Night visitor!

Al spotted a raccoon, last night. Actually...he heard the animal, first. We keep the birdseed in a metal (trash) can that we bought just for that purpose (no smell of trash as it is a clean container). The noise (11:30 P.M.) prompted Al to take a look outdoors and there it was--lifting off the bricks on the lid and getting into the birdseed!

We'd suspected a raccoon of going fishing in the ponds (maybe we'd mentioned it to some of you?). We'd found a kernal of corn in the canna, rocks moved around, pond pump damaged--that sort of thing. The fish run for cover anytime we show up at the nursery pond (and there are only 5 of the 15 fish left in there). Eventually we concluded that we had a night visitor who was a fisherman. Well Al got a look at the animal, last night. Sure enough, it's a raccoon.

We love having an outdoor habitat that is inviting to everyone (animals, too). BUT--what should we do about our latest addition to the menagerie? Ignore? Keep stocking the ponds? Thoughts on the situation....??

They are attracted to any food source, including bird seed in your feeders. The fish are probably less enticing than the easily available birdseed.

We usually increase bird feeding when weather cools (to help the migrating flocks and to sustain the local population). What could we do to make this possible and to have fewer visits from the raccoon, Amy? Ideas???

I really don't know how to get rid of racoons.

When I lived in the midwest as a kid I would find opossums in the red barn, that is what we called 'that' barn. Barn seems like a strange word to me now! Anyway- I remember taking one step in and totally freezing when I saw a pair of red eyes staring back at me. When the eyes started to hiss and show some fangs I turned around and ran for my life! But that was what was killing the chickens and turkeys.

mtnmama, protect your pets! You may consider putting a netting over your pond to keep out racoons, various birds, cats, etc. from your pond at night. Also keep the bird food locked up in the garage.

Like I said in the beginning- I don't know what to do. I now have skunks- which really stink up the yard and dig up my freshly planted seedlings, racoons, two cats- a siamese (a real cutey who loves to roll around in my drying catnip to antagonize my two cats) and a very fluffy gray cat, numerous squirrels which are not as mean as the Chicago ones -thank goodness- and a Pit Bull. Others I have seen in the area are fox and rabbits but not in my yard yet.

Had a 'possum die under our deck in Pennsylvania but have never seen a live one! (Nothing stinks like a decaying possum under your deck, trust me). My nose located the stench and Al asked me to keep the kids indoors while he looked into the situation. He dug under the deck--4 feet in and several feet down (so he could get in there). A couple of hrs. later, he emerged with the cadaver and an upset stomach. Yuck! The house had been vacant quite awhile before we bought so this 'possum must have been the welcoming committee!!! We stayed in PA for only three yrs.

Our raccoon friend has to be a good climber to get over the privacy fence! We know that he is clever...and hungry.

Emma (our dog) had refused to go into the backyard for a few days, awhile back. We had to go picking up after her in the front. We'd chalked it up to her being 13 and eccentric. Now, we are thinking she was staying away from the night visitor! Al & I have been going outside with her ever since our discovery...and she is happy to have her regular area back. We will be very careful with her. As for the fish, it's that time of year for a net to keep the leaves out so that might be arranged sometime today. They seem to have learned to stay deep and hide already, though. The bigger ones hear our voices and come up to us--but not the little ones. They aren't in danger as long as they stay in the deep area.

We can keep the birdseed in the garage but that means another car on the street (our garage is already filled to the gills with stuff). Maybe a chain across the top of the metal can from handle to handle would work (and let us keep the thing where it is)? The actual bird feeder would still be fair game, though....

You keep your pit bull neighbor and we'll keep our raccoon. At least the raccoon scares off when we come outside;)

We have a raccoon come down our chimney one night. This was in Wyoming. We're not sure what he was after but boy! What a noise! If you want to keep yours then you might have to just keep restocking like you mentioned. If you don't, there are traps available. The problem with that, though, is once you get rid of one, you've made territory available for another.

What kind of fish do you keep? Are they expensive or easily replaced?

Just a side note...we had a cat that decided our garage was the place for it to die this summer. Whew!!! I know that smell!

I can't believe a raccoon can down your chimney!!! I would have jumped out of my skin.

When I was younger, we had opossums set up in our garage inside the CITY in Houston. Those things are mean!!

The problem with raccoons is that they are soooo smart! I would say paint a big face on your trashcan, to see if another set of eyes would scare it. Or maybe set up a scarecrow. But I'm sure even if either of those did work, it'd only be for a night or two before your guest figured it out. I'm afraid that the only way to get rid of him (or her) is a trap. Though I'm sure wildlife refuges don't take raccoons, but maybe they do. I think I saw a big field on the way to your house....? And before you get another night visitor, maybe you could put that chain on your feed can.

There are devices you can put on your birdfeeder hanging line or hook to keep other animals off. My grandfather, a while back, had a battle royale with a group of squirrels that liked his birdfeeder, and that was his solution. It's kind of like an upside down cone...wonder if it would work for your coon?

Dead animal smells will turn your stomach into knots! At least the cat didn't make you go digging for his carcass! ;)

Koi and shubunkin are the fish--the shubunkin are not expensive. The two large koi are still OK (but some of the offspring are missing in action). They're much smarter these days. We shouldn't lose any more (hopefully).

I don't know the city's laws about trapping and relocating raccoons. We wouldn't have the heart to hurt the animal...unless it harmed our dog. It seems to be skittish enough that the dog would be safe. Our dog is just old and easily spooked, herself. We're surprised that the raccoon found our bird feeder in this suburban expanse, really. Were you in a city when you had the chimney experience?

Susanne, we have one of those squirrel-proof things (Yankee Flipper) but it is triggered by mourning doves, too (and we LOVE our mourning doves). We had a baffle (like your g'father had) on the pole at one time. I think that the raccoon would still get to the feeder by using the fence. Maybe we should use the baffle and move the whole thing farther from the fence....

I love the idea of a scarecrow! Even if it would be a temporary solution, it would be fun (at this time of year). Let me look into that, today!

We were living in a teeny place called Robertson, Wyoming. Not too far from Evanston. (Pronounced Eving-ston around here!)It was an old cabin with a BIG chimney. Thank goodness the fire wasn't lit!

Roast Raccoon!! Hahaha! No, it really IS good that the fire wasn't lit! :)

I used to type mud logs for a geologist who worked in Evanston. We drive through (sometimes stop there) every year or two. Never heard of Robertson, though....

mtnmama, you've got fields all around you, and nature/bicycle paths. Coons, foxes, rabbits and even coyotes will be all around you. My friend who live near Iliff and Buckley, had racoons coming into her house. She would leave a basement window cracked open so her 2 cats could come and go as needed. She also kept her catfood down there. She had to trap it, and she released across town just west af Belleview and Santa Fe, where she works. There are woods and a creek running behind her building. You have to drop them far away, as they are like a dog and will find their way back. Try a bungee cord over the can, and move the feeder(is it a wooden or metal post?) away from fence. But then, kiss all your fish goodbye. Goodluck.

Robertson, Wyoming...Pop 15. At least it was back in the early Eighties. West of Highway 80, 50 miles from Evanston.

racoons are smart, and will tease the crap out of you and your dog given the opportunity. A friend of mine has 3 LARGE rottweillers. There is a raccoon that lives in the attic of one of her nieghbors. It will spend all day out on the edge of the roof closest to the yard where the dogs are, giving them the bronx cheer. Those dogs have actually tried to climb a tree to get to that critter, an embarassing moment for the dogs but pretty hilarious for the bystanders!

How very odd... My husband spotted a coon on his way home the same night in our neighborhood... He said it was huge and asked if I had the cat in. Anyway, if you think the only way it can get in is OVER your privacy fence, I wonder if a strip of electrical wire along the top of the fence might not work? I don't know much about the stuff except my husband always wants to use it on our dog to keep her from tearing up the trees and I won't let him. I'll check with my parents who live in the country and see if they have any tricks, well other than a gun... phft... silly men and their guns. Of course, he's mostly all talk, just trying to get us women worked up. :)

Look at the visitor that came to our neighborhood -- the lot across the street. My husband saw it when he went out to get the paper this morning, then ran back in for the camera. The picture is fuzzy because he didn't have anything to rest the camera on. Next splurge for us will be an image stablizing camera. Note that there are apples on the top of this tree, none on the bottom. Guess we know what this guy had for breakfast.
The reason so many animals are appearing, I think, is that a big hard freeze is coming tonight. It has been very windy and blustery here. They figure they had better eat up. I think racoons hybernate, don't they?

By the way, we kept racoons out of the duck food at the farm by attaching 2 bungee cords crosswise across the top of the can. Don't remember what we attached them to, handles? The bottom of the can? Don't know but it worked. I recommend that you experiment with bungee cords.

Better picture of the deer across the street this morning.

Your neighbor has a very realistic lawn ornament.

They certainly do! I bet they don't even know! I find deer droppings in my vacant lot, but so far, I don't have any apples for them to eat. They don't mind eating my cherry trees, carrot tops, and kale though. Also some years they eat tomatoes. Haven't checked my tomatoes this morning.... Hmmmm.

They certainly do! I bet they don't even know! I find deer droppings in my vacant lot, but so far, I don't have any apples for them to eat. They don't mind eating my cherry trees, carrot tops, and kale though. Also some years they eat tomatoes. Haven't checked my tomatoes this morning.... Hmmmm.

Concerning protecting seed from raccoons again. I think we hooked the bungee cords under the lip of the galvanized garbage can, then put the lid on and hooked the other side. Something else that might very well work for you is those rubber garbage cans that you have to twist to get the lid off. That might baffle them.

I had a friend who kept her cat food in tupperware tubs with the lid on. She also left her window open so the cats could go in and out at will. One night she awoke to a banging and crashing in the kitchen and was sure she was being burglarized. I don't know how she managed the courage, but she finally peeked into the kitchen and found a raccoon, throwing the tupperware containers on the floor as hard as it could in an attempt to get the food out. End of sleeping with window open.

Hahaha! Tupperware tossing...what a picture that paints in the mind! The big fella in the picture couldn't get into our yard (unless he knocked down the fence)....

We had a bungee over the lid btwn. handles and bricks atop that. The squirrels succeeded in damaging the bungee, so that gave the raccoon the opportunity to finish the job. We are out of food (need to hit Wildbirds, today) so no raccoons. We DID have two squirrels fighting over the remaining seed on the ground and around the area, this morning. We will try heavier bungees before moving the can (we aren't thrilled about losing more space in the garage).

No guns around here, though a beebee gun might work?? Still, you'd have to be an adequate shot to get the raccoon in a place that wouldn't do perm. damage. Maybe the sound would be enough?

I'm still trying to get my mind around rotweillers climbing a tree! ;) And what's a bronx cheer (can it be done in a NY minute)?

What about a Rubber twist off lid garbage can, mtnmama? Then you might not have to give up garage space. That 's what we have our dog food in, though it is in the garage.

The squirrels can get through anything rubber (or rubber-like). We started the whole "storing birdfood outdoors" thing with a rubber-like container. Only took a week before the squirrels had free access because they'd pummelled through the material so easily. And that thing wasn't cheap! We went with metal and it worked (but it takes bungees AND heavy bricks to keep 'em out).

If it was just a raccoon, I think that container would be the answer. Squirrels are being dropped in our area by some Denver residents and they are pretty savvy creatures when they arrive. (Humane Society, I'm told, tells the people to relocate the animals at least 25 miles from their property--we aren't that far but apparently we look like we need more squirrels, here). Anyway, the screw-on lid might just work---have you heard of it coming in a metal version???

OH...Vadap, the fish have proven smarter than we thought! We moved plants around in the nursery yesterday and I saw at least 8 of them! Hooray! Our bird feeder is on a metal pole and pretty easily moved--do I dare risk losing more fish?!

This is starting to sound like a movie... Isn't it called, "Over the Hedge?"

Nope--different actors. These do their own stunts!! We are considering names since this is still in the infancy stage of production. The "teaser" line is: Just when you thought it was safe to go to your bird feeder after dark....

I have never seen a metal garbage can with a screw on lid, more's the pity. You aren't just defending against raccoons. You are defending against all nature -- well, no bears or deer which are more in our department in Los Alamos.
My friends who have koi and a raccoon problem said the raccoon never succeeded in catching any of the koi. But they didn't like having them harassing them, so they put a radio out near the pond which they turned on at night. No station worked except country and western. The raccoons would not come around when that was on.

Well, we caught him in the act and got a picture:) My camera won't do night photos so I used the flash. This is the second pic (first wasn't clear)...and you can see he's looking at me. He'd been in the feeder and this is the getaway. He was back only five minutes later. I'm beginning to think a radio might be a good idea (but if he's hungry and causing no harm, part of me cannot bear to see him without food). sigh. A sucker is born every minute.

Do raccoons hibernate?

Ahhh!! Look at the bugger. Who me? he says. lol. Good picture Diane.

They do hibernate. Sort of. They sleep lightly and you can wake them. It's not a true hibernation.

Apparently racoons have a hard time understanding rules for caffeine consumption after 5 pm

Someone should teach them to read then she could post the rules of the yard on that fence.

Lol you two are too funny.

Be sure to find out which types of music they DON'T like.
Caffeine and certain musical genres = raccoons dancing on the fence.
Could result in a Raccoon Karaoke-fest...

You should have seen this critter get onto the feeder--MUCH bigger than a squirrel but pulling the same tricks! Part of my feeder (recycled plastic) was eaten when Merry refilled it, today. I would HATE to see this thing with caffeine onboard!!! It already dances...we've seen that;) We could play remixes (techno) and sit back to enjoy the show?

You could put it on YouTube!

you *must* add a disco light to your pond now!

The disco version of Rocky Racoon:
Rocky Racoon
By light of the moon
Dancing to tunes
In the backyard...

Everybody sing along! Get down, get funky! oh...gotta get that disco light in, first;)

lol- you are wierd! LOL!

You sound like my daughter, Pluto:) hahaha! (thanks for the compliment!)