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We have a number of vents in the foundation that allow fresh air under the house. Recently we have noticed raccoons in the yard and apparently they have made their way underneath the house through at least one vent that is underneath a deck. I'm willing to unscrew some of the deck boards to allow placing a live trap in front of the vent. Has anyone else had the same issue and successfully used traps to remove the critters?
I had one live trapped from under my garage ( a 91 year old structure). Actually, the trap was set out for two groundhogs, but the trapper also got a possum and a raccoon. On the day he got the coon I called him early to pick up the trap because I really thought the animal was going to tear the trap apart. I've never seen an animal so strong and furious trying to take apart a trap before - it was impressively scary!
I had one live trapped from under my garage ( a 91 year old structure). Actually, the trap was set out for two groundhogs, but the trapper also got a possum and a raccoon. On the day he got the coon I called him early to pick up the trap because I really thought the animal was going to tear the trap apart. I've never seen an animal so strong and furious trying to take apart a trap before - it was impressively scary!
So it was the coon that tried to tear the trap apart?
My neighbor, trying to catch a feral cat recently, caught a raccoon instead.
The raccoon just sat there calmly while my friend opened the door to the trap, then he quickly scurried away.
I am guessing raccoons are all different, just like the rest of us.
{He caught the cat and she was spayed last Friday.}
We have a feral cat, an uncut male that we feed in our greenhouse. I would like to trap him and get him neutered, but he is very suspicious and runs away if we try to get closer then 3 ft. A trap might work, but Rufus wouldn't like it. Maybe some day.
I recommend that you hire a professional pest service to trap and remove the raccoons. You don't want them around your house and you don't want to handle them at all. Most of them carry a type of roundworm that will disable or kill humans, if any of its tiny eggs get inside their digestive systems.
One thing not mentioned is that raccoons are nocturnal. They are not the only nocturnal animals; possums and skunks are nocturnal. If you set up a live trap, with bait for a raccoon at night, there is a good chance you will catch a skunk. Of course that would pose a problem for many first time live trap users. You can walk up to the trap with an old shower curtain in front of you; but the area could still get sprayed.
Raccoons are great climbers and skunks are not. That fact could help successfully setting a trap without catching a skunk. Maybe you could set it on top of a picnic table of something a few feet off the ground? Raccoons and skunks both love cans of tuna fish or peanut butter; both make good bait. The tuna fish might also catch a feral cat or possum.
So it was the coon that tried to tear the trap apart?
Oh yeah. I had never seen a wild animal trying to take a trap apart, and given enough time, I believe he would have been able to do so. That raccoon was really strong as well as mad at being confined.
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