Apparently some raccoons have taken up residence under our deck, we see the kids poking their heads out. I am thinking about letting them hang out, but my wife is concerned that they may destroy things. Any comments? Best way to get rid of them if needed?
What's to destroy, they don't eat wood? Let 'em be. When the cubs are grown it is likely that the whole lot will leave. In the meantime, maybe put out a pan of water for them.
From another group last year:
PSYCHO RACCOONS RAMPAGE, RIOT, RAPE, AND KILL
Well, maybe not rape, but this Washington state masked gang HAS killed almost a dozen cats and attacked both dogs and humans.
The pack is lead by "one really big, bad dude... a monster... They are in command." The article reads like one has to step over the bodies littering the area.
Various solutions have been tried: trapping, dogs, negotiation, trading territory for peace. Nothing has worked. Strangely, no one in the article has suggested using ol' double-barreled Betsy to blow their furry butts to animal kingdom come. Possibly because all this mayhem is happening in Olympia, [an anti-gun city].
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ahh just leave them be.we have had them live around here, they tend to move on after babies are grown.
just stay away from them and all will be fine.
keep small kids away
There was a whole colony of them that visited the cherry tree and raspberry bushes in neighbor's yard, just after dusk. I would leave a snack about that time, watch for them, and close it up when they are out. They are very crafty, as you probably know, and can open trash cans, coolers, campers, etc.
I'd get a Hav-a-hart trap, their largest, and trap and relocate them. They will at least be a pain trying to get in your trash or bird feeder.
And the people in your destination will trap them and bring them back.
Bird feeders are way out of the way along the tree line, don't want bird doodoo on the deck if at all possible. I put a couple of heavy things on the top of the garbage bins which are supposed to be critter resistant any way. The pups look to be fairly big, so it appears that they have been hanging around there for awhile w/o us even knowing.
re: They are very crafty, as you probably know, and can open ... campers, etc.
Dateline: Big Forest State Park, 6/15/2009
Three campers were found dead on Saturday morning, apparently opened by raccoons. Robert and Susan Bathwhite, along with Robert's brother Steve, were discovered by park rangers in their tents after they failed to show up at the free pancake breakfast held by the camp staff. "Everyone knows how much Robert and Steve love their pancakes," said veteran ranger Tom "Woodsy" McPherson, "and when they didn't show up this morning, we became very worried."
All three campers had gaping holes in their chests, although it appears at this time that all of their organs were intact. Ranger McPherson went on to say "We've had a rash of these occurrences lately. It seems that the raccoons have progressed from opening coolers and trash cans to opening campers. Apparently human organs are not to their liking, so they simply leave the camper open and walk away."
I never gave raccoons much thought until one night I heard something in our ceiling and went outside the next day to find they had dug out two large holes in the roof. It cost me a couple of hundred bucks to fix that. Raccoons can be very destructive in the right situation.
David
They are eating SOMETHING!
Perhaps you have a crawfish infestation under your porch?
-------- "Tomchak came home to find rugs torn up, walls ripped down, electricity cut, trees chopped, and nobody taking responsibility....Tomchak says the demolition of the home was supposed to be even worse, including one scene where a ... chainsaw ..."
Frank wrote in news:h15v0i$eck$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:
I saw a clip on America's Funniest Video where a raccoon stuck it's head inside a pet door,snagged a throw rug lying in front of the pet door,and hauled it out the pet door(with some effort). It had stolen a couple of their throw rugs,that's why they set up the camera.
rnal-september.org:
We have 2 doggie doors, and never a intruder.
Racoons avoid yappy dogs
Almost forgot I had this:
Neighbor had a pet door for his cats and his son came into the kitchen one morning to see a raccoon eating the cats food.
Couple of years ago I thought they were getting my garbage so I put out trap and caught a momma skunk. She had 4 kids and they would not leave and were jumping around the trap. I managed to get the trap open and let her out without getting sprayed. If I had thought about it, I could have videotaped it.
We have 2 doggie doors, and never a intruder.
Racoons avoid yappy dogs
Watch out Florida!
"The Nile monitor lizard is large, adults can grow up to 7 feet in length and 5 footers are common.
A vicious predator that will eat anything it can fit into its mouth, it is also notoriously ill tempered.
Native to Africa, the Nile monitor has successfully established a new home in Florida, U.S.A., thanks to the untiring efforts of a coalition of Florida pet stores, reptile importers, local pet owners, liberal State legislators, regional land developers in the Cape Coral area and Florida animal rights groups."
Damn, we have enough trouble with things native to African.
TDD
Kurt Ullman wrote in news:kurtullman- snipped-for-privacy@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net:
They will tend to destroy. We had one in the back yard. The animal was biting at our wood siding on the house. It must have given up because the next place we found them was under the shed.
We finally called a professional since there were 6 holes from woodchucks as well as raccoons. The guy said they were all the biggest 'chucks and 'coons he's ever seen.
I don't know the procedure if you have babies under there.
SSS...Shoot , Shovel , Shutup...Problem solved....
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