OT: Another raccoon invader

[Minotaur]

Three years ago I had a female raccoon invade my attic and raise a litter. She made a total mess up there, tearing up wood and my heating conduits. I had to have them repaired and reinsulated. I was finally able to trap the mother in a Hav-a-hart trap and relocate her (poor little thing was shaking and so pitiful looking in the trap). But when I released her she hauled her fat little ass off into the trees. A few days later I was able to trap the 2 babies, which were weaned, and relocate them.

Now three years later, last night specifically, I hear scuffling in the attic again. I said oh no! So I got the trap out, baited it with chicken, and am waiting. When the heater kicked on last night it must have spooked her and sent her scurrying out of the attic; then my partner turned on the outside lights which spooked her even more. She took off like a bat out of hell into the darkness. By this morning the bait and trap were untouched.

I am hoping that the commotion convinced her that this is not the place to raise a litter. If the bait remains untouched and the trap remains unsprung (they can get the bait sometimes without springing the trap ) for a few days, then I can assume she's gone. I have to fix the problem once and for all of the entry into the attic.

[lukamar]

My neighbor is an exterminator. he suggested to me to use naphtha flakes as i had a coon problem. It didn't get rid of them but they wouldn't go near my garbage can. May be a thought if it doesn't smell up your house.

[Minotaur]

I have to be careful because I have pet birds... a cockatiel and Jenday conure. Even fumes we cannot smell (teflon for example), as well as scented candles, air sprays, etc. can kill them very quickly. I've banned scented candles from the house (unscented and beeswax are OK). Around Christmas time my partner wanted to light candles like it was a Buddhist temple. I freaked out on him about it.

My fear about having a raccoon invader is that if it got into the house, it would be able to open the cages, and kill the birds. Then... omg I don't want to think about what would happen to that raccoon.

[lukamar]

Around Christmas time my partner wanted to light candles like it was a Buddhist temple.

You would have been safe Temple candles, the yellow ones, are all bees wax..

[Minotaur]

I love candles too, so I'm going to lay in a supply of beeswax candles.

[Odin1970]

How are they getting in? Now that you scared this one off I would try and figure that out. I know we have a cap on my chimney (for the fireplace) that seems to be a popular entry point.

[Minotaur]

They get in either from under the soffet or the panels that line the front walkway overhang. These houses are built cheap, and there are lots of "secret passages" and ways critters can get in.

Part of the problem is that there is an abandoned house around the block; it's probably a den of raccoons. Not being social animals, when there are too many, they probably strike out on their own. The problem is that someone is paying the taxes and mortgage on the property, so the town can't do anything. Personally I think a well-aimed incendiary arrow through a window would solve the problem. Uh, I never said that.

If I had a chimney I would definitely cap that off. Like I said, I have a fear of them getting into the house and harming the birds. I'll get a 14 day rabies shot course (painful, I hear), but I'd be devastated if I lost my little guys.

[RedMaster]

Poison em and get em out of there. I can tell y'all don't spend much time in the country. Coons are not nice cuddly animals, the are predators and they will clean out a Wild Turkey population buy eating the eggs. Coons are also vicious and will tear your kids up, if you have any, if they ever corner one. I would buy a .22 cal air rifle and pop em in the head or poison them and get em out of your home.

[GnomusMaximus]

When I lived in the city we had trouble with them. My brother got one with the .22 and it just looked at us and laughed. I couldn't tell if it was just that tough or had made a little kevlar vest. Now that I live up here I've learned all about, beavers (the scourge of mankind), foxes, coyotes, Fishers (long weasely looking things) and other various snowy pests that enjoy my backyard and the feast of squirrel meat that lives in the trees.

[Minotaur]

I'm not a tree hugger, but I wouldn't use poison, and shooting one would be a last resort, even with an air rifle. I've never fired a gun before, and don't know what I'd hit.

[RedMaster]

If you don't want to kill them you can use the live trap you purchase but don't turn them loose anywhere near your home. You need to get in the car and drive a few miles, and by a few I mean at least 5, and drop them off. If you release them anywhere near you rhome they will find their way back as it is warm and safe and they know it.

[RedMaster]

When I lived in the city we had trouble with them. My brother got one with the .22 and it just looked at us and laughed. I couldn't tell if it was just that tough or had made a little kevlar vest. Now that I live up here I've learned all about, beavers (the scourge of mankind), foxes, coyotes, Fishers (long weasely looking things) and other various snowy pests that enjoy my backyard and the feast of squirrel meat that lives in the trees.

Head shots Gnomus, head shots.

[Minotaur]

If you don't want to kill them you can use the live trap you purchase but don't turn them loose anywhere near your home. You need to get in the car and drive a few miles, and by a few I mean at least 5, and drop them off. If you release them anywhere near you rhome they will find their way back as it is warm and safe and they know it.

Yeah, the last time I took the female about 30 miles, near where I work. I released her in a big wooded park. Females have a range of about 1 mile, males have a range of about 5 miles. I took the babies to another location a mile or two away from where I live. They were weaned so I'm sure they could survive. My thought is that maybe this is one of the babies who found her way back to where she was born, three years later. I may not have taken them far enough, though I thought I did. I won't make that assumption again.

[coondog]

Hey man I have been coonhunting all my life and I have no dought she will be back. They love sweets so try that in your trap. And take them atleast 5 miles away they are like dogs they will find their way back if you dont. Call animal control they will take it when you trap it, take way it goes along way from your home.

[Minotaur]

I have a piece of chicken in there now but I'm going to put some fruit in the trap too. Last time the other female was fond of chicken, and so were the babies when I trapped them.

So far she hasn't been back (I am assuming it's a female looking for a den) today, but for all I know she is in the attic sleeping. I know they are nocturnal. When she comes out to forage, if she is indeed in here, she should go for the food.

My partner hopes she's gone and doesn't come back; I prefer to see her in the trap so I know she won't be back. I will take her a good distance away, at least 10-20 miles to a secluded wooded area. I'll put the cage in the bed of the truck. Animal control around here isn't worth squirrel ****... I tried with them 3 years ago with the first invasion.

Btw, my neighbor, whose trap I have, trapped 3 rats in his attic. I didn't know there were any around here. This is a suburb that was formerly woods.

[mic65frit]

When I lived in the city we had trouble with them. My brother got one with the .22 and it just looked at us and laughed. I couldn't tell if it was just that tough or had made a little kevlar vest. Now that I live up here I've learned all about, beavers (the scourge of mankind), foxes, coyotes, Fishers (long weasely looking things) and other various snowy pests that enjoy my backyard and the feast of squirrel meat that lives in the trees.

You could always try a 9mm lead sleeping pill, I have to agree, they may look cute and sweet, but they are vermine, carry desease, and if you have critters, they can tear up a dog like nothing at all.

Minature, your birds well let's just say they would probably be a nice little snack for your new house guests. I would really suggest getting rid of the little b-stards ASAP, if you don't want all the muss and fuss, hire a professional, don't worry about live traps and all the warm fuzzy "humane" PETA stuff, EXTERMINATE them! As one Gent said a couple posts up, they can desimate a wild turkey population, just by eating the unhatched eggs.

When you finally get them out, find the entry points and plug them up, dude, they are huge RABIES carriers.

Good luck, happy hunting



Mike

[Minotaur]

Thanks Mike.

So far the little b*tch hasn't made an appearance. The trap is intact with food, no noise in the attic.

My fear last time (and believe me, my heart was pounding! ) was getting bitten. I wore leather gloves, boots, and I gave them a wide berth when I released them. I did have to handle the babies, and one of them tried to nip me through the glove. I was paranoid for days (is that a stiff neck I have? do I feel feverish? ) but the little ****er didn't even break the glove much less my skin.

[V-240]

Those little bastidz like to steal cat food, too. Then they invite their friends over. Grrr..

[Minotaur]

I coaxed the babies into the trap with cat food. My Toby was alive at the time, so I had canned food. My neighbor opened her garbage container one day (we have the big rolling ones with lids from the town) and a raccoon jumped up at her. She shrieked, slammed the lid down and put a rock on it, and called the police.

[V-240]

I have a 15 year old cat who will chase off predators and intruders, especially food filching ones. It's funny to watch, she takes no prisoners. But sometimes they sneak while she's not paying attention.

[joed]

I've gotta agree, call a profession exterminator then a carpenter to have the openings to your house closed - get him up in the attic with the light off during the day & he can see the light coming thru the openings, & have him check the electrical wiring for damage. A man's home is his castle.

[bigeugene]

I've gotta agree, call a profession exterminator then a carpenter to have the openings to your house closed - get him up in the attic with the light off during the day & he can see the light coming thru the openings, & have him check the electrical wiring for damage. A man's home is his castle.

x whatever. My sister just had to call an exterminator to capture one. Better to have a pro get it and get it out, I think. Good luck. If it was a possum, you could just whack it w/ a shovel, they are so slow.

[Minotaur]

Well, she didn't come back last night or this morning (no noise, which I definitely would have heard; the trap and the bait food are untouched, and are right where she's went in and came out of the other night. What self-respecting raccoon could turn away a free meal of chicken thigh and banana it it was stil around? Last time I went through chicken legs like crazy until she finally sprung the trap trying to get the food. These buggers are so smart and nimble that they can get the bait and not spring the trap. Pissed me off!

I am wondering if the commotion we made the other night (it was the first night we heard her) plus the heater going on, may have scared her off. It might have convinced her that it was too "dangerous" to give birth and raise her litter. I'd still rather see her in the trap. I did it once (well, three times) so I'm confident I can do it again. Really all it is is a matter of patience, because they always come out of their den to forage at night.

But as I mentioned, the last time this happened with the other raccoon family, I called several alleged animal control companies who didn't want to be bothered. I guess business is too good and they can be picky.

We have a guy coming to the house to make the repairs (reactive and proactive)... the brother of our mechanic buddy.

[Minotaur]

She never did completely disappear last week. The other night I heard scuffling around the roof. I said "ohhh no!" The trap was still set with the now stinky chicken in it.

I got up the other morning to find I had trapped... a cat. Let him go.

This morning, lo and behold, I got the raccoon. I put the trap in the bed of the truck and dropped her off, about 20 miles away on my way to work. So now Monmouth Battlefield State Park has one more raccoon.

This is the 4th raccoon in 3 years. I'm getting too good at this. Maybe I should get out of IT and go into the animal trapping and relocating business.

[freebirdmac]

You know, if you keep leaving stinky chicken in those traps you are bound to attract something. Build it and they will come sort of thing

[Minotaur]

I know... I was thinking that. I could turn into the Pied Piper of Hamelin (OK, now I'm getting delusional and full of myself ).