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[RetSpline]

Almost immediately upon breaching my first cavern (I've only just gotten back into playing) a troll runs from off the edge of the map into a cage trap. Now according to the wiki they can't be butchered (unfortunately) so what else can I do with it? I'm kind of unsure of how to use cages properly and while it may be Fun, I don't particularly want to release an angered troll into the most heavily populate area of my fortress.

Basically, what can I do, and how can I do it safely?

Sorry if someone has already asked this recently, it seems like the kind of question that would come up a lot, but I haven't found any very good answers so far. Thanks!

[Johnny Madhouse]

The typical first reply is "magma" and nothing else, but the real answer is "whatever you want, really". Start with these articles for basic information on how to place and open cages safely, along with some really basic diabolical plans for killing the occupants.

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Captured_creatures

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Cage

[Drakeero]

You can safetly move the cage a little by designating a cage to be built, then when it asks you which cage you want to build in that spot hit x to expand the menu and look for the specific "Troll Cage".  You can build it wherever you want and it won't get released when the cage is moved.  I believe if you deconstruct the cage it'll return to your animal stockpile with the creature still safetly inside, unfortunately I have not reliably tested the last statement with untamed animals...

[Akura]

Build a tall tower held up by a single support pillar, and place the troll cage at the top. Link both the cage and support to a lever.

After you pull the lever, see if the troll goes "TROLLOLOLOL" as he drops.

[Lord Darkstar]

I can confirm in 0.31.x that cages containing animals or sentients will be returned to the animal stockpile if they are deconstructed.

You are only in danger of releasing the contents when trading the cage holding the being, or when transfering the being between cages.

I set up zoos holding all my dragons, hydras, and other interesting beings. Trolls I just put into my weapon trapped entrance, half way between the traps, rig to a lever, and release them when I don't have anyone running in and out. Then the trolls can make a break for it (and get killed by the traps) or decide to attack my fortress (ie, Trade Depot, inner doors, etc), and die by the traps. Works every time, and I only have to deconstruct the release lever to the cages to get back all my mechanisms.

[dogstile]

Build a tall tower held up by a single support pillar, and place the troll cage at the top. Link both the cage and support to a lever.

After you pull the lever, see if the troll goes "TROLLOLOLOL" as he drops.

I APPROVE

[Chocolatemilkgod]

A Troll? I'm jealous! That would make a great animal for my arena! Any proper dwarf fortress has to have an arena...You do have one right?

[Xerillum]

Keep it until you build a huge colosseum. Bonus points for box seating and a retractable dome. Then, use the troll in gladiatorial combat with your useless legendary potash makers. When the troll dies eventually, make soap from it, and start adding rings around the top of the arena for every gladiator that dies, made out of gladiator soap.

[Xenos]

Keep it until you build a huge coliseum. Bonus points for box seating and a retractable dome. Then, use the troll in gladiatorial combat with your useless legendary potash makers. When the troll dies eventually, make soap from it, and start adding rings around the top of the arena for every gladiator that dies, made out of gladiator soap.

Gladiator's don't provide that much soap...make glass statues until you get one of the dwarf fighting the troll, then put it on/next to a soap floor made out of that gladiator's soap.  If the troll is slain, build a troll soap floor grate to allow blood, vomit, etc. to fall on the prisoners below the coliseum floor.

[Macalano]

Keep it until you build a huge colosseum. Bonus points for box seating and a retractable dome. Then, use the troll in gladiatorial combat with your useless legendary potash makers. When the troll dies eventually, make soap from it, and start adding rings around the top of the arena for every gladiator that dies, made out of gladiator soap.

The gladiator soap could be sold.
The dwarfiest of soaps.
Gladiator SoapŠ

[RetSpline]

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions, but the are unfortunately moot now. I saw a Cave Crocodile down in the cavern near my entrance so I decided to try to capture it as well (especially since my fortress was rather low on food at this point). I tried to get my dwarves out of the way and open a passage into the forest proper, but then they just started running out to collect some vermin refuse and kept dying before I could forbid it all. I still had a few dwarves left, but anyone remotely useful was dead or dying, so I just gave up 

[mrtspence]

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions, but the are unfortunately moot now. I saw a Cave Crocodile down in the cavern near my entrance so I decided to try to capture it as well (especially since my fortress was rather low on food at this point). I tried to get my dwarves out of the way and open a passage into the forest proper, but then they just started running out to collect some vermin refuse and kept dying before I could forbid it all. I still had a few dwarves left, but anyone remotely useful was dead or dying, so I just gave up 

Looks like your fort fell victim to the Fisherman's bane. Better luck next time.

[Namfuak]

It's moot now, but you could also mod trolls to have social skills and be docile.  And then have a friendly troll in your dining room.  Alternatively, make it tameable so your mayor/militia command has a pet war troll at his side.

[Xenos]

or make a herd of trolls...troll meat roasts...troll soap...war trolls...

[jei]

I dunno if this really works, as I haven't done it myself, But to make use of them, build a tall tower or place to drop stuff from so they splatter apart when they hit the ground. 10+ levels.

Designate top as pit and dump trolls there. See if you can butcher the troll parts that result for leather.

Beware of rotting and stinking parts filling the place and their hauling work resulting in infections.

I had one siege troll somehow going into the bottom in the middle of a brackish lake. Didn't drown. Guess he just took off and walked off the map as siege ended and there was no way I could have killed it without lots of magmawork. He wasn't visible on surface, dunno if crossbowdorfs would have shot him if he had been closer...

Other than that, I use trolls to train my military dorfs by dumping trolls into the training barracks while they're stationed there.
Training crossbowmen with them in arena too, but made a mistake of putting too few doors and now get cancellation spam due to too many trolls in arena and very slow killing and somebody putting junk in the doorway leading to everybody seeing them and cancelling stuff...