Re: Suggestions to rid yard of a raccoon??

Scorpio1971 · ‎03-10-2010

Wow! Those pics are amazing! They are very destructive creatures. Sorry you went through that. I had problem with squirrels but was able to get them out before they had babies. Wildlife trapper took care of most of them and had new fascia boards installed. And as construction crew was here the squirrels that were out tried to get back into attic while they were putting up the new fascia boards! Had to hand a long broom out a window to one of the guys up on ladder so he could swipe at them! Some people think having wildlife near your home is cute but they will turn out to be an expensive nuisance. The wildlife trapper was $600 & removal & installation of new fascia boards along front & back cost a few thousand...I don't recall exact price but it was around $3,000.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Scorpio1971

There is nothing cute about wildlife when they are destroying ones property😾

I will say I was more shocked our animal control services for the County does nothing NOR recommend anyone. It's kinda every "human" for themselves.

I have my roof area & soffit checked all the time, especially now I know where they entered & was repaired.

we have hundreds of squirrels -- they climb up our lanai screens, roofs, etc. -- not allowed to harm them either🤬

My neighbor had a huge old grandfather oak tree in her front yard. After years of trying to maintain it decided to cut it down. They were doing it and found several squirrel nests inside -- they stopped because the neighbor was so upset the squirrels were going to be "homeless". I don't know who thought she was nuttier The tree surgeon or ME.

The HOA finally made her finish removing it! guess what the squirrels are still here guess they found new trees!🙄

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
Animals go where they can find food. Eliminate the food , the animals move on.

Trappers do not "relocate". Chances are there are already raccoons in that area and the area has enough food to maintain that population, not what others can dump there.
@CrazyDaisy Do you have any idea what you're talking about? They are millions of acres of forests and wetlands where one more raccoon is not going to make a whit of difference.

In most states, there are heavy penalties for killing wildlife unless it's done in an official hunting season by a prescribed method.
I know EXACTLY what I am talking about. In Ohio and many other states it is illegal to relocate any animal that has the possibility of carrying rabies or many other diseases.

Why would you even consider the possibility of infecting an area and destroying a healthy population.

@CrazyDaisy

You are absolutely correct there are huge fines for "dropping" wildlife in parks or conservation areas here. If you trap a animal must be taken to a preserve or sanctuary -- I'd never trap a wild animal on my own because I'd be scared to death to open the cage😬😬😬😉

Scorpio1971 · ‎03-10-2010

@homedecor1

My city animal control doesn't handle them either. He told me to get a wildlife trapper. Had to go online and search for wildlife trappers. Tried calling some but they were 2 hours away & did not travel to my urban area. Finally got one that was willing to come ASAP next day which was a Sunday to start setting traps. After they left, the first squirrel was already trapped in a half hour! Had a construction crew lined up to come on the Wednesday so trappers kept coming back every day to remove & reset new traps. When crew arrived on Wednesday and started their demolition work a couple that were remaining ran out, but they decided to come back later while crew was closing up the entire front of the new fascia board. I could hear them jumping onto roof & running around! They were relentless trying to climb into attic from roof! They had to put up an extra ladder with a guy to chase them away with the broom I handed him! Nasty creatures!

LuvmyLab · ‎06-07-2010

I can't give you advice on how to get rid of them but I may know why you are now having a problem. My parents, when they had their house before they passed away, began seeing raccoons in their yard for quite a while. It turns out that a neighbor had been feeding them and they kept returning. Once you feed rodents they will be everywhere. They keep returning to where they can find food. I work with a lady who keeps feeding them in her yard and her neighbors are always complaining because they now are having baby raccoons in her yard.

tiny 2 · ‎03-10-2010

@BirkiLady wrote:
@Lucky Charm Oh Dear! I only know what's been happening on my block. Knew the raccoon was also in other parts of our HOA, but hadn't heard what he's been doing. Now I have all kinds of imaginative pictures in my head!!

After reading everyone's posts, I'm not having my son be responsible for our problem . . . and I certainly don't want him taking an angry raccoon in his truck (a demo from our dealership) to the country to let it loose.

So far, I haven't been hit. But I think several of us on our street will get together and hire someone to trap this rodent and get rid of him. We're the vocal ones and the first to make a move about anything in the HOA anyway. Most of my neighbors do have small dogs and are concerned about rabies. I'm more concerned about the creepy factor and/or having a pile of scat (aka poop) left somewhere. Not my idea of something for my yard crew to deal with.

Thanks for "enlightening" me with your comments. Some have completely grossed me out; others have frightened me. Didn't know possums could climb onto or in homes - that would be a deal breaker for me.

@BirkiLady

Last week I happened to see a raccoon on my roof. When I tried to scare her away she ran to a corner did a vertical little wiggling movement and disappeared into my attic. I had my brother come over to cover the hole. The wildlife people said uncover it now or she is going to tear another hole in your roof which she did. We were having heavy rains and the water was coming in my house.

They said to make a tent to help with the water. She destroyed that in about 2 seconds. They refused to move them. I told them they had to go one way or another. They used something called Raccoon eviction liquid which is a male hormone at the opening of the hole.

He said if you put it all over then she will see there is no threat. When they are hungry the males will kill and eat the babies. The next day he went up and she had moved them. While he was here we had a huge heavy downpour. The guy was out on a ladder in a thunderstorm covering the holes until the roofer could get here. He was drenched completely.

It has been so stressful. One thing to know is that they can climb straight up the side of your house. Up the street she destroyed an entire roof line on a new house when the owners were out of town for a vacation. The photos were horrific. They believed she came here next and had her babies here or moved them here. A real nightmare!!!

ETA When there is a good food supply for the males the females are much less likely to have their babies in your attic.

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

We have trapped and released a coon, possums, chipmunks, etc. You have to be careful with a coon. When DH let him out of the cage he turned and tried to bite him. All the others just ran. DH did have to shoot a giant ground hog that became too agressive after living around here for 2 years and appeared to be wanting to chew through our foundation. Believe me, he didn't want to do it. We tried for 2 yrs. to trap her to no avail. My sister had a day care years ago out in the country and a groundhog chased one of her kids up the ladder of a slide! Sometimes you just have no choice when everything else has been tried. Our back yard is bordered by a 30 acre woods (not ours).

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

What do people expect when they move into an area where the wildlife live, into homes that are built in the middle of a cleared woodland?

Where do you expect them to go?

Wars are fought when invaders try to take our land, so it's to be expected that displaced wildlife would do the same.

If you don't want to live with wildlife, stay in the city.

loveschocolate · ‎05-11-2012

@occasionalrain wrote:
What do people expect when they move into an area where the wildlife live, into homes that are built in the middle of a cleared woodland?
Where do you expect them to go?
Wars are fought when invaders try to take our land, so it's to be expected that displaced wildlife would do the same.

If you don't want to live with wildlife, stay in the city.

@occasionalrain , I DO live in the city. Raccoons are very destructive and everywhere here. My neighbor just had them AGAIN in her soffits. A year ago they were in her attic and had to get her roof replaced due to their destructive habits. We had them get in our soffits last year.

Cute yes. Destructive and expensive home repairs, no!

SloopJohnB · ‎04-25-2020

@BirkiLady Our local Animal Control doesn't come out for anything other than cat and dog issues. 🐈🐕. The only suggestions they give are trap them yourself or hire a pro.

I used to think they were cute, especially with their little bandit-looking masks, but now I feel differently. They are smart little critters. A while back, one of them tore our screened patio, opened up our bird cage and ate our cockatiel. All that was left was feathers and blood. They are also quite dexterous, as I witnessed one standing on their hind legs and turning our front door handle. Luckily we always keep it locked. 🐾🐦

They also are quite fond of our backyard fruit trees. And they know just when they are ripe. They dined on our bananas, papayas and pineapple. 🍌🍍

Hope you get a good resolution. 🙂

I would give everything I own just to have you back again.......David Gates of Bread