Raccoons
Raccoon Baits
Sweet foods and fatty meats are some of the best baits to place in a live trap when you want to lure a raccoon inside. Below, the experts at Havahart® share their top baiting suggestions as well as other raccoon baiting tips.
Best Raccoon Baits
Raccoons are opportunistic eaters known to dine on a variety of foods, but they favor those high in fat or sugar. Sugary foods are the best to use in a live raccoon trap, because they target raccoons without attracting other unwanted wildlife.
Favorite raccoon baits include:
How to Bait a Raccoon Trap
Selecting a raccoon bait is only the first step in catching a raccoon. Placing your bait is critical, and just as important as the type of bait you use.
The best bait placement will:
- Force the raccoon to fully enter the trap (body and tail).
- Encourage the raccoon to engage the trigger (step on the metal plate).
- Take into consideration the trap type (1 vs. 2-door):
For a 1-door trap, place the bait behind the trigger plate. Ensure bait is placed away from the trap walls so the raccoon cannot steal the bait from the outside.
For a 2-door trap, you have several options: you can place the bait just behind the trigger, bury it in the ground underneath the trigger plate/trap or hang it from the top of your trap.
Expert Baiting Tips
- To prevent raccoons from knocking over your trap, secure it by placing a brick or weight on top of the trap.
- Create a trail of bait from the outside that leads your raccoon into the trap.
- Always wear gloves when baiting your trap; raccoons may be wary of a human’s scent.
- Baiting is just one step in the trapping process. Proper placement and handling are also very important. To learn more trapping tips, read How to Trap a Raccoon »
- To learn more baiting tips, read How to Bait »
Professional Advice on Baiting an Animal Trap
Our friend and Havahart® supporter, Billy the Exterminator, talks baiting traps.
