raccoon (snakes, snake, dog, wildlife)

[kelly3120]

hey any nice ideas on how to keep a raccoon away?
We got one that is 25 pounds that keeps coming into the yard and driving the pets crazy and if he destroys my screens I'm gonna beat him up.

He's showing his face during the day as well, which gives me red flags!!! BUT they are breaking down the thicket behind us. The neighbor asked them too because he got snakes in his yard and wants it tamed back there .....I said well, if you destroy it more then just snakes will be in our yards. I don't mind the snakes ...we actually take pics of them, but opossums and rackies are as disgusting as cockroaches in my mind and I don't want them in the same yard as my pets.

We keep our cat on the porch, but food is put away at night and all pet doors are shut. I pulled the cat in last night as I heard the raccoon trying to break into the screened porch. We scared him away finally and then heard gun shots around 3am out into the thick behind us. ....maybe someone else solved our problem? When I went out on the porch he was just starring at me like, "what? open the door for me!!!", he wasn't scared of us at all!

My neighbors have seen him roaming the streets during the day lately.

if not any ideas? our last resort will be a bee bee gun as our pets safety is very important to us, but I would rather not hurt him.

[nicolepsy]

i thought they were nocturnal and to see one during the day meant it was sick or something (rabies?)
i hope you wont resort to hurting him. can you call some company (critter trappers?) and have them relocate the racoon?

[dreamhunter65]

being he showing up at house no fear and in daylight get animal control to get him may have rabies and not need that..Better safe than sorry.

Otherwise say My hounds scare em off.

[kelly3120]

I don't really wanna hurt him either, animal control won't come out unless he has hurt someone or something or he's acting drunk. He was very stable but a little to bold for my taste. Because they are pulling up "cleaning up" the area behind us they say the animals are just relocating and need to be given time. I'll give him a little time, but my herding breed dog and cat are on edge and we do require some sleep in this household.
I wonder if it has rabies or if it's den was destroyed and mommas look'n for a new home?

so again ....any ideas? any plants or moth balls(do moth balls ruin grass tho?)

[2mares]

If you dont have an animal control to take care of it, call you fish and wildlife office.

[kelly3120]

Originally Posted by 2mares

If you dont have an animal control to take care of it, call you fish and wildlife office.

hmmm, that's an idea.
I will. Now why didn't I think of that? ...because I was up msot the night scarying away a racky

[clawson26]

Fox urine works really well. You can either..

1) Find a fox and ask him nicely...
2) Buy it in a hunting store or online.

It comes in liquid, powder, pellets etc..
Just put some around the area you want the raccoon to stay out of. You can't smell it once it is dry but the animals will. Good luck!

[nicolepsy]

i would imagine that he'd move on as long as he knew there wasnt any food around. that is probably all he is looking for. so keep all food outta that area (including trash cans).

[nicolepsy]

you say that food is put away at nite? i wouldnt have any type of food anywhere that the racoon can get to. the racoon could be smelling remnants/teeny tiny crumb molecules on your porch if that is where you feed your cat. can you feed your cat indoors instead?

[JANA MANIA]

Raccons ? Had 3 Rac Families Living In My Yard For 5 Years.this Is The First Year They Remained In The Woods. It All Started With Leaving Cat Food Out In The Day. I Had 14 Cats And A Few Were Feral,so I Left The Food Outside. The Racs Just Turned Night Into Day. They Became Tame And Every Season The Mothers Would Bring Their Babies To The Stairs To Eat. I Was Even Playing With The YounGsters,holding Their Paws,hand Feeding(have Some Very Cute Pics).last Year, Was A Little Too Much,i Counted 15 Eating Outside.i Was Going Thru 4+ Bags Of Cat Food A Week! So I Did What I Should Of Done And Had To Do, Was Take The Majority Of Cats(that Were Born In My Yard ,but Not Mine) To The No Kill Shelter.i Stopped Leaving Any Food Outside.i Did This In Nov When They Go Into A False Semi- Hibernation.since Then,they Have Been Here A Few Times At The Door,early In The Evening, But I Stopped Talking And Mothering Them.and That Made A Big Differece. They Will Go After Cats If They Think The Cats Are Taking "their Food."(and If They Are Hungry And Aggresive They May Try To Kill.)
I Did Trap 2 Of My Most Tame Because They Were So Bonded To Me They Had To Go. I Took Them To The Redwoods. Racs Are Like Cats,they Are Territorial. I Would Not Advice Relocating Them. They Will Go Or Stay Far Enough Away If There Is Not Hint Of Food Or Water. They Like To Wash Up And Water Is Very Important....hope This Helps..jana