# Raccoon problems



## Griller (Jan 17, 2002)

I'd suspected it for sometime and now I've pretty much confirmed that I've got a slight raccoon 'infestation' in my roof. 

Does anyone know how to go about getting rid of this problem? Is there a free municipal or provincial service (like 'animal control' or the Humane Society) or do I have to pay a non-government company to do it?

Thanks.


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## iGeeK (Jan 27, 2003)

I don't think that the Humane Society removes raccoons.

Here's their page on the subject:

http://www.cfhs.ca/Programs/HumaneEducation/GeneralPublic/UrbanWildlife/index.htm

It seems they are in fact suggesting commercial removal. Calling them would not hurt, as they could provide some tips.

Best of luck,

iG/<


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

We have raccoons around here all of the time. They used to kill all of the chickens...until we stopped keeping chickens.

What I usually do these days is to make a very loud noise whenever I see the little buggers near my crops or my critters. 

I hate firearms, but I do keep an old shotgun loaded with very loud blanks to dispatch the raccoons. I fire it into the air on the rare occasions that the little bandits don't want to leave after my first loud yell.

I've used the thing on exactly two occasions in the past five years. And, even if I aimed it straight at them, I couldn't actually hurt them. No lead...just a loud bang.

Works for me.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

Years ago I hired a guy to come in and remove some Starlings from my attic. We got to talking about his job and he proceeded to tell me that the hardest job he ever does, is removing a family of raccoons, whether from an attic or other enclosed space. I won't go into details, but it involves him wearing a full helmet with face guard, a back catcher chest protector, hockey knee pads, and assorted other gear.

Bottom line... raccoons are tough customers, and can be incredibly nasty when cornered. Many dogs have found that out the hard way.

I realize I'm not really answering your question, but rather offering some words of warning about tackling those squatters yourself.

-Howie


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

They hate bright light at night. We had one come down our chimney and we were told by a friend to lower a spot light by an extension cord. The little critter just took off inside of five minutes. If you can make it look like Las Vegas in your attic, I'm sure you'll solve your problem.


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## Loafer (Jan 7, 2004)

we have a problem of the little buggers taking the secured lid off our garbage and going to town through the garbage.

I like the Vegas idea









maybe I could set up a few roulette tables and some go-go dancers down the side of my house (i'd give Celine Dion a miss though!)


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## Peter Scharman (Jan 4, 2002)

> *maybe I could set up a few roulette tables and some go-go dancers down the side of my house *


I'll be right over when you do!

I once had a single opossum find its way into my attic while I was rebuilding my soffits. Since it was nocturnal, as are raccoons, I waited until late at night (after it would have left) and closd up the area with chicken wire. It tried to get back in at dawn, but was unable to. I never noticed it after that. If you can watch the spot where they are entering, you may be lucky enough to have the adults leave together and then close up the access spot. Then, if you can get access to your attic, you can go up and check out if there are any more. If there are no young ones, the adult raccoons will probably just find another home. Another way to eliminate them would be to rent traps from the humane society, but then you'd have to hope to catch all adults at once, or you may be faced with an angry mate. They can be vicious. The bright light idea may also just work...worth a try.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

Griller, there are 80,000 raccoons in the GTA.... There are services that will work to remove them but none are free. The GTA variety are exceptionally brazen. We have a motion-activated light on our deck and at 10 pm at night a raccoon would trigger it, wait for our dog to notice (typically 2-5 nanoseconds later) and then make faces at the cathartic canine. No fear whatsoever. Same raccoon then proceeded to make a nest under the deck and produced 5 off-spring to add to the 80,000. These would take over the deck at night and use it as an adventure playground. For the sanity of our dog we had a guy come in to seal off the bottom of the deck with high gauge wires (raccoons laugh at chicken wire). He installed a one-way flap so the mum and kids could leave. Took a day but they relocated (all unharmed), presumably to the house next door.... Then we started getting birds in our chimney. Was due to a (the same?) raccoon clawing at the chimmney top grate allowing access to birds. We had it repaired (I think the repair guy breeds raccoons) and he told us that while aloft, he could see a raccoon curled around our neighbours chimney.

There are no fool-proof remedies but you need to get them out as they'll burrow into the woodwork and can weaken trusses (not to mention letting the elements in). Good luck. Our neighbourhood raccoons have cost us about $800 this year.

[Peter, raccoon males bugger off when they've had their way with the female. The mother typically brings up the kids on her own but sometimes the male sticks around. I guess that's the downside of having no opposing thumbs to submit paternity suits....]

[ August 27, 2004, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: used to be jwoodget ]


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## Pylonman (Aug 16, 2004)

Racoons are cute and cuddly, until they becaome pests. I had a family living under my shed. Scared the crap out of me when I went in to get a tool. The mom my raccon made a low growl that sounded like a monster, really spooky. There was a knot hole in the floor and I could see a little beedie eye looking up at me.

I tried pouring those anti raccon pelts throught the hole, didn't work. I remeber and SPCA guy tell'in me to make their new home as unplesant as you can.

I stuck the garden hose in the hole and turned it on. They then just moved to another location under the shed. I poured boiled linseed oil over the cracks in floors and that didn't work. 

So I gave up until the mommy raccon attacked my sniffing around little dog. Almost kill him. So, I took out my brad nail gun and chased the racoon out and nail up its hole. I don't feel good about it. but when they start attacking your dog, that's another story. Last i heard, it moved on to another shed in the neighbourhood.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

I raise my glass to the wonderful Brad Nail Gun. A true multi-purpose tool. Think I'll get me one, since I can't seem to find a flamethrower.  
Quite frankly, if a **** hurt my dog (I love my dog) I'd get real serious... real serious.

Speaking of flamethrowers, one would definitely be helpful against unwanted critters, wouldn't it? A bit inhumane, yes, but damned effective...









Sorry,

-Howie


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

A biker buddy of mine has a theory on this...and he also has a great way of dealing with racoon infestations. (we get a LOT of these out here in the wilds, by the way)

He says:

"First, make doubly sure that you have your house insurance all paid up.

THEN...catch one of the baby racoons and quickly douse it with a flammable substance (he likes gasoline).

Set the little bugger alight and then let it go on it's merry way. It will probably head for home. Forthwith.

If the nasty wee critter flees for the home nest, then you'll have a blazing trail to follow. If he makes it there, and you leave him to his own just desserts, then you will have a whole bunch of insurance money to build a bigger and BETTER house with, at some point."

Either way...problem SOLVED.







 

This has a strange sort of logic to it...when you stop and think about it for a moment.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

This is not a forum for animal cruelty Macnutt.


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## Pylonman (Aug 16, 2004)

For the record.
I didn't shoot any raccons with the brad nail. The mommy racoon was under my shed/deck. I chased out by firing the Brad gun between the slats in the boards. The sound of the compressor air shooting out, scared the little beast away. When it comes to mommy raccoon, I don't want to be to close to her.


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## Britnell (Jan 4, 2002)

> I hate firearms, but I do keep an old shotgun loaded with very loud blanks to dispatch the raccoons. I And, even if I aimed it straight at them, I couldn't actually hurt them. No lead...just a loud bang.


Looking to kill someone? Remember the actor that was fooling around one day on set, put a gun loaded with blanks to his head, and blew his brains out by accident?

The Wad comes out of the gun at over 1000 feet per second. And it will kill you if you are close enough.

NEVER aim a gun at something you don't want to kill. Or at the very least seriously hurt/maim.

A jackass like you is why I have to put up with the gun registry.


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## stinand (Jan 15, 2001)

A motion activated sprinkler will do the trick ..for awhile. Then follow up with an ultrasonic animal repellent. For dessert serve up a pellet gun in the ass. They eventually will give up. 

I know I’ve been through this hell. The pellet gun does no damage because of their thick fur but they don’t like the little sting it inflicts.


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## Greenman (Feb 22, 2003)

We've had our share of Racoons hanging around the garbage - we live in an apartment in the Annex (Toronto) - but our real problem is SKUNKS

They/it treats us to nightly visits which wakes my wife from even the deepest sleep to shut the bedroom window (which in tern wakes me but that's another matter)

Anyone have suggestions to annoy 'Pepe" into not gracing us with visits?

Yes we could leave the windows shut but it's an older building w/o air conditioning and we leave the windows open year 'round.

Suggestions?


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## Pylonman (Aug 16, 2004)

The same SPCA officer for the raccoon problem, told me to put old rotten eggs around. Now, I don't know if that's much better if they break....

[ August 31, 2004, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: Pylonman ]


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## bopeep (Jun 7, 2004)

If you are an advocat of killing them humanely, try using some warfarin or some other similar poison. Just put an obsene amount in some peanut butter somewhere where you know they are. 
Make sure that children, pets or anything else you don't want dead, has NO access to this. None whatsoever because the poison is lethal. I know it sounds dumb to say that, but I have seen people put out rat poison in their kitchens next to the dog's dish. [things like that make me belive in my human culling program even more - you can ask me about it one day.







] 
Anyway that's my $.02.


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## bopeep (Jun 7, 2004)

> _macnutt:_I hate firearms, but I do keep an old shotgun loaded with very loud blanks to dispatch the raccoons


I don't understand why someone would hate firearms, yet keep a shotgun around. Perhaps you dislike handguns - people killers, not all firearms. 

I am an advocate of firearms. When wolves are taking out the lambs everyday, they [the wolves] must die. Oh there are those of you who will say that we are infringing on the wolves' territory and all that, not true. The wolves are opportunistic... wait, that's another thread entirely. With a shotgun in my hand, I am part of the food chain - I have to kill to survive too.


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