Raccoons are smart.

[Kfults]

It sounds terrible, but I test stuff out on my toddler. If he can figure it out how something works and has the dexterity to actually do it most likely a raccoon can/will too.

Just had the mental image of testing the electric fence with a toddler. Redneck 101 toddler training

 

[lazy gardener]

Truth or consequences: "Now, Sammy... Listen to me. Don't touch that or you're gonna get hurt!" What's the next thing Sammy does when Mommy is not looking... or even if she is!

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Not as far north as Timmins. North east of Parry Sound on the Magnetawan river.

So you're pretty close to that big fire Parry Sound 33?

 

[Hopperkiller]

Truth or consequences: "Now, Sammy... Listen to me. Don't touch that or you're gonna get hurt!" What's the next thing Sammy does when Mommy is not looking... or even if she is!

Thats sounds like experience talking! But how many of us learned about electric fences that way? Brings back memories and chuckles.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

This was me, except when my mom turned her back it was my older brother saying, "I dare you to touch that."

Truth or consequences: "Now, Sammy... Listen to me. Don't touch that or you're gonna get hurt!" What's the next thing Sammy does when Mommy is not looking... or even if she is!

 

[MROO]

I am a new chicken owner. (I can see why they are such lovely creatures). We let them run free in the day but at night I have a secure coop surrounded by an electric fence on our rural property in Northern Ontario. Lots of predators. A big family of Raccoons keeps getting into the compound through the electric fence and testing the locks on the coop. Fortunately, the security is strong. I set up a camera to monitor the situation. Two days ago one of the animals got a shock and ran away. I felt good. Last night I noticed one climbed the tree, turned off the power and let his buddies in! All this time I thought it was me who stupidly forgot to turn on the power before retiring.

Sounds like it's time to coon-proof the coon-proofing!

 

[Folly's place]

I was standing in a creek next to a highway picnic spot, and grabbed this wire that was strung across it. BIG surprise! I don't think that I knew electric fencing existed, but I did find out that day.
Mary

 

[MROO]

It sounds terrible, but I test stuff out on my toddler. If he can figure it out how something works and has the dexterity to actually do it most likely a raccoon can/will too.

Raccoons have the problem-solving abilities of a two-to-three year old toddler, the dexterity of a concert pianist and the flexibility of a cat - definitely a dangerous combination!

 

[MissChick@dee]

It sounds terrible, but I test stuff out on my toddler. If he can figure it out how something works and has the dexterity to actually do it most likely a raccoon can/will too.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

I heard racoons can also jump 6' (or was it 8'?) vertically - so no no to a window 4' off the ground without extra protection

for the predator / bird visibility problem we added a non-see-through barrier at the bottom of our run

got hardwire cloth all around, secured with wood strips and screws or with big washers and screws, as others have suggested

even ended up closing our floor with hardwire cloth and cement in the end

we have racoons here, too - used to have e-fence and got livestock guardian dogs now they are the best!