Can a raccoon reach through hardware cloth?

[sunflour]

Can a raccoon reach their hands through 1/2 inch hardware cloth?

I have read this in 2 texts, but really thought it was a type error. But, really want to know if anyone has seen it happen?

 

[earlybird69]

i dont think they can reach threw it, but when i was younger my mom had chicks in a raised coop with hardware cloth floor and raccoons grabbed their toes and pulled the chick's legs off. we had one that lived and grew up and had a long life but she only had one leg.

 

[sunflour]

i dont think they can reach threw it, but when i was younger my mom had chicks in a raised coop with hardware cloth floor and raccoons grabbed their toes and pulled the chick's legs off. we had one that lived and grew up and had a long life but she only had one leg.

Do you mean the pulled toes were sticking thru the wire and were pulled? How awful.

 

[tcstoehr]

On this forum I read of small raccoons squeezing through 2x4" welded wire. So it seems to me odd that even a larger raccoon could not reach just a paw through a 1/2" opening. But based on my reading extensively through the BYC Predators/Pests forum, hardware cloth does appear to have a good track record of preventing reach-through attacks by raccoons. I will continue to rely on it for this purpose.

 

[aart]

A small one might be able to put part of their hand thru a 1/2 x 1/2 opening, but not very far.

 

[tcstoehr]

And BTW, hardware cloth is not all that expensive, at least so much as I thought. Just don't buy it at the local hardware or feed stores. They don't have very good size options and they are frightfully expensive.
I just bought a 2'x100' roll of 1/2" hardware cloth on ebay for $80, including the free shipping.

Hardware Cloth on ebay

 

[aart]

My local small town Ace Hardware ordered me in 1/2" x 4' x 100' for $115.

 

[tcstoehr]

My local small town Ace Hardware ordered me in 1/2" x 4' x 100' for $115.

Really? I wasn't aware you could get it locally that cheap. I may have to drive across the river to Wilsonville and check out their Ace hardware store.