Pest Control Or Getting Rid Of Racoons

[kyreb1862]

Opened my door into the garage the other night to find five little racoons eating up the food for my cat. These little devils are about half grown. I have set a live trap for them so I can Catch and release but so far they have out smarted both me and the trap. Any ideas on a good bait to use or a better way to catch them would be appreciated.

Regards John

 

[coldplugs]

For squirrel/vole/mouse/chipmunk bait I have good luck with wild bird seed embedded in peanut butter. I don't think raccoons are fussy. Since they like cat food, try that.

I've had good luck with live traps for squirrels but some animals avoid it and I have to use traditional traps. We used to use barn traps, most of which involved a pail of water.

I've never had to deal with raccoons, though. Are they trapped in the garage now, or are they coming & going? If they aren't living there it's obviously best to find out how they get in and plug it up.

 

[Tinster]

Try a live box trap baited with whole shrimp.
'coons eat crawdads for sure. And make sure there
is a small bowl of water inside the trap, near
the bait. 'Coons wash their food because they
have poorly developed salivary glands.

I ate some pan fried 'coon once at a topping out
party on a tall steel structure. But that's another
story for another time.

d

 

[hottvr]

Sounds like cat food might be good bait.
Rick

 

[BIBBER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Sounds like cat food might be good bait [/QUOTE]
I agree cept he may end up catching his cat(s) or the neighboors cat(s)! and I can't even imagine the outcome of both cat and racoon in the same cage!!!! wonder if that could be classified as illegal gambling.. cat/coon fights!! <chuckle>

 

[Bugeye58]

All my money would be on the coon! I've seen what they can do to a dog, and it ain't pretty.
Jeff

 

[anthony7777]

keyreb, im remodeling my kitchen and have a 6 yard dumpster on the front side of my house yesterday morning i told one of the younger guys that work for me to empty a rubber garbage can that we had put some of the old drywall in he returned without the can and seemed unnerved i asked what happened and he explained he had to drop the can in the dumpster that as he lifted it to empty it he peered over the top edge and saw 6-7 small yet ferocious dogs inside showing their teeth and making odd noises having never seen raccoons before it was understandable yet hilarious, i just dropped in an old branch from a wood pile and they all climbed out single file, some advice - dont back one of them into a corner thats a mistake especially the adult ones their teeth are lethal weapons and their very powerful animals also clean any dish that they may have eaten out of that you intend for further use by your cat, dont let anyone try to pet them, i use a large "havahart" trap just about anything eatable is good for bait once caught i transport them ten to twenty miles away and release them last summer i had another very large adult break through the kitchen screen door to get at my cats food, id caught him on my kitchen counter eating my pizza, he was bold or sick enough to amble through one of our barbeques in full daylight with lots of people present he strolled around as if he payed the mortgage on this place one night since i had closed the kitchen door he began ripping apart the screen on our bedroom sliding door as my wife and i watched t.v. at that point unfortuneatly he went to coon heaven.

 

[tony barnhill]

I use a big metal cage with an end that's propped open until the critter trips it...doesn't hurt him & he can't get out once itside...bowl of cat food & tomorrow he'll be waiting in it!

 

[1965_MGB]

I had the same problem a few years ago. I put a can of catfood inside the trap, and every day for three days we had a raccoon in there.

 

[weewillie]

a piece of lead in their left ear will get rid of them especially at high velocity

 

[DrEntropy]

They're bold, unbowed critters. Once watched a family of 'em "bucket brigade" a dumpster for a few hours. Had one of 'em walk up on a porch, grab some cat food, dip it into the water bowl and chow down... AS I TOOK FLASH pictures of him! Din't phase him. We've a few here inna back yard over time, they generally amble by and haven't yet tried to gain entrance. Three growling felines lined up at the backdoor seems to be a deterrent so far. That could change, tho. I've also seen what one can do if backed into a corner. Not a thing to trifle with!

Gotta admire their attitude, tho.

 

[Bruce Bowker]

a piece of lead in their left ear will get rid of them especially at high velocity

I guess that is the solution to all animals - just kill them!!

Maybe less people would be a better idea.

 

[BIBBER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Maybe less people would be a better idea [/QUOTE]Bruce seems we're doing a pretty good job of that as well..

 

[PAUL161]

Take away their food source and the coons will go. Of course, I realize that sometimes it's hard to do if you have outside pets.

 

[anthony7777]

Take away their food source and the coons will go. Of course, I realize that sometimes it's hard to do if you have outside pets.

-- paul this is true, weve taken away their food sources as well as their homes, a week and a half ago here in stamford ct. laying dead on the side of rt. 15 a.k.a the merrit pky. i found a black bear cub that had been hit by a car the poor thing wasnt a year old that means that the mother and possibly siblings were in the area as well, there running out of habitat and food sources like raccoons there finding it easier to invade garbage cans for their food and that can be very dangerous for people and especially for kids, n.j. has a big problem in regards to bears, this part of the country as well as others are being building up at an incredible rate to the point that rain run off into what where once natural aquifers can no longer displace the water, houses in this area that are up to 70 years old and never gotten water in their basements are now flooding, so to what place do these animals go? yup man can muck things up.

 

[BIBBER]

WHO YOU GONNA CALL

<span style="color: #FF0000">"WALLACE & GROMIT</span>"

 

[PAUL161]

Take away their food source and the coons will go. Of course, I realize that sometimes it's hard to do if you have outside pets.

-- paul this is true, weve taken away their food sources as well as their homes, a week and a half ago here in stamford ct. laying dead on the side of rt. 15 a.k.a the merrit pky. i found a black bear cub that had been hit by a car the poor thing wasnt a year old that means that the mother and possibly siblings were in the area as well, there running out of habitat and food sources like raccoons there finding it easier to invade garbage cans for their food and that can be very dangerous for people and especially for kids, n.j. has a big problem in regards to bears, this part of the country as well as others are being building up at an incredible rate to the point that rain run off into what where once natural aquifers can no longer displace the water, houses in this area that are up to 70 years old and never gotten water in their basements are now flooding, so to what place do these animals go? yup man can muck things up.

Isn't it amazing how God gave man the ability to destroy every beautiful thing he has created. The sin of it all is how man takes advantage of that fact. Animals don't! So who is the wiser?

 

[anthony7777]

paul 161, ill go with the animals "fur' sure! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif