Banana Peels.
#7771469
01/13/23 11:49 PM
01/13/23 11:49 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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Back in the nineties, I had a leucistic pet groundhog named Frosty Francis. His favorite food by far was bananas. He would eat a banana, peel and all in less than 2 minutes and would eat just the peels too. Banana peels became my favorite groundhog bait. I've never had a banana peel fail to catch a groundhog when placed in a trap near an active den, except when an opossum or raccoon got trapped first.
With just of the two of us, it may take up to 2 weeks to fill up the kitchen trash can, which used to lead to fruit flies getting in the trash, if we put banana peels or other fruit and vegetable scraps in the trash. We started throwing out all the fruit and vegetable waste, along with egg shells on the garden. The banana peels would quickly vanish. I did shoot 1 groundhog eating one, but figured most were being taken by raccoons or opossums. When I noticed, I was always somewhat surprised when the peels vanished in very cold weather, which typically keeps opossums and raccoons in their dens.
Yesterday, at around 3:00pm, I threw a banana peel on the garden. About 15 minutes later I looked out the window and saw a cottontail rabbit hopping through the brush carrying the entire peel. I went outside and the rabbit dropped the peel, grabbed it again and ran off with it. I was surprised. The rabbit must of really wanted that peel or it would not have retrieved it when frightened.
I'm thinking now that many of the banana peels we toss out might be getting eaten by rabbits. It would explain why they still disappear in very cold weather.
We have a little snow tonight. I just put a peel in an area i will be able to clearly see tracks in.
Has anyone else observed rabbits eating banana peels or used them as bait to catch rabbits?
Keith
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: KeithC]
#7771483
01/14/23 12:16 AM
01/14/23 12:16 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Oregon
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I always was too worried I'd catch incidental monkeys.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: KeithC]
#7771539
01/14/23 06:30 AM
01/14/23 06:30 AM
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Joined: Mar 2020
W NY
Turtledale
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2020
W NY
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Not for rabbits but I'm with you on the wood chuck bait. Not just the peel but I've baited with the whole banana too
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: beaverpeeler]
#7771574
01/14/23 08:05 AM
01/14/23 08:05 AM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Wisconsin
Mad Scientist
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Wisconsin
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I always was too worried I'd catch incidental monkeys. Literally lol you funny when you’re wife is out of town.
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: beaverpeeler]
#7771972
01/14/23 04:34 PM
01/14/23 04:34 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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I always was too worried I'd catch incidental monkeys. There's a lot of money to be made on invasive, non-natives, especially in the pet trade. Monkeys are gross and carry to many diseases that are transmissible to humans for me to want to handle them, so I don't want to deal with any incidental monkey catch either. Keith
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: yotetrapper30]
#7771980
01/14/23 04:39 PM
01/14/23 04:39 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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I'm just hung up on 2 weeks to fill up the trash can.  There's only 2 of us as well and we're lucky if we make it 2 days! Most of the food we eat is either in mason jars or frozen in plastic containers or bags, so there's little food packaging waste. Keith
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: Turtledale]
#7771982
01/14/23 04:41 PM
01/14/23 04:41 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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Not for rabbits but I'm with you on the wood chuck bait. Not just the peel but I've baited with the whole banana too I'm to cheap and like bananas to much to use the whole fruit for bait. Keith
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: MChewk]
#7771986
01/14/23 04:43 PM
01/14/23 04:43 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
KeithC
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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Keith, you must be a mind reader...I've been trying to figure what animal would eat banana peels I throw out in our tiny garden...must be the squirrels and rabbits here. Thanks. Yes and yes, you should go ahead and do it. No, not that, the other thing. Yes, it will work. You're welcome. Keith
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: KeithC]
#7772088
01/14/23 06:52 PM
01/14/23 06:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
Scout1
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
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I wonder if there is a nutrient that really attracts rodents to the peels? When are bananas get like pudding, I put the whole thing in a blender with milk, protein powder, and ice for a snack.
------------------------------------- Paying Top Dollar for Alien Parts.
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: KeithC]
#7772089
01/14/23 06:53 PM
01/14/23 06:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
Scout1
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2012
N. Carolina
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[quote=Animals Only]
I do remove the peel first. The stickers on the peel are a choking hazard.
Keith How did you find that out?
------------------------------------- Paying Top Dollar for Alien Parts.
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Re: Banana Peels.
[Re: Scout1]
#7772099
01/14/23 06:59 PM
01/14/23 06:59 PM
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Joined: Mar 2020
W NY
Turtledale
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2020
W NY
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I wonder if there is a nutrient that really attracts rodents to the peels? When are bananas get like pudding, I put the whole thing in a blender with milk, protein powder, and ice for a snack. Mmmmmmmmmm, yuck! Lol
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
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