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Barnyard Buddies:  Help Getting Rid of Brazen Raccoon  |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
 Posted - May 02 2008 : 6:07:52 PM
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I have a terrible fear of raccoons - I have one getting up on my front porch into the catfood that is out for outside cats. He has been here two nights in a row. I have a dog in the living room that barks and all the whole chorus line of barking dogs in the kitchen. I pulled up food and when I looked outside he was coming back after i shooed him away with a stray cat sitting on the porch. I am afraid of the cat bad enough as he as been here three years and I still can't touch him - I had a rabid raccoon one time in the back yard in the daytime that animal control thought had distemper but he had rabies. I worked with wildlife and did not work with raccoons, I have a dreaded fear of them really - this is a pretty big one but at least he is out at night. *hit - Someone ease my fears
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 6:47:05 PM
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Kathy, we had a mother who had babies in our attic....she fell through our ceiling one night and my husband and I were prisoners in our own home. I called pest control and actually got the best advice from an elderly client, a long time farmer. He told me to get a flood light (we used a shop light with an extension cord) and a radio...they don't like noise or lights, and we even strung some coke cans where they came down the gutter spout to spook her. She left rather promptly.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 7:48:25 PM
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I would have had a heart attack! I think I used the radio bit a few years ago until we had a storm and almost had a fire - but I gotta do something or I will be a prisoner in my own house afraid of the dark and going out at night - wonder what the term is for fear of raccoons - raccoonaphobia hehehe - boy they sure are brazen, I would much rather have all the possums come back - or even wood rats that run across your path in comparison to this :)
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 7:58:58 PM
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It was right above our bed at 3 am!!!! I woke up (which is rare) and I kept hearing this "squeak squeak"--you know, animal sounds. And I said, Justin--get up!!!! He was not thrilled and sort of blew me off and then all of a sudden, her squeaks got louder and down through the ceiling she came right onto the bed. I've never moved so fast in my whole life!!!! It was the addition, and we were renovating, so there was still a drop ceiling...she had fallen in between the insulation and beams and down onto our bed. I don't think I've ever moved so fast!!!!! We slept on the floor in the living room for 3 days after until I spoke to our client :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 8:11:35 PM
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LOL I should not laugh but I can just imagine you moving that fast - not funny - my aunt had a bat land on her chest one night in an apartment her and my uncle rented, it reminded me of her story.
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - EnchantedWoodsGirl on May 04 2008 03:49:20 AM |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 8:16:43 PM
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Oh, I laugh NOW, Kathy...then, not so much. I did a lot of research, also, because I didn't want to harm them...just wanted them to GO. It was like we lived with Archie Bunker or something. We'd come home around 5 pm after work, and all of sudden, it sounded like someone lived above us, pounding a broom stick on the floor for us to be quiet! She was NOT happy with our daytime activities!
My husband had a bat, too, in his apartment before we met...I guess they just inspire the worst!!!! I've seen him jump at camel crickets....so...you can imagine :)
Whew, I'm just glad we got new shingles and that vent "secured" :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 08:47:00 AM
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Racoons are so smart, too! Once when we were camping my hubby stayed behind while the group hiked. He saw a raccoon come into the camp site and use his little fingers to unzip a tent! It had doritos in it. Off he went with the bag, and hubby could hear it crunching in the woods.
The one that comes to our feeder at night climbs a skinny metal pole and hangs off the feeder. When I shoo him (sometimes with a BB gun), he just looks at me, and seems to be thinking I am sure a nuisance.....I had to take the feeder down because he got into our neighbor's back porch by tearing the screen out and opened their dog food container. When we took all the food away, he went elsewhere I guess.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 11:11:27 AM
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I guess I won't be so afraid now - as long as I just see them at night. The one we found in the vacant large doghouse looked just like a longhaired cat and we went up to it and thank god it did not wake up. But later that day it was digging around in the woods when I had to call animal control - he was the one with rabies. When at the wildlife refuge someone had trapped one and it got up on the drop ceiling and fell on the owners face and she had to come to the hospital for stitches, guess I never forgot that. They had a huge area they kept the raccoons in and she would walk in there like nothing, not me, I was terrified. But I did learn not to be afraid of the possums when feeding them at the shelter, they just backed in a corner and hissed at you. I actually had one in my dog run and it played dead when the dogs got outside. And of course, raising squirrels is a breeze, even though I have been bit - they are so cute the little devils.
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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nut4fabric
True Blue Farmgirl
885 Posts
Kathy
Morgan Hill
CA
USA
885 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 11:18:09 AM
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We used an air rifle. Lots of noise and if it hit them it just stung. They can be pretty mean so be careful.
Kathy |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 11:18:13 AM
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Squirrels, possums, raccoons, and armidillos - all a nuisance to our yard! But we have learned to live with them. Thank goodness one never dropped on me! Yes, I too would be traumatized for life!!! And one in my house! YIKES!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 11:48:49 AM
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The raccoon is coming to your house because of the food. Try keeping all the food locked up or put some cayenne pepper in the dish with the food to scare him off, though if your cats eat it they will be scared off too!! Once the source of the food is gone he should leave as well. My grandma has the same problem with animals getting into her cat food but she continues to leave it out in the open.
-Elizabeth |
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Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 11:54:17 AM
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| My dear mother, bless her soul, used to put food out for skunks of all things. She said they had beautiful eyes and looked so hungry. After they moved in under her trailer she thought differently. Her whole house smelled like skunk. Ex-DH would help by getting them in a trap and then disposing of them. |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4745 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4745 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 7:42:54 PM
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I had a obnoxious raccoon living under my deck last spring. I soaked a rag in ammonia, held my nose & used a long stick to shove it under the deck. The raccoon got the hint & left for good! Good luck on getting rid of yours.
Dawn in IL |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 7:45:40 PM
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Dawn...just don't do that with baby racoons--I was going to do that with our mother and babies in the attic (see above) but the extension agent said the ammonia burns the nasals passages of the babies so that they will never be able to smell food and therefore, not survive. Adults yes, if there babies, no :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4745 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4745 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 06:47:27 AM
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Thanks for the info Jonni. My raccoon was all by himself (guessing it was a he). We had the cicadas hatch here last spring so he decided to move in while he dined. So far, no raccoons have moved in this year with us. I do have a pesky mole that refuses to leave though. It's always something!
Dawn in IL |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 4:26:43 PM
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Raccoons! Nasty creatures! In just two days they have wiped out nearly my ENTIRE flock of laying hens and taken my duck! I am left with 5 hens, and two of those are not doing so well. One will recover I think, but I have little hope for the other.
I found where they were getting in at-- yes, they are VERY clever! I have never had such a thing happen in all the years we've had chickens in the current "house," but apparently these raccoons were more determined than any in the past to have chicken dinner!
I know there had to be more than one because it would have been impossible for one single raccoon to take off with that many chickens in just two nights-- unless he had a friend around to drive the get-away car! (no, it's not funny, but what can I do? The chickens are gone and there's no way to bring them back. Besides, if I don't laugh, I'll cry over the loss and I don't want to do that!)
I have a few other chickens that roost in the barn at night (the rebels we have not been able to contain) and I have some younger birds that will start laying in a few weeks, but still, I raised every single one of those birds from chickhood, and I've had the duck for YEARS! In fact, she's been around so long we started to call her "Mrs. Robinson" because all of her "boyfriends" were so much younger than her! (They all got nabbed by the raccoons too!) Depressing. I'll try some of the suggestions here. Hopefully the Raccoons will stay away. ~~~ Tracy |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 5:26:02 PM
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That is terrible Tracy - I am lucky they have not been in my chicken house that I have seen but I have had mysterious chicken deaths and disappearances.
There is the one outside stray cat that looks sick so I called animal control today and they left me with a have a hart trap so she said if I catch the raccoon to let it go someplace else or they would come and relocate it. I hate to have to trap the cat but I can't touch him and he looks like he probably has feline leukemia or aids - I have the trap on the porch but not set yet - when the girl was here it was easy to set then I had a problem when she left. I hate to trap anything for knowing the fear they must have in that small confined place, oh woe is me.
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 5:39:42 PM
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Tracy did you see the raccoons take away your chickens? We raised a raccoon from a baby in Canada and they are smart little devils. This one liked to tip up a Coke bottle and drink it down. Also liked a good chocolate bar! Then one night her boyfriend to be came and unhooked the latch on her cage and off they went. We had a lot of chickens and the raccoons never showed any interest in them, the foxes sure did though !! As far as opossums go don't think they are harmless little things they are not. They have nasty teeth and can be very agressive.My lady dachshund Molly was bit severely by one. The darn thing bit her in the jugular vein. If my huband hadn't had the forethought to pinch her vein closed she would of bled out in minutes. The vet said he saved her life. With people you can't do that but dogs you can. She was also bit just above her eye and a deep gash on her cheek too.I also had one that came into our mudroom, I tried to gently shoo it out with a broom and it came right at me teeth bared and hissing away.It was a big long broom and I hooked the broom under the critter and through him out the door. I see another one of those around I will shoot it. And believe me I detest shooting anything. Just be careful.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 4:51:28 PM
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| If you just have one bothersome racoon I would get a "live" trap and bait it and catch it. That is what we do. We don't usually have much of a problem with them coming around until they start their mating season. Skunks too...every year during mating time I have one around. This year I caught him with his head stuck in the bucket we keep the cat food in, he had tipped the bucket over, got it open and was totally inside only his black and white tail sticking out! I am almost positive it is the same guy that comes back each year, big guy! But with the racoon, I would catch him and release him else where(: |
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EnchantedWoodsGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
959 Posts
Kathy
New Jersey
USA
959 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 5:12:54 PM
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put hav a hart trap out lastnight to try and catch stray cat that is not feeling well but caught one of my own cats that roams and can't be caught - she was wild at one time and dumped here, had kittens in the woods, I have both of them they are adults now - all are fixed including the momma but she reverted back to being feral. She was waiting in the trap this am - lol, no raccoon and no sick cat to be found.
Kathy of the Enchanted Wood
Farmgirl Sister #59
http://enchantedwoodmusings.blogspot.com/
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Barnyard Buddies: Help Getting Rid of Brazen Raccoon |
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Help Getting Rid of Brazen Raccoon
