Question
please help! i am at my wits end with a raccoon problem. they are nesting in my attic, tearing through my trash, attacking my cats and dogs and eating their pet food. i have tried capping my chimney to keep them out of the attic but they gnawed through the wire mesh. then i did away with the chimney and closed it up with heavy duty wood, which they gnawed through also. don't say to try metal flashing, as i have tried that too. they just managed to pop the screws and get in through peeling back a corner. they come onto my porch and into my yard all day long, not only at night. they have kept me prisoner in my home as i have tried to walk out my door and they sit there and growl at me. i have to feed my dogs and cats outside as they are outside pets due to my husbands allergies, as soon as i put the food in their bowls, here come the raccoons, attacking my pets and eating all their food. they do this everytime i feed my pets. all hours of the day. i live in the country in the woods so i see them in the trees and on my roof waiting for me to put out my pet food. i have purchased two very expensive trash cans that were guaranteed raccoon proof with locking lids, not so. they were in there the first night. i have tried puting 40 pound cinder blocks on top of my garbage cans to no avail. they still knock them off and get in. i am about ready to cry about this. i do not want to hurt them, my husband wants to shoot them. he constantly throws rocks at them to get them to leave but they just sit there getting pelted with rocks instead of running, and keep coming back. what should i do? i guess i am looking for a natural way to get rid of them, maybe a chemical that would repel them without hurting my pets? help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer
Hi Pam,

I think you need a two step plan.

1. Reduce the current raccoon population.

2. Set up a deterrent system to eliminate the remaining few and any new.

Personnally I destroy any animal that acts aggressive towards me or my animals. It is rare and unpleasant, but it has to be delt with to keep the overall peace. You never know if they are rabid and something is wrong when a small animal thinks a large human is not worth due respect. Alternately you could live trap them. As you well know they are tricky and strong. Use a cage trap built specifically to catch raccoon. Be prepared to cover the cage or they will scare the hell out of you when trying to move the cage. You have too many and they are behaving in an unnatural way. You must get rid of as many as possible. Choose your preferred method.

Once you have a minimal population, you can use a deterrent system to keep them and new ones away.  I make a very good electronic deterrent. It has a very high success rate with normal raccoon. "Fed" raccoon with a lot of day activity are not living a normal routine and these deterrents have a less than ideal situation or normal instincts to effect... they may not work unless you first thin back the current population and cease providing food.

 http://www.freewebs.com/walnut_creek_enterprises/

That's my approach and suggestions. I don't know of any chemical that would help your current high infestation.  You obviously can't use poison around your pets and while they are in your house. Scent repellents would have less chance of effect than my electronic deterrents.

Dan