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Oct 27 · 42.22 pre-release: ladders and crowbar break-insOct 23 · First-person mods are not officially supportedOct 21 · The Indie Stone on Java mods: download responsiblySep 28 · Build 42.21 Stable: zombie duplication fixesAug 26 · Security fixes on every branchAug 17 · Servers now handle up to 254 playersJul 29 · Build 42 goes Stable

Trapping

Traps are free food while you sleep, as long as you set them in the right place and then leave. Build 42 added live catches and raccoons, and moved the recipes to new magazines. Here is every trap, what to bait it with and why it is not catching anything. Updated for Build 42.21 Stable and 42.22 Pre-Release, November 2026.

An overgrown lot
Rabbits live in the woods, rats live in town

Full data: the trapping table has every trap, bait, zone and hour.

01Part

Every trap

TrapCatches (catch value)Needs
Mouse TrapMouse 30, rat 25Loot only, cannot be crafted
Stick TrapSmall birds 40Wooden rods and twine, no skill
Snare TrapRabbit, squirrel, raccoon 30Plank, 2 twine, saw; Trapping 1
Crate TrapRabbit, squirrel, raccoon 303 planks, 5 nails, saw and hammer; no skill
Box TrapRabbit 30, squirrel 25, raccoon 304 planks, 7 nails; Carpentry 1, Trapping 2
Cage TrapRabbit, squirrel, raccoon 405 wire, pliers; Trapping 3

The cage trap is the best of them. Build 41 listed slightly different stick trap materials, so trust the crafting menu if they differ.

02Part

Learning the recipes

Knowing a recipe and being able to craft it are separate in Build 42: a magazine teaches the recipe, but the skill level still applies.

  • Small Game Hunting magazine: snare.
  • The Hunter: stick trap and crate trap.
  • Wildlife Preserve: box trap and cage trap.

Without magazines, recipes unlock on their own at Trapping 2 (stick), 4 (crate), 5 (cage), 6 (snare) and 8 (box). Park Ranger starts with all trap recipes and +1 Trapping; Hiker starts with the stick, snare and crate. More on reading on the skill books page.

03Part

Best bait for each animal

AnimalBest bait (value)When it gets caught
RabbitCarrots 45; lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper 4019:00 to 05:00
Raccoon (new in B42)Same as rabbit19:00 to 05:00
SquirrelPeanut butter, cereal 4519:00 to 05:00
Mouse and ratCheese 60, processed cheese 55Any time
BirdBread, worms or insects 50Any time

Baiting uses 5 hunger points of the item, and the food must be fresh: rotten bait does nothing. Empty traps can lose their bait over time, so re-bait every time you check.

04Part

Where to put traps, and why you must leave

Each animal has favourite zones. Rabbits are far more common in deep forest than in town (zone value 15 against 2). Mice and rats prefer farmland, towns and trailer parks. Place traps on open ground, away from walls and windows.

The catch roll only happens while the area is unloaded, meaning you are far away. Staying near your traps guarantees an empty trap. Build 41 used about 75 tiles; a Build 42 guide puts it near 80 tiles at 1080p and less in a smaller window (one source). Sleeping at another house works well.

Every in-game hour the game rolls twice, and both must pass: once on trap value plus bait value plus 1.5 times your Trapping level, and once on zone value plus 1.5 times your Trapping level. Better trap, better bait, better zone, higher skill.

05Part

Checking traps and live catches

A closed trap sprite means something is inside. Right-click and choose Check Trap.

  • Rabbits, raccoons, mice and rats come out alive in Build 42. Keep them as animals or butcher them.
  • Birds and squirrels always come out dead.
  • A trapped animal makes noise, which can pull zombies to your trap line.
  • Traps can break while you are away, so carry spare materials.

Only the player who set and checked the trap gets the XP, about 10 to 19 per live catch. Trapping takes 32,775 XP to reach level 10 (one source). Then see butchering for what to do with the catch.

Opinion Three crate traps in a forest edge, baited with carrots from your garden, is the cheapest meat plan in the game.

06Part

Quick answers

Why won't my trap catch anything in Project Zomboid?

You are probably too close, so the area stays loaded. Walk or drive far away, or sleep somewhere else, then come back.

When do rabbits get caught?

Only between 19:00 and 05:00. Mice, rats and birds can be caught at any hour.

What is the best trap?

The cage trap: 5 wire and pliers at Trapping 3. It has the highest catch values.

What is the best bait for rabbits?

Carrots. Lettuce, cabbage and bell peppers are close behind.

Can you catch animals alive?

Yes. In Build 42 rabbits, raccoons, mice and rats come out of traps alive.

Does trap bait go bad?

Yes. Rotten food does not work as bait; peanut butter and cereal last longest.

Who gets the Trapping XP?

Only the player who set and checked the trap.

Build 42 trap values and bait numbers come from pzfans.com (42.19) and PinDrop, with the Build 41 PZwiki page for comparison. Sources: pzfans: animal traps · pzfans: trapping guide · PinDrop: Trapping · PZwiki: Trapping (Build 41) · The Indie Stone: Build 42 features. Your game is the final word: if it disagrees with us, tell us and we will fix the page.