raccoon war
 

Last year the raccoon tromped iris island.
This year he is after the dog food.
So far it is raccoon 3, homeowners 0.

DH thought he had the lid to the dog food storage
down tight. Didn't work. We moved the dog food to
another container and put two heavy pottery bowls
with plants on it. Last night one of them hit the deck
and broke at 1am and I caught the raccoon bending
back the lid (this is not an easy feat!).
Raccoon kept coming back every few minutes until
I got DH out of bed, armed us with a broom and went
out and rescued the dog food and brought it indoors.

Next plan DH plans to bungy cord the original container
shut..... anyone want to place bets?

k :-)

raccoon war
 

Okay, did some more research and we don't even
want this animal in the yard at all. Too much disease
in the poop and not good for people with impaired
immune systems to get anywhere near it. So DH
is trying to find the animal control place to rent
a humane trap. Doing all sorts of research about
how to properly handle trapped animal and remain
safe. Will also move the dog food into the house
and attempt to work around it (our house was not
build for anything as silly as storage!).

k :-0

raccoon war
 

On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:38:09 EDT, kathy wrote:

Last year the raccoon tromped iris island.
This year he is after the dog food.
So far it is raccoon 3, homeowners 0.

DH thought he had the lid to the dog food storage
down tight. Didn't work. We moved the dog food to
another container and put two heavy pottery bowls
with plants on it. Last night one of them hit the deck
and broke at 1am and I caught the raccoon bending
back the lid (this is not an easy feat!).
Raccoon kept coming back every few minutes until
I got DH out of bed, armed us with a broom and went
out and rescued the dog food and brought it indoors.

Next plan DH plans to bungy cord the original container
shut..... anyone want to place bets?

k :-)

I have had some rather negative experiences with raccoons. In the
campground at the Okefenokee Swamp I was putting up my tent and turned
around to see a raccoon sitting on the fender of my car drinking my
Pepsi. Down in the Everglades I thought I'd secured my cooler lid
with bungee straps, but the raccoons got in anyway and stole all my
food. The darn things will actually chew through metal cans. So the
next time I went down I pop riveted a hasp on the cooler and put a
clip on it. It took the raccoons a little longer, but they got that
open too. So I made up a cooler with a combination padlock (I lose
keys) -- it looked pretty silly and I got a lot of grief from folks
when I'd take it to other campgrounds, but it was the only way I found
to keep the (*^%$#) raccoons out.

raccoon war
 

We went camping once and wedged our cooler under the seat of a picnic table,
figured the little buggers couldn't get the lid open and get in that way.
We got back to the camp and the hotdog buns and weiner packages were lying
around the campsite!!

"Galen Hekhuis" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:38:09 EDT, kathy wrote:

Last year the raccoon tromped iris island.
This year he is after the dog food.
So far it is raccoon 3, homeowners 0.

DH thought he had the lid to the dog food storage
down tight. Didn't work. We moved the dog food to
another container and put two heavy pottery bowls
with plants on it. Last night one of them hit the deck
and broke at 1am and I caught the raccoon bending
back the lid (this is not an easy feat!).
Raccoon kept coming back every few minutes until
I got DH out of bed, armed us with a broom and went
out and rescued the dog food and brought it indoors.

Next plan DH plans to bungy cord the original container
shut..... anyone want to place bets?

k :-)

I have had some rather negative experiences with raccoons. In the
campground at the Okefenokee Swamp I was putting up my tent and turned
around to see a raccoon sitting on the fender of my car drinking my
Pepsi. Down in the Everglades I thought I'd secured my cooler lid
with bungee straps, but the raccoons got in anyway and stole all my
food. The darn things will actually chew through metal cans. So the
next time I went down I pop riveted a hasp on the cooler and put a
clip on it. It took the raccoons a little longer, but they got that
open too. So I made up a cooler with a combination padlock (I lose
keys) -- it looked pretty silly and I got a lot of grief from folks
when I'd take it to other campgrounds, but it was the only way I found
to keep the (*^%$#) raccoons out.

raccoon war
 

Hi..

kathy wrote:

Last year the raccoon tromped iris island.
This year he is after the dog food.
So far it is raccoon 3, homeowners 0.

Don't worry - be happy..! :-)

The illegal aliens here (raccoons!) are - of course - very German _and_ easy
to see through..! *g*

Maybe the North American Raccoons might be too clever for human
beings..! :-)

And this is why I'd like to offer storing the dog food _close_ to the dogs..

Because _dogs_ are very clever , too..!

BTW: The closer the better - but not too close.. :-)

--
cu
Marco

raccoon war
 

We now have two 1/3 full bags of dogfood and two
new bags (our little darlings have diet food and tooth
tartar control food) sitting in our rather small kitchen
and dining area. I put the security bar down on the
slider just in case! That critter has me spooked!

I remember doing research that says they can take
three days to cover their territory so that would get
him back here Sunday night. (Great another work/school
night.) The trap is set out baited with kibble and marshmallows.

k :-)

raccoon war
 

raccoons are like squirrels. you really dont want to "move" them out anywhere else.
in Wisconsin I think it is illegal. they have to be killed. I put the trap, with the
squirrel in it in, in our spa filled with water. they drown fast. our house has
been under attack by the squirrels for 3 years. we have tried everything to evict
them but they chewed thru aluminum flashing to get back in. I have now trapped and
killed 2 adults and 3 young squirrels. I will continue to try and trap every single
squirrel comes near our house (I mean we are in the city!!!). the only way to get
relief from them is to kill every one that has a memory of a "free" meal. Ingrid

On Fri, 16 May 2008 17:38:20 EDT, kathy wrote:

Okay, did some more research and we don't even
want this animal in the yard at all. Too much disease
in the poop and not good for people with impaired
immune systems to get anywhere near it. So DH
is trying to find the animal control place to rent
a humane trap. Doing all sorts of research about
how to properly handle trapped animal and remain
safe. Will also move the dog food into the house
and attempt to work around it (our house was not
build for anything as silly as storage!).

k :-0

raccoon war
 

Doing some research and so many different
states and localities have different laws.
Who knew?!
Our state fish and wildlife says don't move them
outside their territory.
We're hoping he comes back, sees our hopefully
new raccoon proof box and then gets caught in the
trap and the whole experience disgusts him to the
point he doesn't come back.

DH got the idea after I told him about Galen's combination
lock cooler. He said 'what about a locked truck tool box?'
Expensive.... BUT a ponding friend had been trying to sell
one for a year, no luck, so we bought it from her. DH built
it a box to rest in and now we have a tough, locked box
off the ground (that's a nice benefit!).

So tonight is the second night for the trap.
k :-)

raccoon war
 

Was at the emergency vet once with my dog when the owner of a Labrador came
in with her's. Seems as though the dog had gotten into a fight with the
raccoon and the raccoon tore the dog's throat open and the dog died.



--
"kathy" wrote in message
...
We now have two 1/3 full bags of dogfood and two
new bags (our little darlings have diet food and tooth
tartar control food) sitting in our rather small kitchen
and dining area. I put the security bar down on the
slider just in case! That critter has me spooked!

I remember doing research that says they can take
three days to cover their territory so that would get
him back here Sunday night. (Great another work/school
night.) The trap is set out baited with kibble and marshmallows.

k :-)

raccoon war
 

"JB" wrote:
Was at the emergency vet once with my dog when the owner of a Labrador
came in with her's. Seems as though the dog had gotten into a fight with
the raccoon and the raccoon tore the dog's throat open and the dog died.

Friend of a friend had a Collie that attacked a raccoon. 'Coon rolled over
and with one swipe of his hind legs gutted that collie from sternum to
stern. Same result. No vet needed, just a shovel. Happened right in the
exercise area of a riding acadamy where I was working. Guess which $20 a
week wrangler got to clean it up?

Raccoon belonged to the owner and was very friendly. Caught a lot of rats,
too!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

raccoon war
 

On Tue, 20 May 2008 10:07:56 EDT, Nick Cramer wrote:

Raccoon belonged to the owner and was very friendly. Caught a lot of rats,
too!

Raccoons eat rats?

I've got a rat raiding my squirrel feeder that I'm not too happy about, but
I can't see the lazy-fat-dog-food-snitching raccoon doing anything about
it. I've got to figure out a way to trap it, where I don't end up trapping
a squirrel. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

raccoon war
 

So far - no caught raccoon, no sign that he has even
been back and seen our wonderful dog food container.
We get to keep the trap a week.
k :-)

raccoon war
 

~ jan wrote:
On Tue, 20 May 2008 10:07:56 EDT, Nick Cramer
[]
Raccoons eat rats?
[ . . . ]

This guy spent a lot of time in the hayloft and around the office. If
they're otherwise well fed, they probably wouldn't bother hunting. It may
be that his mere presence scared the rats off. Never found rat droppings
around the grain bin. We had about 30 horses, some hack, some boarded. 55
years ago.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

raccoon war
 

~ jan wrote:
On Tue, 20 May 2008 10:07:56 EDT, Nick Cramer wrote:

Raccoon belonged to the owner and was very friendly. Caught a lot of rats,
too!

Raccoons eat rats?

Raccoons are actually members of the bear family - meaning they are
omnivores. We just bought some baby chicks (layers) - I'm kind of
worried about moving them outside.. not for the coyotes, but the 'coons.

--

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
Yahoo IM: chrisnbarnes
"Usenet really is all about standing around and hitting the ground
with clubs, on a spot where many years earlier a dead horse lay."

raccoon war
 

The trap tripped the other night but nobody was inside.
Tonight is the last night and then it goes back.
No gnaw marks on the new kibble storage device
so that's probably a good sign.
DH has decided it was his performance with the
kitchen broom that turned the tide.

k :-)

raccoon war
 

On May 16, 3:38 pm, kathy wrote:
Okay, did some more research and we don't even
want this animal in the yard at all. Too much disease
in the poop and not good for people with impaired
immune systems to get anywhere near it. So DH
is trying to find the animal control place to rent
a humane trap. Doing all sorts of research about
how to properly handle trapped animal and remain
safe. Will also move the dog food into the house
and attempt to work around it (our house was not
build for anything as silly as storage!).

k :-0

Call your local Game and Fish to see what the law is! And I have
found that raccoons. being as greedy as they are. are easy to trap in
the live traps! Course, I have my pond enclosed, so that they never
got into the pond! The grapes went of course!

raccoon war
 

chatnoir wrote:

Call your local Game and Fish to see what the law is! And I have
found that raccoons. being as greedy as they are. are easy to trap in
the live traps! Course, I have my pond enclosed, so that they never
got into the pond! The grapes went of course!

Of course. My vineyard-owning friend manages to keep them out with a
two-strand electric fence. I'm continually amazed that this actually keeps
them out - I'd expect Raccoons to boost each other over it, or something
equally inventive - but it seems to work.
--
derek

raccoon war
 

Rats! Trap tripped again last night. But no resident
in the trap. And none of the bait missing - marshmallow
and dog food.
k :-)

raccoon war
 

kathy wrote:
Rats! Trap tripped again last night. But no resident
in the trap. And none of the bait missing - marshmallow
and dog food.
k :-)

Peanut butter and raw chicken guts.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

raccoon war
 

On May 23, 9:10 pm, Nick Cramer wrote:
kathy wrote:
Rats! Trap tripped again last night. But no resident
in the trap. And none of the bait missing - marshmallow
and dog food.
k :-)

So, this is a havaheart live trap? If they can reach in and get the
food, this could be a problem! I only let one end open! So, the
raccoon has to go the full length of the trap to get the food! Put
the food in the far end and in the middle secured down so that the
raccoon has to enter the trap and go the full length to get the food!




Peanut butter and raw chicken guts

I find cat food works best for me!

..

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. The
y
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

raccoon war
 

On Fri, 23 May 2008 23:10:48 EDT, Nick Cramer
wrote:

kathy wrote:
Rats! Trap tripped again last night. But no resident
in the trap. And none of the bait missing - marshmallow
and dog food.
k :-)

Peanut butter and raw chicken guts.

I may be the only one here who doesn't raise chickens, but the last
live chicken I butchered was Thanksgiving 1962. It was delicious and
I didn't raise that one either, it was a gift from a Texas farmer who
fattened several for his family and friends. However I find the cat
food in small tins (Actually aluminum container with a pull top.)
works well for cat sized mammals including racoon and opossum and
isn't nearly so messy as guts.

I've also had several tripped and empty trap experiences. It seemed
the treadle was tripping when the outer cage of the trap was being
explored, but a little tuning prevented that until the treadle was
actually stepped on as the critter reached for the bait. Cats always
ignored the bait once they realized they were trapped, but several
critters seemed happy to have reached the meal and cleaned the
container.
--
Hal Middle Georgia, Zone 8
http://tinyurl.com/2fxzcb

raccoon war
 

Rats chase squirrels off ;) So far I haven't found a way to chase the rats
off... I bought some electronic noise makers that are supposed to repel all
rodents - I'm not noticing any difference.

I soon learned to build my ponds with the sides going straight down for at
least a foot - this keeps raccoons out of trouble. Of course I think
distemper has wiped out most of our raccoon population. Humans and their
domesticated animals are hell on G~d's creation.

wrote in message
.com...
raccoons are like squirrels. you really dont want to "move" them out
anywhere else.
in Wisconsin I think it is illegal. they have to be killed. I put the
trap, with the
squirrel in it in, in our spa filled with water. they drown fast. our
house has
been under attack by the squirrels for 3 years. we have tried everything
to evict
them but they chewed thru aluminum flashing to get back in. I have now
trapped and
killed 2 adults and 3 young squirrels. I will continue to try and trap
every single
squirrel comes near our house (I mean we are in the city!!!). the only
way to get
relief from them is to kill every one that has a memory of a "free" meal.
Ingrid

On Fri, 16 May 2008 17:38:20 EDT, kathy wrote:

Okay, did some more research and we don't even
want this animal in the yard at all. Too much disease
in the poop and not good for people with impaired
immune systems to get anywhere near it. So DH
is trying to find the animal control place to rent
a humane trap. Doing all sorts of research about
how to properly handle trapped animal and remain
safe. Will also move the dog food into the house
and attempt to work around it (our house was not
build for anything as silly as storage!).

k :-0

raccoon war
 

D Kat wrote:

Rats chase squirrels off ;) So far I haven't found a way to chase the rats
off... I bought some electronic noise makers that are supposed to repel all
rodents - I'm not noticing any difference.

Noise makers don't work, nor do those things that supposedly emit high
frequency sound waves. Basically, the animals just get used to the sound.

I finally gave battle to rats last winter when they started eating my
citrus. I had tried the snap traps, but the population was just out of
control (probably because we feed birds).

I have always been very cautious about using bait because of concern for
secondary kill. So, I took some 4" diameter, 3 foot long pieces of PVC and
placed them in a few locations in my yard where I knew the rats traveled.

I bought a product called "Real-Kill". It is a neurotoxin, so basically, a
rat eats it and is dead within 8-12 hours from just the one feeding.

Every night, just before dark, I would put a cube in each tube. In the
morning I would go and remove any uneaten bait - that only happened twice,
the rest of the time the bait had been consumed.

My problem went away in a week and I am fairly confident that there was very
limited, if any, secondary kill. I assumed (yes, I know) that because the
rat died over night in its hole, that nothing else would be able to kill and
eat it. Also, if I remember correctly, the LD 50 was something like 8
ounces, so if something did eat the infected rats, they would have to eat a
lot of them before they got sick.


San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo.