Hi Moms,
I would like to hear some feedback about ho wto best remove racoons from under my deck.
I know exactly where they are under my large size deck, but can't and don't want to get to it. They all slept nice and cozy in my shed last winter and destroyed my chairs, so I made sure that door does not pop open anymore.
I can get a life trap and catch them, but then what?
Is there a law what to do and what not to do with these wild animals. I do have skunk too that I really do not care for much. I do not want them to get hurt. What is the best way to get rid of them?
thanks for your input and experiences in advance!
I've lived in my current house for 12 years and have had raccoon, opossum and skunk problems for about 12 years. It's a constant problem - but we have had some fun times watching the raccoons and skunks in the back yard at night from inside our family room so it hasn't all been bad. I like animals and don't want to hurt them either, but I don't like them living under my deck. For skunks, they are a constant problem in the neighborhood, and unless everybody gets rid of them at once, (i.e. trapping or just driving them away) they'll continue to circulate the neighborhood. I had four in my backyard on Saturday night!
My solution for skunks has been this: I don't feed birds much anymore, because that draws them to the deck. I had all the latticework replaced around my deck a year ago, yet this year they have ripped it up in places and come back. When I see them out at night, I open the door and shoo them away, and then I put ammonia-soaked rags near the holes by the deck where they get in. They don't like the ammonia smell and it does keep them away -- until a week or so later when they start digging at another side. Then I just put the rags there -- you can also use ammonia-soaked sponges. Another thing to try is to set out a radio by where they are and keep it tuned to a talk radio station so that they are driven away by the voices (they think people are there). I have no good place to set out a radio, but I have a friend who leaves one running in his shed year round, and he hasn't had skunk problems since he started that.
The raccoons I'm not so bothered by. I'd rather have them than the skunks. We also have opossums get under there too. I just try to keep up on repairing the holes they make and try to be thankful they aren't ripping at my roof and living in my attic. We did have foxes in the neighborhood last year and we all loved watching them and noticed that while they were around -- no skunks or raccoons were. Too bad there can't be more foxes!
(Just fyi, villages won't help you with the problem. They can't legally trap things for people. If you hire a trapper, they kill the animals they trap -- they don't relocate them. It costs a lot to hire a trapper. I think they charge about $200 a skunk for example )
the live traps don't really work. they are way too smart.
we had raccoons in our attic and basically they won't live where people are. so put a radio and light under there 24 hrs a day for like 5? days and they should find a new place to live. : )
Place ammonia soaked rags where they nest. They'll move because they cannot stand the smell.
Worked for us when we had a possum in our shed.
We had an animal control company from Lombard come and trap the raccoons at our house. They then supposedly take them at least 30 miles away and let them free. If not, they are smart animals and will find their way back to your home. They can cause a lot of damage to your house. Horrible animals --- even the zoo won't take them.
I had the same problem. I contacted DuPage County and they said to put rags soaked in amonia (tie them to a string and throw them in there so you can pull them out and resoak them if needed). Also put twinkling christmas lights down there and/or a radio. You can use one of those methods, but if you use all of them you can guarentee they will leave your deck asap.
Good luck!