City Man with a Suburban Problem (Raccoon) (1 Viewer)

[fantasycurse42]

I know I have a raccoon going through my garbage at night, and being that I'm just in a short term rental for another 1.5-2 months means I don't want to do anything too drastic to solve the problem, but I do want to try and solve. Every one of my friends says just call a pest control company, but I have time right now and this could be an entertaining use of my time. 

Tuesday morning I woke up around 6am and went for my morning jog while still pitch black (usually it isn't until 7-8am when it is light). I came to my driveway from the front of my house and the dumpster rat aggressively hissed at me. Not gonna lie, I was startled and don't want to take the thing on with my bare hands (really don't want to take it on at all). I went back inside, grabbed a massive butcher's knife and walked down my grass to the street for my jog, left it in the mailbox for when I return (this isn't really a good solution lol, but wtf do I know about raccoons).

Sometimes I fall asleep on my float in the pool and don't want to encounter this thing at 2 or 3 am while getting up to go inside. He could prob rip right through the lanai.

I have no experience with this and need help. Here are images and my potential solutions, anyone with raccoon experience please help.

Driveway with cans

He comes through the backyard through here along this path

Possibly through here from neighbor's yard (house is unoccupied), but also possibly from the other side (see aerial photos)

Aerial views:

Directly behind my house is an unfinished vacant vacation condos area 

Mostly cleared with some woodlands to the right      (higher shot)

I suspect, but don't know if that small woodlands area is where he stays during the day (to the top right of this photo)

Everything I read about trapping it says I should know his path to be successful.

The garage is just a game room which we don't really use. If I started leaving my garbage inside there, would he try to find his way in the house, or just move along? That's one solution... The other is this and baiting with marshmallows.

Please help, I don't want to worry about my little kids encountering this thing and they play a lot in the field behind our house. 

 

[TheWinz]

Call this guy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxd7EiDn1cA

 

[comfortably numb]

AJ.. is that you?

 

[Angry Beavers]

sleep with his wife

 

[Ron Swanson]

Simple answer - Just put a couple weights or cement blocks on top of the cans.

More fun - capture the racoon in a live trap like you posted, give it a flea bath and adopt it into your family. They are highly intelligent critters that are very trainable. Once you get past their instinct to claw you to death they can make great pets. Sand fleas make a great training treat that they love.

Or just shoot it.

 

[ChiefD]

Mostly cleared with some woodlands to the right      (higher shot)

Man, you could set up a sweet BMX track back there. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Mostly cleared with some woodlands to the right      (higher shot)

Is that a greenhouse behind your house?

To answer your question (with a question) what time does the garbage men come? It seems like your up early enough to drag the cans out in the morning at which point the racoons would be retreating (even if it's still a little dark) or elsewhere where the cans were left out overnight.

I have the same issue and started bringing out in the morning which solved it.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Simple answer - Just put a couple weights or cement blocks on top of the cans.

Will this stop him from coming by? That's my main objective. Development I'm in has around 100 houses, about 80-85 are currently vacant... Feels like my trash can is a central source of his food right now. 

 

[fantasycurse42]

Is that a greenhouse behind your house?

To answer your question (with a question) what time does the garbage men come? It seems like your up early enough to drag the cans out in the morning at which point the racoons would be retreating (even if it's still a little dark) or elsewhere where the cans were left out overnight.

I have the same issue and started bringing out in the morning which solved it.

They only come once a week, which exacerbates the problem. I don't want to encounter the thing, and I really don't want my kids to encounter him. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

They only come once a week, which exacerbates the problem. I don't want to encounter the thing, and I really don't want my kids to encounter him. 

The Raccoon wants no part of you unless you corner it or otherwise threaten it.

 

[fantasycurse42]

The Raccoon wants no part of you unless you corner it or otherwise threaten it.

Is this a fact?

He appeared very aggressive when I encountered him the other morning... I moved very quickly without turning my back to him back inside.

 

[Pinkerton]

Driveway with cans

Open that garage door, put the trashcans in the garage, shut the garage door.  Done.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Open that garage door, put the trashcans in the garage, shut the garage door.  Done.

That was my thought in the OP. Will he stop coming by after a few days with no cans there? 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Is this a fact?

He appeared very aggressive when I encountered him the other morning... I moved very quickly without turning my back to him back inside.

Unless it's rabid (and they're usually out in the day) it's highly unlikely it's going to attack a person.

Animals have survival instincts - there are no doctors in the woods. An injury means they're likely to die. They would likely avoid a fight with a smaller dog that they could realitstically tear apart because they do not want injuries. Now if you corner it or go after it, that's a different story.

 

[Pinkerton]

That was my thought in the OP. Will he stop coming by after a few days with no cans there? 

Yes. He will just wait until trash day for the buffet to reopen. 

 

[Ron Swanson]

Will this stop him from coming by? That's my main objective. Development I'm in has around 100 houses, about 80-85 are currently vacant... Feels like my trash can is a central source of his food right now. 

No access to food = no raccoon. He isn't making a social visit.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Yes. He will just wait until trash day for the buffet to reopen. 

My reading shows their smart creatures, that was echoed in here as well. Would he try to find a way into the garage?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know nothing of raccoons. 

 

[Pinkerton]

My reading shows their smart creatures, that was echoed in here as well. Would he try to find a way into the garage?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know nothing of raccoons. 

No, he will try to find another trashcan. 

 

[Ron Swanson]

My reading shows their smart creatures, that was echoed in here as well. Would he try to find a way into the garage?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know nothing of raccoons. 

Only if you give him a remote.

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

Simple answer - Just put a couple weights or cement blocks on top of the cans.

More fun - capture the racoon in a live trap like you posted, give it a flea bath and adopt it into your family. They are highly intelligent critters that are very trainable. Once you get past their instinct to claw you to death they can make great pets. Sand fleas make a great training treat that they love.

Or just shoot it.

I hear this post in Swanson's voice.

 

[arrow1]

That grass needs work

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

Coworker started using live traps and taking them 4 or 5 miles away from his house and releasing them into the woods.  

 

[parasaurolophus]

Start putting lots of hot dogs in the trash. I read a first hand account that they wont eat those.

 

[fantasycurse42]

That grass needs work

I just use it as an outhouse. 

 

[eoMMan]

How did it end for the FBG with the raccoon, the small dog, and his fleshlight(s)?

 

[WDIK2]

I went back inside, grabbed a massive butcher's knife and walked down my grass to the street for my jog, left it in the mailbox for when I return (this isn't really a good solution lol, but wtf do I know about raccoons).

I hope you didn't let the raccoon see you put that knife in the mailbox.    

 

[LoadLetterPaper]

My Subaru is in the shop. Had a little fender bender a couple weeks ago. Should have it back Friday

 

[Dan Lambskin]

@John Bender

 

[Soulfly3]

buy a 20$ critter proof garbage can (rubbermaid).. they cant open it.

end story. trust me.

theyll try and then leave u alone

 

[Ron Swanson]

You get this critter under control yet?  The pics look like some generic suburban Hellscape outside of Orlando, so I'm only an hour away.  Let's trap that sucker tomorrow night and livestream it to amuse these hooligans.  I've got a trap, plenty of guns, duct tape and rope so we should be set. Don't worry, I'll wear a mask. 

 

[ProstheticRGK]

You get this critter under control yet?  The pics look like some generic suburban Hellscape outside of Orlando, so I'm only an hour away.  Let's trap that sucker tomorrow night and livestream it to amuse these hooligans.  I've got a trap, plenty of guns, duct tape and rope so we should be set. Don't worry, I'll wear a mask. 

How long would you smoke a raccoon, and what temp? peach or hickory?

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

My reading shows their smart creatures, that was echoed in here as well. Would he try to find a way into the garage?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know nothing of raccoons. 

Only if you give him a remote.

That trash panda's got fingers.  If your garage has one of those keypads, he could work out the code.  Then you're toast.

 

[JaxBill]

You get this critter under control yet?  The pics look like some generic suburban Hellscape outside of Orlando, so I'm only an hour away.  Let's trap that sucker tomorrow night and livestream it to amuse these hooligans.  I've got a trap, plenty of guns, duct tape and rope so we should be set. Don't worry, I'll wear a mask. 

Don't forget gloves - for the critter not the virus. They're nasty vicious rodents. Anybody who ever says how cute they are has never accidentally surprised one.

 

[rustycolts]

Here is a thread on one mans struggle with the beasts.

https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/771229-raccoons-are-ruining-my-life-trash-and-pulled-off-a-near-impossible-feat-least-night/?tab=com

 

[beef]

buy a 20$ critter proof garbage can (rubbermaid).. they cant open it.

end story. trust me.

theyll try and then leave u alone

I paid $150 for mine and I can guarantee it's bear proof.  Also proven to be snow plow proof.

 

[NREC34]

I had the same problem. Raccoon was getting in my trash can and some bags of aluminum cans I save for recycling. I live right next to forest in a place where strangers want to drive through my property at midnight so they can go chase raccoons for fun, but I digress. 

What I did was use a trap to catch him alive then the next morning I put him in the back of my car and let him loose about 10 minutes away from my house. Have not had a problem since. 

I have had a new animal problem the past few days. Birds. They all the sudden want to constantly fly into the glass on my back door and while they’re there, they apparently think it’s a great time to poop. I just tried taping newspapers so they aren’t seeing a reflection of themselves and so far it might be working. Always something...

 

[The Z Machine]

What about a bowl of antifreeze next to the trash can?

 

[Ron Swanson]

How long would you smoke a raccoon, and what temp? peach or hickory?

Pffft.  Everyone knows you spatchcock and smoke raccoon with dried mangrove root at 225 until tender in the backstrap.