How to keep away raccoons?

[enchilada]

UPDATE:
they haven't come back for more than a month. guess that hanging racoon tail did the job

 

[Loohan]

I would go a combination of electric fence and live trap. and turn that fence up as high as it will go and if you catch any in the trap kill them. I am not one for killing animals but I will if they are a threat to any of mine. those laws in Arizona are crazy!!

Yeah, i bought an electric fence and will put it up this year.
I agree about relocation. From what i've read, you'd just relocate it to another raccoon's territory and it will likely starve. Also they just are not plentiful in natural ecosystems; they are weed species that thrive on orchards, gardens, poultry, etc.
We had a population explosion in my area a few years ago; demolished a lot of chickens and gardens, then plenty of people took measures...
A friend who lost all her chickens had a large, stout dog who tried to chase one away, but it just stood its gound and BIT the dog several times its size. Mean, dangerous critters.

 

[WithLisa]

Why don't you rather build safe enclosures than kill those poor animals?

 

[leigti]

Why don't you rather build safe enclosures than kill those poor animals?

It takes an incredibly strong enclosure to keep them out. They can use their hands like humans and they are very smart. And it's hard to make an extremely strong large enclosure.

 

[WithLisa]

We also have racoons, foxes, martens, cats, birds of prey,... around (and it's not allowed to capture or kill any wild animals), so I have enclosures for my rabbits and tortoises. It's not hard to make, you just have to use strong wire mesh or an electric fence (and a bird net). Whatever solution you choose, it's much safer for your pets than to kill some predators.

 

[Loohan]

I'm not per se opposed to killing raccoons, but you never get them all. Unless you always keep odoriferously-baited traps around your enclosure to distract them, it seems to me that a strong enclosure is still needed.
Also there are stray dogs and on rare occasions, cougars and bears around in my area. Havahart traps are too small for some predators, and a Havahart trap might catch and traumatize the neighbor's dog. That's why i usually set them inside fenced garden areas.
When i build my outdoor enclosure, it will have to be strong.

 

[newCH]

Wow, I havent seen racoons, but last year my dogs were barking
and there was a peacock sitting on our back fence. Havent seen or heard that screaming noise they make in a while. Anytime a small
animal, rabbit, guinea pig or tort is outside, it has to be predator
proof. Just because I dont see them, doesnt mean they aren't
there anyway.

 

[enchilada]

Why don't you rather build safe enclosures than kill those poor animals?

poor animal?
you wont think that way if you lost your loved pets to them .

 

[WithLisa]

poor animal?
you wont think that way if you lost your loved pets to them .

When I was still a child, my rabbits were killed by a marten, but there is no reason for me to hate martens because of that, much less to take revenge. It was completely my own fault, because I kept them in the garden without a predator-proof enclosure.
The loss still hurts, but at least I've learnt from my mistake. No pet outside without a strong enclosure ever again.

 

[enchilada]

To all who lost their beloved tort& turtles, hope this image will make you feel better

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[leigti]

To all who lost their beloved tort& turtles, hope this image will make you feel better

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Where did you find that?

 

[enchilada]

Where did you find that?

Asian supermarket. my favorite place to get tortoise and turtle food

 

[keepergale]

I suffered a raccoon raid last night at 3:30 am. They were after Koi not tortoises though. Greedy bastards started squabbling and woke me.
Good news is I didn't lose any fish.
This time

 

[Heather H]

the raccoons around here as not afraid of anything. they even come up on my deck and look in the doors. they tore up a side of my garage to get inside. we even had one tear the top off our chimney cap. $200 for someone to come remove the stuck raccoon.

 

[keepergale]

I am right in the center of town but I see raccoons pretty often. Lots of open space available for them still.
You are right they are not afraid of people.

 

[Heather H]

i will post a pic of my backyard and you guys will see why I have an animal problem and why tuxy won't be out ever at night or by himself. even with being in an enclosure. also I cant trap kill or relocate any animal in my yard. unless it is during growing season and they are in my fenced garden.

 

[Heather H]

i created a thread called my yard in enclosures. I would love help with where to put tuxy's enclosure so it is safer from all the animals. thanks guys n gals

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-yard.110525/

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank GOD there are no raccoons around my "new" neighborhood, but in the past, what I've found is if there are Raccoons around, also nearby is some KOOK feeding them. Maybe feeding feral cats. When there is ample food, there is a population explosion.

 

[ascott]

To all who lost their beloved tort& turtles, hope this image will make you feel better

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that is simply gross.....why would someone even think of that as a good food source....but then again most asian markets have turtle and tortoise for sale for consumption too.....

 

[harris]

What's more shocking is that they're $9.99 per pound!