raccoon woes - so sad.

[Trampledbygeese]

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Thanks for the hugs.

I've been looking at Nite Eyes . I would love it. The problem is, I haven't found a trustworthy supplier who ships to Canada.

 

[Trampledbygeese]

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I've been chasing raccoons away from here so much. I'm fairly certain the injuries are the same as the dead animals - wing and leg pulled at, claw puncture wounds where it was gripped (like a small, clawed child's hand). It's just one side and the cocks have a good history of battling sky-monsters that I am confident it was a land-monster that got her. The chicken can hardly use that side of her body and if she is put in the standing position, promptly falls on her back again.

As we've inturrepted raccoons at various stages of consuming the creatures (I won't describe it here as I forgot to put a warning in the subject line), I am now familure with the order of what this particular gang of monsters do to the poor birds. It's a very bad death.

I wonder if I can Macgyver up a similar product to Nite Eyes to use around the place.

 

[tnchickenut]

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I've been chasing raccoons away from here so much. I'm fairly certain the injuries are the same as the dead animals - wing and leg pulled at, claw puncture wounds where it was gripped (like a small, clawed child's hand). It's just one side and the cocks have a good history of battling sky-monsters that I am confident it was a land-monster that got her. The chicken can hardly use that side of her body and if she is put in the standing position, promptly falls on her back again.

As we've inturrepted raccoons at various stages of consuming the creatures (I won't describe it here as I forgot to put a warning in the subject line), I am now familure with the order of what this particular gang of monsters do to the poor birds. It's a very bad death.

I wonder if I can Macgyver up a similar product to Nite Eyes to use around the place.

Well, in your case, it does sound like a "coon". I would check locally for nite guard. It works... they are solar powered too so the one time charge of the unit would last years. You do need more than one unit, though... to cover all the angles.


I don't know about rigging on that would be better... seems like alot of trouble. I think they are like $29 on amazon and if you get two shipping is free.

 

[Trampledbygeese]

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Shipping is free in the US. With Customs, shipping, &c. It's going to be around twice that price for me.

I found some Halloween toys in the local box-shop today. Not solar powered, sadly, but some have flashing red eyes and some have motion sensor with flashing red eyes. Maybe that would distract them from their routine tonight. They always pull the duck through the same place in the fence, so if I put the motion sensor there, it might give me a few days to make a more permanent solution.

 

[desertdarlene]

Can't help you out with your problem, but I'm sorry for the loss of your ducky. I hate it when this happens to personable pets.

I am amazed that so many wild and feral animals manage to survive when I hear stories about all the predators they have to deal with.

 

[unicornwy]

Has anyone heard of using different traps to catch the coons and had success with that??

For example: the trap set in a log that is discribed in "where the red fern grows" book?? Two large nails and a piece of tin in a hole?

My hubby said he heard of one where yo secure a jar and put something in it and works on the same principle....

Has anyone tried something similar with the coons that wont get caught in the catch a live traps??

 

[drumstick diva]

could you hot wire a section of the fence where you say they always get the ducks thru?

 

[aprophet]

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I constantly use traps to rid an area of coon for farmers, the way you describe with the nails is a terrible thing to do, using the right size trap is part of catching animals knowing how to set them is a lot of being successful. There are many different ways of setting the same traps. I use on a daily basis conibear traps, long spring and coil spring traps I use snares and cage traps they all have their place for the different situations I come across they all work well to capture and rid an area of the pests.

 

[unicornwy]

No the nails don't dig into their hands. What the book describes is a hole in a log and then two nails drove at an angle. you drop a piece of tin in the bottom. The coon then puts his hand down through the nails and grabs the tin. The nails are close enough together that the coon cant get out with the fistful of tin. If they would let go they'd get out but apparently they wont let go.

We have too many other animals around here that would get caught in the other types of traps that I wouldn't want to use them.

Our coon got caught in one of our catch a live traps last night and bent the door to get out. I went out to check and had a mangled trap. Apparently I need to get a bigger trap. In the meantime what are the chances of the coon being dumb enough to get caught again the same way??

 

[Stevo]

Coons are easy to catch with a little enginuity. You need an open 55gal drum, a plank, a pole, and a large coffee can. Place the 55gal drum near your coop. Run the plank up to the rim of the drum. Take the pole and run it threw the coffee can so it will roll. Attach both ends of the pole to either side of the drum. Fill the coffee can with bait.

Coon goes up the plank and walks out on pole. As he is trying to get at the bait in the coffee can it rolls dropping him into the 55gal drum. For bigger coons use a bigger can like a stove pipe.

Dispatch the coons DO NOT RELOCATE THEM.

This works on a smaller scale for mice, rats. or any varmit that climbs.