More Coon Issues.

[edteach]

Well I started to take in the cat food at night. My out door cat and the feral cat food. This worked for a month but now I am catching the offending coons in the day time. I will have to live trap them and move them out in the country farther. Maybe I can collapse the colony. The thing is I put marshmallow on a wire hanging from the trap and they somehow get it and trip the trap and no coon. WTH?

 

[trudy1]

I’ve trapped a lot of racoons, some intentionally, some by accident. When you relocate them take them at least five miles away as their home range is at least five miles.

The racoon could be reaching through the trap wire a actually pulling the marshmallow through. They are very dexterous with those little racoon fingers! Or if the trap is rolled they trigger it and then pull the bait through the bars. They are very crafty and can even enter the trap, reach over the treadle, to get the bait.

I put bait in a small cat food can at the back of the trap just behind the treadle. I usually use cat food like canned Super supper. Then coat the treadle smearing it well. Make a trail of small 1/2-1/4 teaspoons of the cat food into the trap. Make sure the lever to the treadle is set at the most sensitive. Cover the trap top, sides and especially the rear with long grass, sticks, etc. to force him to enter around the front of the trap. You’ll get him. Be careful, wear leather gloves when handling and releasing him. Don’t block his escape when you open the trap door. They will flight rather than fight every time except if cornered.

I worked at a park up near chicago with real racoon issues. One night the site manager was awakened by two women campers banging on his door. They were in their tent asleep when the heard the tent zipper being unzipped! Turned on the flashlight to see a large raccoon at their door!

 

[Kieka]

I'd second the relocating them far away once you do trap them aspect. And that you have to almost wedge the bait food under the door at the opposite end. If I remember right, when we had a major raccoon problem, we'd wedge the trap into a corner so they couldn't roll it or move it with a heavy plant on top. Then put the food in the back corner so the only way to get it was to go in.

Luckily, we have a river bottom not too far from us so we'd release them down river 10 miles at least on the other side of the river. Nice little area where they were far away from us but weren't at risk of getting run over or causing mischief for someone else.

 

[trudy1]

A final thought about racoons and any other nuisance animal you’re trying to trap. They are there for a reason be it food, lack of predators, etc. so it’s whats called an attractive nitch. So when you remove that one chances are VERY good there are at least two more waiting in the wings to move in and take it’s place. In your case it sounds like it’s all about food. If you leave food out after your babies come to eat , even crumbs, they will come. I’m surprised you’re not having opossums and skunks as well.
Try, if possible, to establish a set time to feed, remove the food when they are through.

 

[edteach]

That is the thing. I did do a feed time. The coon started to come in just after the AM food set. Other than that I have no issue so far. But now they are coming in at the AM food dump

 

[trudy1]

You’re saying that you’re there when you feed the ferals and racoons come in as well? The racoons aren’t scared with you being there? How do your ferals react to them?

What I’m picturing is you put out the food at a set time and your ferals come to eat. But even with you there the racoons come to the same food at the same time and compete with the cats.

Sorry for all the questions but can’t quite grasp what you’re dealing with.

 

[edteach]

I feed the cats at about 7am and 4 pm then pull all food in about 7pm or dark. This AM around 7 I put out the food. I can to my porch door and the coon had eaten the out door cat food I put out for coal and was through the cat door eating Brindles food on the table inside the porch. I tapped on the window and he looked at me but when I opened the door he ran out. Its a bit bold.

 

[trudy1]

So you leave food out from 7 am until after you feed them at 4pm? I’m afraid even if you trap the racoon more will come but I would try that first.
If you still have racoons coming then you are going to have to train you cat babies to eat in your presence. You will have to call them in at 7 am, be there while they eat and then remove the food. At 4 pm call them in, feed them in your presence, and remove the food. You only need to be close enough to scare the racoons.

Hopefully the trapping will work and you won’t have anymore come. But you can’t leave food out either way.

Keep us posted on your success.