Subject: Raccoon damage

From: [email-masked] (Ed Fenton)
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 95 19:31:00 -0500

We are looking for some help w.r.t. to discouraging a raccoon family
from destroying ours , and our neighbours' lawns. We all back on to a
creek and a raccoon family has lived in a nearby stormwater pipe for the
17 years we have been here.
However, last September they decided that the white grubs in our lawns
were just too tasty to ignore (we had a particularly bad infestation
last year). During the period from Sep. to early Dec.the raccoons dug up
about 3000 sq.ft of lawn in my garden alone. One neighbour's back lawn
is totally destroyed. They do a neat job but it gets very tedious
replacing 2-300 sq.ft of turf about 4 times a week.

We have received the following advice:
1. Treat the lawn and eliminate the grubs. (I treated my lawn with the
usual mixture of insecticide and fertiliser sold at nurseries). So this
was not sufficient.
2. Trap them. However, these are street smart raccoons and we might not
get anymore after the first one.
3. Have the lawn treated professionally. The only neighbour in the group
with little damage has this done. I have always resisted this form of
chemical warfare and would prefer to find another solution.
4. Spread bloodmeal around. This had a very limited effect.

We have a motion detecting security light that they turn on, but it
doesn't discourage them from their task.

So we need a solution that will break the habit that the raccoons have
developed, and is preferably environmentally correct (although my
resolve is being severely tested).

Are there any natural remedies - nasty scents, sounds (I know from
experience that R&R music will drive them from a chimney), etc., or do I
have to buy a dog.

I was prompted to post this today because this AM I went out and they're
back. We had a small amount of excavating last night.

Any help will be most appreciated.

Ed Fenton
====================[email-masked]=========================
Ed Fenton
Burlington, Ontario
Canada
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From: [email-masked] (Bob Beer)
Date: 21 Mar 1995 15:24:24 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>usual mixture of insecticide and fertiliser sold at nurseries). So this

If you can really get rid of the infestation, then that will work.

>get anymore after the first one.

True.

>doesn't discourage them from their task.

Nah, raccoons are too smart for this.  They have found a food source and 
they will remember it year to year, and unless there is some constant 
discouragement they will try again from time to time.  Once they realize 
a "threat" is not a threat, they will ignore it.

>àààà

Well..it better be a big dog.  A raccoon can be a *really* nasty and 
dangerous animal when it has to fight.

I would say use an electric fence.  That would work.  Not much else would 
unless you eliminated the attraction.

I had a problem with raccoons ripping up my carnivorous plants (pitcher 
plants) to get at the insects trapped inside.  One day beautifully formed 
leaves, the next, a pile of ribbons.  The only thing that worked was to 
place mouse traps all around the planting boxes.  I kept resetting them 
and they learned in two days and I had no more problems.  However you 
would need a *lot* of mouse traps to use this method.  :)  

bob

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:25:42 GMT

>====================[email-masked]=========================

Try spreading ground pepper on the lawn.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:25:42 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Alice Ramirez)
Date: 24 Mar 1995 14:41:19 -0800

I like the mouse trap idea, although I adore racoons.  Did I ever tell
you about the time raccoons raided my picnic table up in Big Sur?
(Well, for you, DOWN in Big Sur)