Parker 8 Live Animal Trap (17" X 6" X 6") Catch & Release Rodent Cage - Highly Efficient Professional Humane Solution for Rabbit, Squirrel, Mole, Gopher, Skunk - Steel

I bought this trap to catch squirrels that were stealing eggs from my chicken coop. It did not work at all out of the box, but I've been using it for a few months, and offer these suggestions on successful modifications and use:1. ADJUST THE TRIGGER -- As explained in the instructions and some reviews here, the trigger mechanism should be adjusted by bending, filing and oiling the catch that holds the trap door up when the trap is set. Because the force of the spring mechanism always bears on this catch, I could never get a "hair trigger" response. I believe this is the least important adjustment.2. WIRE IN THE BAIT -- At first, I just put peanut butter on the trigger plate on the floor; the squirrels licked it off and never triggered the trap. After trying several methods, I've found that the best bait is to use a one inch piece of corn on the cob, poke a hold through it with an ice pick, and hang it at the top rear with a piece of wire. In trying to eat or steal the bait, the squirrel puts most of its weight on the trigger plate, and the trap is sprung.3. CREATE A HURDLE BEFORE THE BAIT -- After losing some wired in bait, I found out that the squirrels can climb the roof and sides to get at the bait without triggering the floor plate. I solved this by putting in a couple disposable chop sticks (any stick will do) to make it harder to get to the bait without stepping on the plate. I haven't lost any bait since I added the sticks.4. SECURE THE ESCAPE DOOR -- As mentioned in some other reviews, the bar that secures the door at the end (where you remove a trapped animal or add bait), is not so secure. A trapped squirrel bouncing frantically around inside the cage will sometimes shake the bar loose and escape. Prevent this by adding a piece of wire to secure the door.Hope this helps other trappers out there! Squirrels are just rats with bushy tails!

Gothcha squirrel!!!! After numerous attempts with this over about a month, I finally found the right spot (so far) for catching these guys who take the majority of my avocados every year. I tried the usual position of flat, and in many different locations. In the trees, along the fence line, base of the trees, with various baits. Always wore gloves to mask my scent. No luck. I think what also initially affected the negative success of this trap was because I would bring it in every evening and put it back out in the morning so as to not inadvertently end up with a skunk or opossum stuck halfway into the cage in the morning. Can you imagine having to deal with that?! So here's what finally worked for me. I attached the cage near the top of a chain link fence with the opening up top.Put a small bowl with some sunflower seeds & an avocado seed in it against the release door which is now the bottom of the cage. I figured, once a squirrel gets in there, even though it won't be stepping on the activation pad,its body & weight will still push up against it, trigger the gate and it'd be deep inside the cage away from the door that it might manage to block with its body had the cage been on its side as usual. Also, it wouldn't get alarmed and frightened off by actually stepping on something that just didn't seem right. Well, it took only 1 night and I woke up to a very frightened and erratic squirrel trapped in there! Its frantic jumping around actually dislodged the tin handle guard which I found on the ground. I covered the cage with a towel, slowly unhooked the trap from the fence, put the whole thing in the back of my Trooper with cardboard underneath in case it peed or pooped in my vehicle during transportation. Drove all the way across town to a public park, made sure that my doors and windows were shut, then opened the cage and squirrly took off running. Drove home with my windows open though because the Trooper had a lingering musky aroma which I suspect was from the squirrel. By the time that I got home, no more odor. Threw away the towel used for covering the trapped squirrel so as to not bring home any possible fleas or other travelers that might have been on the squirrel. SUCCESS!!!

Caught the squirrel first day.....BUT....the bar that holds the backdoor in place is way too loose. When I picked up the trap, the squirrel was moving around and the trap swung sideways and that long bar just fell out - the backdoor popped open and the squirrel laughed and laughed as he ran away. Design flaw. Using a binder clip to keep that long bar in place.Update: Have caught 9 so far, but trigger needs modified or this is just a squirrel feeder. Bend it straighter, file round edge flat, make it more hair trigger. As delivered, squirrel can stand on trigger pad and eat the bait. Or steal the bait container. I wound up wiring a bottle cap to the cage, just below the trigger pad, so they can't steal the whole container of bait. Peanut butter and sunflower seeds seem to be good bait.Lay a brick on top of trap, so squirrels can't roll it around. If they flip it on its side, the trap won't spring.