Can possums or raccoons break into pet carriers?

[sphinxface]

Im keeping my hen, who was recently attacked by a possum, in a small pen with a small pet carrier for a house/nest box area. I plan to at least close her into the pet carrier at night, but I don't want her to be harrassed by that possum or anything else while she's healing.

Would it be overkill to put her and the carrier in the shed at night, or would she be safe in the cat carrier?

 

[MeepBeep]

Yes, a raccoon can open a pet carrier, and/or grab in through the bars and pull the chicken out in pieces...

 

[sourland]

Although I doubt that an opossum could get to her in a pet carrier, a raccoon with it's dexterous hands might. I would put her in the shed at night.

 

[Folly's place]

A very large airline crate and a very good door latch system would be okay, but small? NO WAY! Mary

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Just wire some hardware cloth over the door. That's what I did when busting a broody in the run. Cut hardware cloth to size and use small length of wire and pliers to twist secure the mesh to door. There's no way a raccoon can open any pet carrier I've seen but certainly can reach in. It a gamble if the bird sleeps next to door or not.

 

[scrambled please]

Better safe than sorry, I've lost my share of girls thinking they would be ok. Put her in the shed!!!

 

[MeepBeep]

There's no way a raccoon can open any pet carrier I've seen

That is a bet I would not personally gamble on...

A very good read on how smart they are at manipulating latches and locking mechanisms, and even combinations of multiple latches...

http://www.jstor.org/stable/1412576?origin=crossref&seq=16#page_scan_tab_contents

 

[sphinxface]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I will be less drafty in the shed too since shes now missing all of her hind feathers

 

[Folly's place]

Another issue is the size of the openings between the bars of the cage door compared to the size of the new chicks. If a new baby can get out, it will, and won't ever get back to mama. Mary

 

[sphinxface]

She was up on the perch in the pen last night, I felt bad taking her off but I also felt better knowing she was safe. I need to get over feeling things like that I think. When our other chicken was sick she was on special water meds and couldnt be with the others even though she really really wanted to. Its hard keeping them isolated when they are social creatures