Does the raccoon repellent work?

[bennettare]

Hello everyone there...

I live in Hamilton with my family. Before settling here,  I had read somewhere that hamilton is the epicenter of a raccoon  rabies outbreak. Now I'm facing it here.  I can't shoot the thing plus I have no desire to kill it, I just want it to move out. Anyone know of a good way to motivate raccoons to leave?

My mom wants me to hire an animal trapping service providers to throw them out of the house. But my friends are recommending me to use the raccoon's repellents. My worry is, after using the repellents what if they don't die or never go out of my house. I want a permanent solution to this. 

 

[gearjammer]

Can you close up the holes that they are getting in through?

That would be the first part of the solution.

Why not try the repellent and it will work or it won't.

If it does, great, if it doesn't, you move on to other things.

 Ed

 

[tripleq]

My experience with them is as long as there is something you have on your property, food or shelter, they will continue to come. Thinning the population either by eradication or trapping and transportation is the only thing that works but its not a once and done thing. It will be an ongoing maintenance thing. If you wish to pay someone to remove them, be prepared to have them back. Coons are pretty smart so if you are going to take up trapping them, my advice is you might as well make a game of it because they will drive you nuts if you take it personally.

Repellents haven't worked well for me unless you consider lead a repellent. 

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Lead repellant. A well placed 22cal pellet works good

Good one

 

[gearjammer]

Have you got any friends that might consider letting you

borrow a good coon hound?

  Ed

 

[gr0uch0]

I agree with the lead repellent option, but doesn't sound like that's an option.  I also agree with what Ed and Q Cubed said.  First, find out what's drawing the thing(s) in:  they'll eat almost anything, so any garden, trash, deer corn, bird food, etc. that they can get their hands on, they will.  I know elderly folks who'll put scrap food out for the wildlife, and then it comes back to haunt when the critters they're feeding start terrorizing their homes--outside and in.  Next, if they're in the house, find out where they're gaining access, and button that up.  If you're going the self-trapping route, better check with local animal control to see if you can transport whatever you catch miles away from the home:  different locales have different regulations, and some take a dim view of you unloading your "problem" somewhere else.  You don't want to trap and release close by, as the "problem" will resurface again in short order, rest assured.  Good luck.

 

[LanceR]

Hamilton where?  New York, Ontario, somewhere else....which Hamilton, please?

You can add me to the list of folks who think that a firearm or a Duke dog-proof raccoon trap combined with a firearm are the best raccoon repellents going.  I have no experience with commercial repellent so I can't help you there.  We did used to have a Labrador-Rottweiler cross dog who was Hell-on-Wheels as a raccoon repellent in her own right though.  Best darn farm dog we ever had......

Every state with which I am familiar licenses nuisance wildlife control folks and the money spent to hire one is generally well spent.

As I see it you have more than one issue.  They are; what is attracting them, how are they getting in and what can you do about both of those issues?  Racoon are curious and adaptable omnivores.  In the right circumstances they'll eat anything and they don't need a very big opening to get in either.  They could be there for food, shelter, cover from other critters or any combination of those things.  That's part of where a nuisance wildlife pro can really help out by showing you what to do to make your place less attractive.  Like bats, once they are present the urine and feces they deposit is a signpost guiding other raccoons to the area so you have some cleaning up to do after dealing with the critters you already have or you'll have more coming.

Rabies tends to come in waves specific to a given species (generally when that species is at a relatively high population level) and since rabies is invariably fatal, if an area had a significant rabies issue in racoons last year or the year before that doesn't mean there is a significant issue with rabies in the species this year. 

If you think you have the slightest chance of having a rabid animal on your hands contact your state wildlife agency or local health department.  Rabies is no joke.  If you are exposed to rabies and become symptomatic you WILL die.  Rabies is 100% fatal for symptomatic victims. 

If I may ask, why are you asking this question on a BBQ website instead of calling your state wildlife agency or your health department?

Lance

 

[schlotz]

DOG..Dog...dog......d.o.g...... 

 

[John123john]

What about Havahart Critter Ridder 3146 bro? I hear that this methods are very good. Some information about this product:
"According to the manufacturer, this blend of peppers of different kinds is designed, among others, to repel raccoons from the attics, basements and other enclosed spaces of the building, as well as from the garden. It works through the odor and taste aversion, therefore, the solution has a wide range of usage. The product is available in the form of granules which are considered to be more resistant to rain and more durable than sprays. In particular, the effect of this very solution is said to last more than a month."

 

[SmokinAl]

We have a Haveahart trap & if you catch a raccoon, animal control will come out & take it. I don't think they kill them, I think they are just relocated. But be ready to catch a lot of other animals too. I have caught squirrels, cats, possums, & even a blue jay.
Al