Rabbit Hunting Info

If you plan on trapping rabbits you must know that approved padded-jaw traps, suitable for catching rabbits, must be used. Keep in mind that using steel-jawed traps is illegal in most of the United States areas. The rabbit traps must have the following characteristics:

- The jaws mustn’t have teeth
- Each jaw must have a rubber-like pad in order to cushion the impact of the trap jaws on the limb and also to prevent the limb sliding out
- The jaws are offset in order to increase the space between them when closed
- The jaws must have a spring situated in the anchor chain so that it would act as a shock absorber
- Swivels must be located on both ends of the anchor chain so that it would allow the trap to twist as the rabbit tries to escape
- The trap should have an adjustable pan tension so that an appropriate force is required to depress the pan and trigger the trap. This will minimize the chance of non-target animals setting off the trap

Regarding the impact these traps have on target animals:

- The traps must be inspected at least daily in order to prevent suffering and possible death from exposure, starvation, shock, predation or thirst
- Where possible, the trapping procedures should be avoided when the weather conditions threaten the welfare of the trapped rabbits
- The captured rabbits must be approached carefully and quietly in order to reduce panic, stress but also the risk of injury
- The trapped rabbits must be euthanized by dislocation, cervical or neck. This will involve the separation of the skull and the brain from the spinal cord by pressure applied posterior to the skull’s base
- If lactating female rabbits are captured in the trap, decent efforts must be made in order to humanely destroy dependent young, otherwise the young will die a very slow death from starvation

Regarding the impact these traps have on non-target animals:

- The traps are non-target specific so a wide range of non-target animals might be caught. Some of these animals could be: birds like magpies, ravens or pied currawongs; hares, sheep, possums, wombats, kangaroos and others as well
- Different groups of non-target animals suffer different levels of injury and distress
- If you catch a domestic pet, you should take it to the nearest veterinarian/animal shelter/council pound where it can be examined for injuries
- If you catch a wild dog or a fox in the trap, it should be euthanized as soon as possible by shooting them in the brain.

Regarding the health and safety considerations:

- Very good personal hygiene is recommended when handling animals. We recommend to routinely wash your hands and other skin surfaces contaminated with blood and other body fluids
- Long sleeved and heavy duty overalls as well as long trousers should be worn in order to protect the operator from being scratched by the rabbits during handling. Protective gloves may be used if required, although these may hinder dexterity
- Operators must be protected by tetanus immunization in case of infection of scratches and bites
- Operators should be wary of the risks of injury when placing and setting traps. Protective clothing, boots and leather gloves will help prevent the injuries caused by shovels, trap jaws and hammers

We offer you a small list of rabbit traps you might consider purchasing:

Professional-quality traps feature high-tensile wire-galvanized steel for lightweight construction. Spring-loaded doors and sensitive triggers for secure captures. Solid doors and handle guards protect the user during transportation. Smoothed internal edges prevent injuries to animals.

Safely remove intruding pests from your yard with the Safeguard Products Rabbit & Skunk Live Animal Trap. This large live trap captures animals such as squirrels, rabbits, mink, or skunks humanely without injuring them or using dangerous chemicals. Simply level the bait pan, put a bit of food in the trap, and wait for a critter to discover it. When their weight on the bait pan triggers the mechanism, the front door will snap shut and lock. Collect the trap, and slide the rear door up to release the animal back into the wild. This durable trap is made from galvanized wire mesh for strength and resilience.

This trap will capture even the most timid cats and rabbits. With a door on each end cats and rabbits can enter one of two ways with no way of escaping. This trap can also be set as a single door trap with one trap door up and the other down. 32inL x 9in.W x 9in.H

The perfect live trap for catching cats and rabbits. Just place a can of cat food in the back of the trap with a couple of holes poked in the top. 26in.L x 9in.W x 9in. H