Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Northern Raccoon

Stuck in a Sticky Situation!

Glue traps don’t just catch insects and mice—they can be a serious hazard for all kinds of wildlife. This raccoon found himself in a dangerous predicament when his right front foot and both back feet became stuck to a glue trap in the finder’s garage, leaving him completely immobilized.

What should you do if you find an animal stuck to a glue trap?

For the safety of both the animal and yourself, never attempt to remove a glue trap at home. This is especially important for high-risk rabies vector species like raccoons.

For smaller animals (birds, mice, snakes, etc.), you can help prevent further entrapment by lightly covering the adhesive with cornmeal, dirt, or shredded paper, then gently placing a hand towel over the entire trap and safely containing it for transport.

But removal itself should always be handled by professionals.

Animals that are removed at home often suffer severe injuries and have a significantly lower chance of survival compared to those treated by trained wildlife rehabilitators using proper sedation techniques.

Fortunately, the finder of this raccoon did the right thing and called us for guidance instead of attempting removal themselves.

Once safely contained and transported to our facility, we were able to anesthetize the raccoon, carefully remove the glue trap, and work through the tedious process of cleaning the excess adhesive from his fur.

After a thorough bath and full drying, this patient was successfully released back to the wild—clean, safe, and sticky-free!

The bottom line? Don’t use glue traps.

Glue traps are cruel, indiscriminate, and cause immense suffering to any creature that gets stuck. They are not an effective or humane solution for rodent control. Instead, keeping areas tidy, sealing entry points, and using ethical deterrents are the best ways to manage rodent issues.

Traps, poisons, and relocation do not provide long-term solutions.

If you’re dealing with a rodent problem, please reach out to us! We’re happy to provide humane, wildlife-friendly alternatives tailored to your specific situation. Together, we can keep both wildlife and homes safe!

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.