How to Catch Rabbits

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 11, 2023 References

Rabbits can cause problems in gardens or by burrowing into the ground. There are ways to catch them, even without a trap, and to do it humanely. Do you need to catch a rabbit? There are many ways to do this.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Baiting a Rabbit

1
Use root vegetables and leafy greens to catch a rabbit. The first step is to make sure you have the right bait on hand. Rabbits are herbivores. That means you will have to catch them with plants.
- You could simply figure out which plants the rabbit is taking from your garden, and use those as bait. If you leave carrots for the rabbit, which is a good idea, grate them because it will set off a stronger smell.^{[1]
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- Brussel sprouts, corn on the cob, alfalfa, clover, and lettuce are all good baits to use to catch rabbits. Create a trail of the bait leading the rabbit directly up to the trap or to your hand. Rabbits also like cabbage.^{[2]
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2
Try using fruit. Although rabbits mostly like grasses, leafy greens, and root vegetables, they also enjoy some types of fruit.
- You could use dried or fresh red apples to try to catch a rabbit. Either version should work.^{[3]
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  Research source}Rabbits also like bananas. If you have another rabbit, bringing rabbit droppings will attract a new rabbit.
- Spray apple cider with a spray bottle throughout the inside of the rabbit trap.The rabbit will be drawn by the apple scent, but the spray will also cover up human scent.
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3
Leave water for the rabbit. Stray rabbits are often dehydrated, and water may attract them as much as food.
- Leave a bowl of water for the rabbit. You will have the best chance of spotting a rabbit in the early morning or at dusk.This is when rabbits look for food or drink.
- In the day time, a rabbit is usually hiding and will be harder to catch. Rabbits often hide out in bushes and trees or under decks. Some think rabbits will also eat cheesy biscuits and bread or be drawn by red fox urine.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Trapping the rabbit

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Make a wooden box trap. These traps are basically wooden boxes with a door in the front for the rabbit to enter. Live traps can be used to humanely capture and then release rabbits.^{[4]
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- You will need a trigger in the middle of the trap to close the door once the rabbit nudges it. The trigger is usually a wooden peg with a wire or string that you attach to the front door. Wooden traps, even when made with plywood, can be somewhat heavy to move, though.
- Place the bait to the back of the box as a lure to coax the rabbit into the trap. The rabbit should bump the trigger as it tries to reach the bait. Wooden traps are easy to build if you test the trigger a few times. They also are not very expensive.
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Buy an open mesh live animal trap. These traps are made of heavy wire mesh or gauge wire, and they might have a steel frame. You can find them at some pet or hardware stores or online.
- Such traps usually have a single entry, where they are open at one end, or even a double entry, where both ends open, and they collapse for easier storage or moving. They work the same way as wooden traps. The rabbit is enticed into the trap with bait, and a trigger causes the door to close.
- These traps are lighter in weight and more open. The animal doesn’t realize it’s being confined as much as it would with a wooden trap, so mesh traps can be more effective. Rabbit traps are usually 24"x7"x7" and 24"x8"x8". You don’t want to make it too big or you could catch other animals.
3
Place the trap where rabbits hide. Remember that rabbits usually live in areas with good cover. This means you will find them in brush piles, in fence rows, and in briar patches.
- Rabbits also like low-cut bluegrass. You should place the rabbit trap along trails that rabbits have already made in these areas. Rabbits are likely to use the same trails as they have in the past.
- Put the trap right in the pathway. You could also put the trap in front of a hole in the ground or in front of a brush pile, if you know that these are being used as rabbit dens. You could also place a trap in an area where you see rabbit droppings.
4
Bait the trap. In a trap with a single door, put the bait at the end. In a trap with two doors, put the bait in the center of the trap.
- You want to position the bait, so you lure most of the rabbit’s body into the trap. This should set off the door trigger by engaging the metal plate in the trap.
- Wear gloves when you bait your trap so that you don’t leave a trace of human scent in the trap. This will stop rabbits from coming into it. Put a brick on top of the trap so the animal won’t knock it over.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Catching the Rabbit Other Ways

1
Use a snare. Some people use wire noose snares to catch rabbits because they are not very costly. One problem with a snare is that you will have to handle the rabbit to release it after catching it.
- Rabbits can bite, so make sure you wear tough, impenetrable gloves before handling a wild rabbit.^{[5]
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- Before releasing a rabbit, you should check with laws and regulations in your area. Sometimes this won’t be allowed. In that case, contact a local humane society after catching the rabbit. Remember that rabbits can carry fleas and ticks, so handle them as little as possible.
2
Catch a rabbit without a trap. This is hard but possible. You will need to corner the rabbit so that it can’t run into the woods or other areas that are hard for you to reach. It helps if you get the rabbit used to you over days time.
- Don’t look directly at a rabbit. The rabbit may perceive this as a predatory gaze. Believe it or not, but talking to the rabbit may calm it down.
- Rabbits are likely to come forward a bit to explore, especially if you have treats in your hands, like carrots, banana, or alfalfa hay. Be patient.
3
Corral the rabbit once it gets close. You could catch the rabbit with a bat net with very fine mesh. Set the net down, and let the rabbit come close to you before scooping the rabbit up in the net.
- Or you could scoop the rabbit into a pet carrier when it approaches you. Choose a carrier for a small or medium-sized pet.
- Another method involves setting up a three-foot exercise or puppy pen in a semi-circle formation. You will probably need another person to do this. Once you spot the rabbit, set up the semi-circle, and then pen the rabbit inside. Then, coax the rabbit into the pet carrier.

Community Q&A

Question

Can you use anything other than apple cider to cover human scent?

Community Answer

Yes. You can also spray vanilla extract into the cage.
Question

How much do rabbits weigh?

Community Answer

Usually no more than three pounds. This is important when considering which size trap to build or buy.
Question

How do I make an alive rabbit trap?

Lele Fox

Community Answer

By using metal bars and a plastic bottom. Sometimes you can use a cardboard box.