Racoons under the porch

[Michael B]

Measure its maximum height, add about 12", go to a big box like Home Depot, and get a sufficient amount of "hardware cloth". This is a steel mesh that you can staple to the porch portions, is able to be have the bottom part put into a trenched area at the base, then put the dirt back and consider lining it with stones. Or else consider simply filling the little trench with concrete. But also consider correcting the conditions that encouraged the animals to be there in the first place. Clean it out well, and then spread a fair amount of cheap men's aftershave around with an aerosol sprayer to discourage the squirrels.

[Michael B]

When we were having problems with moles in the country, we had all the guys pee in the holes. Within a week, they were all gone. But I've suggested in another post an alternative to using urine as the scent source.

[Bert Byfield]

I had a raccoon come in the house once. I chased it around with a broom. It peed as it ran away, and never even bared teeth at me (I avoided cornering it). Eventually it overcame its panic and remembered the way out. My old (deaf and blind in one eye) dog never even saw it, but found the pee fascinating.

What really put them out of my life, though, was fanatically locking up all my food and garbage with metal cans in a big trashcan box, and child locks on anything they could get their hands on.

[ds549]

i use havaheart boxtrap to catch and relocate them. mothballs irritates them.

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[Oren]

When I get a stain in a shirt, I "Shout-it-Out'!

[Oren]

Berkeley, CA won't allow this OR guns.

[charlie]

blow gun bow and arrow cross bow wrist rocket old fashioned lawn jarts thumper car

there's always alternatives

[HeyBub]

Including a borrowed pit bull.

[Phisherman]

I trap and relocate all the time. I guess the Berkeley folks will secretly use anti-freeze.

[Stormin Mormon]

So, don't tell anyone. I'm tempted to ask some of the other laws in Berkley. But as a political conservative, I'm sure I'd be offended.

[HeyBub]

Here's one that'll cause you to drop your donut: Berkeley has a tool lending library.

That's right. You can "check out" ladders, post-hole diggers, scaffolding, cement mixers, etc. Everything from hammers to (I guess) forklifts.

This works out swell for the week-end warrior, but I don't think there are any tool rental stores in the town.