Raccoon and/or Possum Problems? (Commerce, Boerne: crawl space, live, military)

[fierce_flawless]

Originally Posted by Camper1

I just went out to refresh the water in my bird baths and another potted plant has been uprooted!!! I can't fuss to much because I feed the squirrels and birds but I just wish I could have one with out the other. The darn raccoons are soooo destructive. I know it's them because I've seen them do it. They just love to sit in the middle of my pound. I gave up trying to have water plants because the raccoons eat them so I started with the plastic plants outside. It looked really good there for awhile then the coons would get mad and just destroy stuff. I can go out with a BB gun, look them straight in the eye and they don't even blink!! No, I don't shoot them but I do shoot AT them when they are in my pound. I have a gold fish that is probable around 10 years old and I don't want him to be coon food!!

We get the ring tails in our attic.

So far my plants have not been bothered.

I am worried though because we are planning a HUGE veggie garden! Guess I'll deal with that when it happens!

Oh and I'm pretty sure this one has been in our attic in the past... OMG, sounded like a KID running around up there and scared me half to death! And yes, I'll admit it. I was too chicken to look! It was very loud, like someone bowling in the attic!

[Camper1]

Originally Posted by fierce_flawless

So far my plants have not been bothered.

I am worried though because we are planning a HUGE veggie garden! Guess I'll deal with that when it happens!

Oh and I'm pretty sure this one has been in our attic in the past... OMG, sounded like a KID running around up there and scared me half to death! And yes, I'll admit it. I was too chicken to look! It was very loud, like someone bowling in the attic!

Just don't block their exit from the attic and they may go out on their own.


A lot of my neighbors have veggie gardens and they don't seem to bother them, I guess they don't like veggies!
It just seems to be my potted plants. I know it's because I have bird food and water out all the time. I get all the cats too.

I can hear them running around over where the computer is. It is kinda scary

[Bo]

Originally Posted by fierce_flawless

So far my plants have not been bothered.

I am worried though because we are planning a HUGE veggie garden! Guess I'll deal with that when it happens!

In years past, I've had many instances of critters picking tomatoes off of the vine, taking a big bite out of them and leaving the uneaten half in the yard. None so far this year, thank goodness.

[dangeruscurves]

Originally Posted by googie2525

I like that "skeddadle" part! That's exactly what they do, they're hilarious to watch, I can yell and scream at them and they never seem to hear me, and they're practically blind, takes them forever to even notice you're there, then they do their "skeddadle" up the tree (and rather slowly I might add), and really, they're so damned ugly they're almost cute - I have no grudge with the opossum gang (just those mean ol' coons) .

OMG!! I'm so glad I'm not the one who thinks they are so ugly they are cute. LOL. Now those coon' I feel for them too, but if they are eating the kitty's food I can see why you need to get rid of them. I'm a cat lover myself. I hope you get rid of them effectively without having to hurt them.

[Cookiemeister]

Originally Posted by googie2525

I like that "skeddadle" part! That's exactly what they do, they're hilarious to watch, I can yell and scream at them and they never seem to hear me, and they're practically blind, takes them forever to even notice you're there, then they do their "skeddadle" up the tree (and rather slowly I might add), and really, they're so damned ugly they're almost cute - I have no grudge with the opossum gang (just those mean ol' coons) .

They probably went blind due to the bleach sprayed in their eyes... lol.
Raccoons will actually eat kittens. I think they ate one of mine. Only way to get rid of them is to trap them and call the animal control so they can come get them. They also carry rabies so the city should be responsible to get these creatures when you have captured one.

[googie2525]

To be clear, I sprayed bleach at the raccoons, NOT the opossums. My intention was not to blind them, but to drive them off by harrasing them with the smelly spray.

[fierce_flawless]

Originally Posted by Cookiemeister

They probably went blind due to the bleach sprayed in their eyes... lol.
Raccoons will actually eat kittens. I think they ate one of mine. Only way to get rid of them is to trap them and call the animal control so they can come get them. They also carry rabies so the city should be responsible to get these creatures when you have captured one.

Yes but they won't do it unless you think it's rabid. Check the link I posted a few posts back. They are suggesting you call the wildlife rescue people instead and are talking about how their purpose is for dogs and cats.

[catriona]

Wildlife Rescue told me to use ammonia to get rid of varmits. Soak a rag with it and toss it in the hole they put under your sheds, etc, and they will evacuate the area.

Spraying pure bleach into anything's eyes is just plain cruel to me. If you have to do spray anything, try using the nozzle on the garden hose on full blast. Maybe even vinegar would be okay, but I don't know. Bleach, however, to me, is wrong.

[Cookiemeister]

Critter Update: I put a repellent for large animals in the foot of some cut off stockings and hung them on the trees around my house, in the crawl and in the attic and I think it worked. No offensive smell either from the repellent. Animals are extra sensitive to smell and this repellent is made from the urine of predator animals. You have to renew it every month or so because it will lose its potency.

[doss1]

Possums are one of the best critters you can have around your house. Serious. You can't get rabies from them and they are actually much cleaner and disease free than domestic cats. Possums in my backyard take care of the snakes and rats.