A simple DIY live squirrel trap can be built from wood, wire mesh, and a few pieces of galvanized metal for under $20 in materials. The most reliable homemade design is a box trap with a trigger-activated drop door, baited with peanut butter and whole peanuts. Before you build one, though, you need to know the trapping laws in your state, because live-trapping squirrels is regulated almost everywhere and relocating them is illegal in many places.
Check Your State’s Trapping Laws First
Squirrel trapping regulations vary widely by state, and breaking them can result in fines. In New York, for example, trapping gray, black, or fox squirrels as nuisance animals requires a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation. Red and flying squirrels can be trapped without a permit if they’re damaging property, but if you trap during the closed hunting season, the animal must be buried or cremated immediately. You cannot keep it or release it elsewhere.
The biggest surprise for most people: relocating a trapped squirrel is illegal in many states. New York flatly prohibits moving any wild animal off your property. You can’t drive it to a park, release it on state land, or drop it in a neighbor’s yard. The reasoning is practical. Relocated animals spread diseases like rabies, stress the animal severely, and simply become someone else’s problem. Many other states have similar rules. Before setting any trap, search your state wildlife agency’s website for “nuisance wildlife” regulations, or call them directly. A five-minute phone call can save you a citation.
How to Build a Wooden Box Trap
The design recommended by New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service is a 36-inch by 12-inch by 12-inch box frame covered in welded wire. It’s large enough for gray squirrels, fox squirrels, and similar-sized animals. Here’s what you need:
- Wood: Three 8-foot lengths of 2×2 lumber (for the frame)
- Wire mesh: About 15 square feet of 1×2 welded wire
- Galvanized sheet metal: A 12×10-inch piece for the door, a 7.25×6-inch piece for the treadle (the step plate), and a small 2x2x2-inch triangle
- Wire: 55 inches of #9 galvanized wire
- Dowel: A half-inch by 9-inch wooden dowel for the trigger mechanism
Cut the 2×2 lumber into lengths to form a rectangular box frame. Attach the welded wire to all sides except the door end, using staples or wire ties. The door is a flat piece of galvanized metal that slides vertically in channels on the front of the trap. When the trap is set, the door is held open by the trigger mechanism. A small metal triangle mounted at the top prevents the door from being pushed back up once it drops.
The Trigger Mechanism
The trigger is the part most people overthink. Drill a 1.25-inch hole through the side of the trap frame about halfway back. Insert the wooden dowel through this hole so it extends across the interior of the trap. Cut a small notch in the dowel where it connects to the door’s support wire. When a squirrel steps on the treadle plate (positioned on the floor of the trap), it pushes the dowel just enough to release the notch, and the door drops under its own weight. Attach your bait directly to the dowel or place it just behind the treadle so the squirrel has to step fully onto the plate to reach the food.
The entire build takes a couple of hours with basic hand tools. If the trigger doesn’t trip easily during testing, sand the notch shallower or add a small weight to the top of the door so gravity does more work.
Best Baits for Squirrels
Peanut butter combined with whole peanuts in the shell is the most effective bait, period. Peanut butter has a strong scent that carries well, and squirrels will work at it long enough to trigger the trap. Whole peanuts in the shell add visual attraction and take time to handle, keeping the squirrel on the treadle.
Place small smears of peanut butter at the trap entrance, then again about a third of the way in, then halfway in. Pack a larger amount into the bottom half-inch of a small cup and position it at the very back of the trap or press it onto the trigger dowel. This breadcrumb trail draws the squirrel deep enough into the trap to activate the mechanism.
Other effective baits include sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, apple slices, and oranges. Oranges are surprisingly effective because squirrels can detect the moisture in the fruit and will approach when they’re thirsty. Marshmallows and bread also work but tend to attract more non-target animals. Stick with nut-based baits for the most selective results.
Where and When to Place the Trap
Set the trap on a flat surface along the squirrel’s regular travel path. If you’re not sure exactly where that is, the base of a tree they frequent or along a wall near where you’ve seen damage are reliable spots. Unlike rabbits or raccoons, squirrels are more comfortable in open areas than near dense cover. Placing the trap away from low bushes or shrubs actually improves your chances.
Timing matters across two scales. During the day, early morning is best since squirrels are most active in the first few hours after sunrise. Across the year, late spring and early winter are the ideal trapping windows. These periods give you the best chance of catching squirrels before they breed in your home, and you’re least likely to separate a mother from dependent babies. Trapping in summer risks orphaning young that can’t survive on their own.
Always place the trap in shade. A squirrel trapped in direct sunlight, even for a few hours, can overheat and die. If shade isn’t naturally available, drape a towel or tarp over the trap, leaving the entrance clear.
How Often to Check the Trap
Check your trap at least once every 24 hours. Twice a day is better. A trapped squirrel gets dehydrated quickly and becomes increasingly stressed with every hour it spends confined. Wildlife management guidelines from the UK recommend checking twice daily as best practice, and during warmer months or in areas with other small wildlife, checking every few hours is ideal.
If you can’t commit to checking the trap at least once a day, don’t set it. Leaving an animal trapped for extended periods is both inhumane and, in many jurisdictions, illegal. Close or disable the trap any time you’ll be away for more than a day, overnight if temperatures drop below freezing, or during severe weather.
Seal Entry Points After Trapping
Trapping without exclusion is a losing strategy. If squirrels are getting into your attic, chimney, or walls, new ones will move in within days unless you seal the entry points. The most effective material is 3/4-inch galvanized or stainless steel mesh. This size blocks squirrels, raccoons, and birds while still allowing air to flow through vents and chimney caps.
Inspect your roofline, soffit vents, gable vents, and any gaps where utility lines enter the house. Squirrels can fit through openings as small as 1.5 inches. Secure mesh over every opening with screws, not staples, since squirrels can pull stapled mesh free. For chimneys, install a properly sized cap with 3/4-inch mesh that matches your flue dimensions so it doesn’t restrict airflow.
Do this work after you’re confident all squirrels are out of the structure. Sealing an animal inside your walls creates a far worse problem than the one you started with. If you’re unsure whether the space is empty, install a one-way exclusion door (a short mesh tunnel angled outward) that lets squirrels leave but not re-enter. After a week with no activity, remove the door and seal permanently.