Is there anything I can do about raccoons?

Hammocked Banana · 08-17-2014, 11:24 PM

Hey guys, I got raccoons terrorizing my place in the city. They did through my plants every night and most days while Im away at work. They are really going to town on my palm seedlings for some reason, and have killed many already. Im down to only one of a few varieties now so I need to try something asap. I've have done some reading, but does anything actually work??? Has anyone successfully kept them away. They dont get into the garbage or anything, just the plants. If I wasn't in the city I would just shoot them, maybe with the airsoft gun first ;-) but thats not an option here. Any ideas are appreciated.

crazy banana · 08-17-2014, 11:33 PM

Humane Raccoon Traps| Havahart Live Cage Traps for a Coon
How about some Havahart live traps baited with canned Tuna and/or Marshmallows?
If you catch one, just do not dump the problem on someone else.....

wolfyhound · 08-17-2014, 11:57 PM

Ammonia? It sometimes keeps them away from garbage. If you start trapping them, expect to keep trapping for a while. Also, check your local laws on live trapping/releasing. You can call your state wildlife division to ind out your options.

drobbins · 08-18-2014, 05:02 AM

we live in the country and have chickens, raccoons are a big problem
they are very easy to trap with those live traps, use table scraps of meat for bait. Our problem is the woods are full of em and you can't get em all
we just have to lock the chickens up at night and not forget
never had em bother our plants, the deer do that
these seem to protect my plants pretty well

Amazon.com: scarecrow water sprinkler

drobbins · 08-18-2014, 05:07 AM

wolfyhound,

around here the wildlife folks say

1) you can't trap em without a permit (yea, right)
2) if you trap em anyway, put em down, there's way to many of them and they carry rabies

bananimal · 08-18-2014, 08:21 AM

I use a live trap. Had to bump up the size after I got a giant possum. He filled the cage from end to end. Tail was like 16 inches long.

I found that pieces of apple are the best all around bait and domestic pets ignore it. So far this year got 3 possum, 1 raccoon, 1 cotton rat and a squirrrell.

A trick I use to catch small stuff in the big trap is to put a big baited rat trap on the trip paddle. Even a mouse or bird will trigger the big trap when the rat trap goes off.

cincinnana · 08-18-2014, 09:17 AM

I got Procyon lotors also, they are going after the worms and insects in my mulch.
They uproot everything.
I use a live trap...and relocate them in another state.
My farmer friends use high velocity lead and raccoon specific leg hold traps.
And still others use chemical weapons.

wolfyhound · 08-18-2014, 11:46 AM

At my old place, I would live trap raccoons and the local hunt clubs would come by and pick them up to relocate onto their hunt clubs. They chased raccoons with hounds so they wanted good healthy populations in the hunt club areas. It meant that I didn't have to drive the things miles away, and they brought the traps back clean and ready for my to reset.
Apples do make great bait too, and cats don't go after apples, which was the biggest issue I had to start with when I was trying to trap raccoons. It was getting frustrating to find my own stupid cat in the trap every day! Melon also works well and I used the rinds when I ate melon since the smell attracted them.

Scuba_Dave · 08-18-2014, 12:14 PM

Many places its illegal to relocate a problem animal
I have raccoons around but they don't bother my garden
Pellet gun is legal & I shoot the Ground Hogs that do damage to my garden
I've shot 4 so far this year
I do use HavaHart traps but shoot any wild animal that gets caught

Bob3 · 08-18-2014, 04:29 PM

"Someone" would transplant the critters to the local campground so they could raid the tourista's coolers.

rottiedog46 · 08-18-2014, 04:48 PM

One other possible solution to repel the pests is to spread ground Cayenne Pepper all around the area. You can also try mixing the pepper powder with peanut butter as bait and then placing the bait at stations around your plants. Eating the bait may be unpleasant enough to convince the pests to go somewhere else.

Of course, the only permanent solution (for your location in a city) is lead from a high-speed pellet rifle.

Greg Jordan · 08-18-2014, 04:53 PM

I would not be able to harvest any corn if I did not have an electric fence around it. You put it up so there is a wire about 4 inches off the ground and another one between eight and 12 inches off the ground. It is very effective. You have to make sure that they cannot climb over on trees or buildings though.

I have found that a " True Catch" live catch trap works better than have a heart traps. I also find the easiest way to eliminate the raccoons is to give them safety swim lessons in the trap.

Funkthulhu · 08-18-2014, 05:01 PM

Eat lots of meat, drink lots of beer, pee on everything. . .

No raccoon poop on the roof for 2 years running!

Hammocked Banana · 08-18-2014, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkthulhu

Eat lots of meat, drink lots of beer, pee on everything. . .

No raccoon poop on the roof for 2 years running!

Now this I can do! Actually I've already been doing this, gotta be sneaky though would get a big fine if the neighbours saw me.

Im gunna try a cayenne, habanero and garlic mixture and spray it on everything first before I go and get traps. Gunna spray it around the fence, on plant pots, plants themselves, deck, shed, etc. Lost some pineapples and a few leaves on my B.O.P. seedling last night so gotta stop these bastards sooner than later.

scottu · 08-18-2014, 07:18 PM

You need a few Coon hounds!

dekkard · 08-18-2014, 08:05 PM

Given your location, the options that work best for me seem to be off limits for you. True, the different liquid concoctions might work for awhile, but rain or your own irrigation will probably rinse them away requiring repeated treatments and what a hassle to reapply over time. Forget once and "bam" they take out your favorite plant. The mixtures might also mes up your plants. There is a product that shines two red eyes when motion detected that mimics predators. This could be your best option.

Kat2 · 08-18-2014, 08:27 PM

Have you contacted the city about your problem? Rabies might not be an issue in Canada but is in the US.

cincinnana · 08-18-2014, 09:02 PM

I keep on catching my neighbors kats
They smell and they bite, and will not take a bath.
They sleep all day and are awake all night.
They will not cuddle at all.
However they are ...adorbs....

Hammocked Banana · 08-18-2014, 09:52 PM

Yes keep in mind I am right in the heart of a huge metropolitan area. Unfortunately my dog is old and blind and would get waxed by a pair of fat coons. I will look into to contacting the city tomorrow, although I doubt they'll do much.

The thought behind the sprays is because they are very habitual/territorial creatures, that if I teach them my yard is no place to come visit, and change the ritual of their nightly scavenger hunts, then in the long run they won't come by often. But we'll see....

Glad I dont have possums at least, that thing is ugly!!

08-17-2014, 11:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hammocked Banana Relaxin Under the Nanners Location: Toronto, ON and Peterborough, ON Find me on the map! Zone: 6a and 5a respectively Name: Brady Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 958 BananaBucks : 54,501 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,178 Times Was Thanked 1,156 Times in 555 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 30 Times	Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Hey guys, I got raccoons terrorizing my place in the city. They did through my plants every night and most days while Im away at work. They are really going to town on my palm seedlings for some reason, and have killed many already. Im down to only one of a few varieties now so I need to try something asap. I've have done some reading, but does anything actually work??? Has anyone successfully kept them away. They dont get into the garbage or anything, just the plants. If I wasn't in the city I would just shoot them, maybe with the airsoft gun first ;-) but thats not an option here. Any ideas are appreciated.

08-17-2014, 11:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
crazy banana Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,641 BananaBucks : 1,634 Feedback: 73 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,021 Times Was Thanked 2,962 Times in 1,115 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,998 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Humane Raccoon Traps\| Havahart Live Cage Traps for a Coon How about some Havahart live traps baited with canned Tuna and/or Marshmallows? If you catch one, just do not dump the problem on someone else.....

08-17-2014, 11:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
wolfyhound Location: NE Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Wolfyhound Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 406 BananaBucks : 55,120 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 393 Times Was Thanked 423 Times in 195 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 67 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Ammonia? It sometimes keeps them away from garbage. If you start trapping them, expect to keep trapping for a while. Also, check your local laws on live trapping/releasing. You can call your state wildlife division to ind out your options.

08-18-2014, 05:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
drobbins Location: Central NC Zone: 7b-8a Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 96 BananaBucks : 17,057 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 11 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 60 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? we live in the country and have chickens, raccoons are a big problem they are very easy to trap with those live traps, use table scraps of meat for bait. Our problem is the woods are full of em and you can't get em all we just have to lock the chickens up at night and not forget never had em bother our plants, the deer do that these seem to protect my plants pretty well Amazon.com: scarecrow water sprinkler __________________ Central North Carolina zone 7b-8a Find me on the map! Last edited by drobbins : 08-18-2014 at 06:00 AM.

08-18-2014, 05:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
drobbins Location: Central NC Zone: 7b-8a Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 96 BananaBucks : 17,057 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 11 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 60 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? wolfyhound, around here the wildlife folks say 1) you can't trap em without a permit (yea, right) 2) if you trap em anyway, put em down, there's way to many of them and they carry rabies __________________ Central North Carolina zone 7b-8a Find me on the map!

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08-18-2014, 08:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,728 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? I use a live trap. Had to bump up the size after I got a giant possum. He filled the cage from end to end. Tail was like 16 inches long. I found that pieces of apple are the best all around bait and domestic pets ignore it. So far this year got 3 possum, 1 raccoon, 1 cotton rat and a squirrrell. A trick I use to catch small stuff in the big trap is to put a big baited rat trap on the trip paddle. Even a mouse or bird will trigger the big trap when the rat trap goes off.

08-18-2014, 09:17 AM	#7 (permalink)
cincinnana container grower Location: Southwest Ohio U.S.A.🇺🇸 Find me on the map! Zone: HZ 6/5 Microclimate - Elevation 750 feet- 228.60 meters Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 8,851 BananaBucks : 1,223 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,897 Times Was Thanked 11,766 Times in 4,906 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,949 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? I got Procyon lotors also, they are going after the worms and insects in my mulch. They uproot everything. I use a live trap...and relocate them in another state. My farmer friends use high velocity lead and raccoon specific leg hold traps. And still others use chemical weapons. __________________ Cincinnana/Hostafarians Photo Gallery 🌴 Last edited by cincinnana : 08-18-2014 at 04:50 PM.

08-18-2014, 11:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
wolfyhound Location: NE Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Wolfyhound Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 406 BananaBucks : 55,120 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 393 Times Was Thanked 423 Times in 195 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 67 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? At my old place, I would live trap raccoons and the local hunt clubs would come by and pick them up to relocate onto their hunt clubs. They chased raccoons with hounds so they wanted good healthy populations in the hunt club areas. It meant that I didn't have to drive the things miles away, and they brought the traps back clean and ready for my to reset. Apples do make great bait too, and cats don't go after apples, which was the biggest issue I had to start with when I was trying to trap raccoons. It was getting frustrating to find my own stupid cat in the trap every day! Melon also works well and I used the rinds when I ate melon since the smell attracted them.

08-18-2014, 12:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
Scuba_Dave Location: South of Boston, MA Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: Dave Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 732 BananaBucks : 61,055 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 501 Times Was Thanked 1,218 Times in 451 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,414 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Many places its illegal to relocate a problem animal I have raccoons around but they don't bother my garden Pellet gun is legal & I shoot the Ground Hogs that do damage to my garden I've shot 4 so far this year I do use HavaHart traps but shoot any wild animal that gets caught

08-18-2014, 04:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Bob3 Bob3's Photo Gallery Location: Sacramento, Luxemburg Find me on the map! Zone: 9 & Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 466 BananaBucks : 47,155 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 128 Times Was Thanked 512 Times in 265 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 97 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? "Someone" would transplant the critters to the local campground so they could raid the tourista's coolers. __________________ Recipes & links for Cajun, Creole, & other goodies.

08-18-2014, 04:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
rottiedog46 Location: Ramrod Key, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Name: Bill Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 48 BananaBucks : 4,847 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 584 Times Was Thanked 71 Times in 30 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,315 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? One other possible solution to repel the pests is to spread ground Cayenne Pepper all around the area. You can also try mixing the pepper powder with peanut butter as bait and then placing the bait at stations around your plants. Eating the bait may be unpleasant enough to convince the pests to go somewhere else. Of course, the only permanent solution (for your location in a city) is lead from a high-speed pellet rifle. __________________ Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. - Robert A. Heinlein

08-18-2014, 04:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
Greg Jordan Push the limit in Colo. Location: Longmont CO. USA Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Greg Jordan Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 16 BananaBucks : 4,841 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 25 Times Was Thanked 11 Times in 6 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 12 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? I would not be able to harvest any corn if I did not have an electric fence around it. You put it up so there is a wire about 4 inches off the ground and another one between eight and 12 inches off the ground. It is very effective. You have to make sure that they cannot climb over on trees or buildings though. I have found that a " True Catch" live catch trap works better than have a heart traps. I also find the easiest way to eliminate the raccoons is to give them safety swim lessons in the trap.

08-18-2014, 05:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
Funkthulhu Laeti vescimur nos subact Location: Omaha, NE Find me on the map! Zone: 5b Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 223 BananaBucks : 26,175 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 163 Times Was Thanked 330 Times in 145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Eat lots of meat, drink lots of beer, pee on everything. . . No raccoon poop on the roof for 2 years running! __________________ "Ph'nglui musaglw'nanna Funkthulhu R'Omahaea wgah'basjoo fhtagn" "In his house at Omaha, dread Funkthulhu plants bananas."

08-18-2014, 07:18 PM	#15 (permalink)
scottu <div style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="font-weight: bold;">&lt;div style=&quot;font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;&amp;lt;di v style=&amp;quot;font-weight: bold;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&a mp;amp;lt;di v sty scottu 's Photo Gallery Location: Bethlehem,Pa. Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: scott Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,192 BananaBucks : 8,790 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,595 Times Was Thanked 857 Times in 368 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3,323 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? You need a few Coon hounds! __________________ Viva La Banana

08-18-2014, 08:05 PM	#16 (permalink)
dekkard Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 52 BananaBucks : 29,732 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 34 Times Was Thanked 75 Times in 34 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Given your location, the options that work best for me seem to be off limits for you. True, the different liquid concoctions might work for awhile, but rain or your own irrigation will probably rinse them away requiring repeated treatments and what a hassle to reapply over time. Forget once and "bam" they take out your favorite plant. The mixtures might also mes up your plants. There is a product that shines two red eyes when motion detected that mimics predators. This could be your best option.

08-18-2014, 08:27 PM	#17 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 247,477 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Have you contacted the city about your problem? Rabies might not be an issue in Canada but is in the US. __________________

08-18-2014, 09:02 PM	#18 (permalink)
cincinnana container grower Location: Southwest Ohio U.S.A.🇺🇸 Find me on the map! Zone: HZ 6/5 Microclimate - Elevation 750 feet- 228.60 meters Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 8,851 BananaBucks : 1,223 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,897 Times Was Thanked 11,766 Times in 4,906 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,949 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? I keep on catching my neighbors kats They smell and they bite, and will not take a bath. They sleep all day and are awake all night. They will not cuddle at all. However they are ...adorbs.... __________________ Cincinnana/Hostafarians Photo Gallery 🌴 Last edited by cincinnana : 08-20-2014 at 07:25 AM.

08-18-2014, 09:52 PM	#19 (permalink)
Hammocked Banana Relaxin Under the Nanners Location: Toronto, ON and Peterborough, ON Find me on the map! Zone: 6a and 5a respectively Name: Brady Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 958 BananaBucks : 54,501 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,178 Times Was Thanked 1,156 Times in 555 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 30 Times	Re: Is there anything I can do about raccoons? Yes keep in mind I am right in the heart of a huge metropolitan area. Unfortunately my dog is old and blind and would get waxed by a pair of fat coons. I will look into to contacting the city tomorrow, although I doubt they'll do much. The thought behind the sprays is because they are very habitual/territorial creatures, that if I teach them my yard is no place to come visit, and change the ritual of their nightly scavenger hunts, then in the long run they won't come by often. But we'll see.... Glad I dont have possums at least, that thing is ugly!!

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