that the squirrels are good at avoiding anyway. Bless you!!!!! (The fox squirrels are not native to my area in the mountains, but have infringed on the habitat of our native Aberts Squirrels and Pine Squirrels to the point that they are disappearing. Hence my trapping the fox squirrels and relocating them to the lower altitudes so we can enjoy our native species.)
That is a great idea and will be making one this weekend. Those little guys can sure cause some destruction to your wood siding.
Eben easier tjan wooden version. Love it
Chris, I made three of your traps, just as you show in the videos. The only exception is that I added a "U" shaped plywood barrier at the cap end of the base, in order to prevent any squirrel from standing up on the far end of the trap. Its not big and only high enough to rub against their chests if they try to use the tube for leverage.
So far, after over a couple of weeks, not one squirrel. I've tried peanuts, shelled and unshelled, and even almonds which are supposed to be a squirrel's favorite. Nothing. Only the ants are enjoying the almonds. Obviously your squirrels are hilly-billy squirrels and mine are college educated.
They are driving me nuts, and dig up every raised container I have on my back deck, and side of the house. I've made up a mix to keep them off the beds, and this has done the trick. Obviously the Cayenne pepper, Jalapeno, and onion, residue is not their favorite thing. Unfortunately I am going to have to spray the containers about twice weekly.
I'm going to keep the traps set for another couple of weeks, but if nothing happens, I'm going to have to write this off as a loss.
Interesting. Sounds like you've done a good job at improving it too. Maybe you're right, they're more educated! Have you tried putting the trap on your raised containers where they like to dig?
The trap on the back deck is sitting right on the container furtherest right and where the squirrel would make it up there. I have a picture of it, but don't see where I can add the picture here to the post. If I could, I'd show it to you.
+John L What species of squirrel do you have in your area? You can send the pictures to chrisnotap@gmail.com. I'd be interested to see them.
Chris, they are gray squirrels. And the neighborhood is now swamped with them. Last fall's nut crop here in Raleigh were very good, and also the new broods are out and doing well. Last week, four of the young ones from the nest in my back yard were romping around, having the time of their lives.
I had a wren's nest in one of my hanging coleus planters, with three baby wrens. I had been feeding the mother, and even talking to the babies. But last week, they left the nest and are gone. And like a dummy, I forgot to remove the feeder and day before yesterday, I opened the front door and two of the grown squirrels from the front yard were there trampling my fern and coleus. The little bastards are gonna pay for all this.
So I just bought two Have-a-heart traps and even they will not be enough for all the squirrels that are everywhere around my house. So, I had planned on building a couple more of my own, but making them square and larger. And suddenly I see you have made an improved version, which is what I was looking for. I may just make two and see which ones work best the factory ones, or the home made ones.
Bravo on the Trap. I can testify that this type of trap WORKS!. Just don't make the same mistake the first time I did. If the door is shut then you got one.
I made some modifications to the door. I used duck tape instead of that clamp. Used a manual door latch. Could not find the pizza pan so I used a plastic lid
super duper, glad I saw the updated version, much better, thanks
Thank you I caught one and it made me so happy and I wanted you to know that I am thankful for your help
Glad I could help.
nice
Very smart design works good and dose not hurt them ✌️
Gonna make this today for chipmunks. They just ate my first strawberry of the season. I’m not screwing around this year
I can just see the squirrel freakin' out inside, and that trap slamdancin' all over the yard! ;-)
Nicely done !!! (a suggestion: to box-in the pipe, to eliminate them tipping the pipe from the top or other end)
Good tip! Others have said the same to place a cardboard box over the rear half. Thanks.
Just caught squirrel #51 today!
Really? You've caught that many??!! Wow! I'm working on another squirrel trap that uses a 5" easy to find furnace pipe.
@@chrisnotap I built your PVC trap back in ?? - see my first comment in the site for date - and just yesterday completed your wooden model - and caught two squirrels already. I drive them into a neighboring area where they'll have to cross a deep ravine to get home - hoping they don't. Geez! My wife just alerted me that another squirrel has sprung the new trap!
That's great! How far away are you releasing them? A ravine is like a walk in the park for squirrels. Distance is the key.
You're a darn legend!
I like your improvement. I’m going to build this one as well. The one made out of wood is not being successful, I think is my changing to the base where the pivot screws sit on. I’ll do how you built it and find out. Thank you
best rat trap idea easy 👍
Nice idea
okay man ....good trap maker
watching you letting the squirrel out is more enjoyable than watching it goes into a trap
I made it and got a squirrel! I used a stick instead of the door holder so sometimes the squirrel would trigger the trap without going in.
Thats great!!
That is an ingenious device Chris
Thanks for that!
Would a piece of glass at the far end be better? I’m thinking the squirrel might think it’s a way out and not hesitate going in.
Would they be less hesitant to enter if the bait end had a steel plate fitted cap with air holes too? I'm thinking the extra light and air would make it seem less risky to them & encourage them to explore.
thanks Chris --- greeeat modification
Thanks for update!
Caught my 6th squirrel this morning and gave him the now standard three-mile drive into another neighborhood. I had to find another type of magnet for the trap door plate - I used a screw-on door-closure magnet - same as on some cabinets in the house. The other magnets, secured with silicone seal, couldn't stand up to the squirrel scrabbling against the door to escape. There always seems to be one more squirrel to trap.
As a kid, my parents “trapped” a squirrel that was burrowing into ventilation holes in our attic and throwing out insulation, chewing wiring, etc. We took it inside in a quiet area overnight, as it was a cold winter, and was going to release it in a nearby forest the next day….but then overnight it gave birth to 3 babies. We called around to find a wildlife rehab person with a large enclosure mom and babies could stay in until ready to relocate, and mom held all 3 babies the whole car ride over.
If you trap squirrels to relocate, please check if it is breeding season and if it might be nursing (you can usually tell) in case it has babies stashed somewhere.
wow u recorded from every angel i kile that
Yes, I tried out my new Gopro "Session" camera and I think it worked out pretty good. The one right inside the tube was neat too.
yhea nice video
You can only fool them once. Very smart little devils. Looks like dinner to me! Good modification though. Need to red my last comment on the first video.
Actually I caught 2 squirrel twice each the first day I tried it, meaning I caught a total of 4. They didn't seem to remember they had been trapped earlier.
Awesome job! Next vid have the trap place a SquirrelCam on his head 🤣
Challenge accepted, lol!
Cool ... Easy to do DIY and optimal catch the rats.
i just trapped a huge pack rat with this trap, i used regular old salted peanuts for bait and it worked like a champ!
+Dave Shepherd Thats great! So how big was it? The same size as the squirrel in the video?
Yes,roughly the same size as the squirrels. Glad i got him, he was setting up shop under the house and of course i let him go on the other side of the river. Thx!
I'm not sure why this is so funny to me, but I laugh like it's a Chappelle comedy show or something. They are so careful. Check everything out. In, out ... in, out. Making sure everything is as it should be, and then ... flip. Game over. So funny.
Very nice update, I'm making a trap based on your design, thanks for sharing.
great idea, but I have another add on. If you attached a survey flag to the door it would aid old eyes to see if it had been tripped.
+Steve Durr Yes! That would work.
Excellent
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks for this great video. My roof space is squirrel-free (for the moment!)
Thanks for sharing it, works and it is so humane! Thanks!!
NICE
good camera work
That's nice . I'm going to add a nearby bucket of water to submerge them after .
toss it in the fire
Brilliant.
Awesome!
Thanks! I have another video coming soon that uses a common 6" furnace vent pipe.
very cool I like what you have done here
What about using 1/2" mesh hardware cloth on the end instead of the pvc cap. Can be bent around the end and secured with a hose clamp. That way the squirrel can see through the tube and be less hesitant to enter.
I did that, exactly how you described. Mesh and hose clamp so they could see the food and then go in from the door end but what would happen is they'd use their claws to pull at the mesh, then they'd go on top of it and in doing so would rock the trap too much and set it off. Without the mesh it works way better. As soon as they get that first free peanut at the doorway , they are looking down the tube and see the other peanuts in there and come back to get them.
I am going to make a box covering half of the PVC so the squirrels can’t stand on the PVC tube and trigger the door. That way I can set the tilt really light.
I'll be uploading another one shortly. It uses an easy to find 6 inch furnace pipe. It's also easy to make.
You should cook them,nice snack n beer!!
Chris, I made the new changes. I caught a small squirrel and everything worked great! Next there was a large grey squirrel. He was strong enough to tip the trap over and got out. Next I put a metal strap over the pivot blocks so the tube would not come off the base board. Once again he knocked the whole trap over and got out. I think maybe the magnets are not strong enough to keep the door shut when the trap overturned ( when trap turned over the wood block for the door to keep it closed didn't work. Any ideas...I'm at a loss for new ideas! I think the giant squirrel has been eating his Wheaties!!!
Thank you for the video. If I have to build one, I would make it size larger.
A size larger is too hard to find.
pretty cool! thanks for sharing
I really like that stack rock sculpture in the background there.
I'm thinking maybe figure a way to make the peace of wood
that holds the door closed slide forward and backward with
bolts and wing nuts through 2 notches sawed in the plank.
That way you could adjust it if you could not find level ground
or if you wanted to put it up in a tree. What do you think?
Honestly it doesn't get much easier to just use the drill to put the 2 screws into the wood. You only will move it about 3 times as you experiment to find the right balance for the weight of the squirrels in your area.
Hes like " Wait a Minute ?! "
Great video and super squirrel trap, I've got all the parts but the hinge. I can't find one that works like yours. Where did you get it? And what exactly is it called? A part number would really help.
Thanks
It's a closet bi-fold door hinge.
@@chrisnotap Chris, I got it now! I mistakenly thought the hinge was a self-closing spring loaded type.
Thanks
Buena trapa 😃
Mantapp..👍
Great design. Can I ask, what type of camera, were you using inside the trap?
I used a GoPro Session 5. They no longer make them. You can find used ones though.
Chris I really think you should think about a name change? To Chris Double TAP! LOL...
Very clever, but the best overall solution is to keep their food sources on your property down to as close to nil as possible. That and preventing them from nesting in man-made structures. Same for rats and mice, just don't feed them and house them excessively and they will choose some other area to haunt.
You must live in the city. Many of us have trees that produce acorns. No way you’re getting rid of their food source on my property unless you’re going to cut down tons of trees.
@@Gdesign959 I'm referring to unguarded bird feeders, AKA a Las Vegas buffet for all rodents including squirrels, you can have this problem in any location. Check out this channel's squirrel-proof feeder uploads, works out in the country too.
One thing about live traps ; need to check them .
I made an additional change. The tin used to make the door was not heavy enough. The second squirrel I caught squeezed out by pushing on the tin door and bending it and was able to set itself free. I simply made another door out of heavier metal. I also used a small strap hinge. It seems to work better. Results to follow.
Could we ask for measurements of the pipe, platform, as well as the distance from end of board to the door blocker strip and the hinge holders that are on both sides of the 1/2 inch rocket pipe. This would allow for quicker assembly. Great idea by the way.
ua-cam.com/video/I7XZ8Yr6x8g/v-deo.html
Very Good Chris !! Could work with big rats.
It may work with rats. They are very cautious creatures.