Do you think it could be rabbits or possum , rabbits often have nests in
gardens, possum dig, Racoons climb. Find the hole under the fence and
close it , running fencing 6" below grade will stop entry, for moles
get 1/2" opening.
A motion detector, battery operated , rotating sprinkler head that
shoots a sharp spray is someting ive seen for sale that would run them
off..
Sprays and chemicals just wash away.

Sharpen your spade and make a "slot" into the ground all along the bottom of
the existing fence. Insert fence wire as deep as possible, and attach the
top of the wire to the chain link fence. This still leaves the top of the
fence vulnerable though, and raccoons can definitely climb.

A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your local
animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

Another suggestion I've heard is to plant prickly stuff around the crops
that interest the raccoon. Zucchini and other squashes have abrasive stems
that some raccoons won't step through. And, you didn't mention how far your
fence is from the garden. If it's possible to plant shrubs that'll end up
being 3-4' in diameter, and still leave room for YOU to work, you might
consider barberry. Nothing gets past that bush without severe lacerations.
That's why birds hang out in them and laugh at the cats.


"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @

char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

On 10 May 2004 14:34:32 GMT, Ignoramus15189 wrote:
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Why, to teach him how to make your problem someone else's? Whose problem
do you intend to make these creatures? "Well, Junior, they're only a
problem if they're in _our_ yard, so we'll take them 'out to the country'
so someone else can deal with them" kind of thing, or what?

Ignoramus15189 wrote:
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
Sharpen your spade and make a "slot" into the ground all along the
bottom of the existing fence. Insert fence wire as deep as possible,
and attach the

I am sorry for my stupid question, but what is fence wire?

top of the wire to the chain link fence. This still leaves the top
of the fence vulnerable though, and raccoons can definitely climb.

that's upsetting that they can climb.

They live in trees. They are also very good at opening gates and
latches. They can quickly learn to turn standard door handles. They are
not too good at picking locks, but some primates can do that.


A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your
local animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

I can get weird too, I am not afraid of raccoons. I would just trap
them and release then a few miles away. The issue is, are there so
many local raccoons that trapping them is a waste of time? Do they
migrate? For example, obviously, trapping birds is a waste of time
since they propagate everywhere. But, if I could trap, say, 3-5
raccoons, would it actually help?

Some areas, like were I live, do not allow you to release a raccoon that
you might trap. I also suggest lots of miles. However it will not really
help. If they like the area and there is food, they or others will be back.



Another suggestion I've heard is to plant prickly stuff around the
crops that interest the raccoon. Zucchini and other squashes have
abrasive stems that some raccoons won't step through. And, you
didn't mention how far your fence is from the garden. If it's
possible to plant shrubs that'll end up being 3-4' in diameter, and
still leave room for YOU to work, you might consider barberry.
Nothing gets past that bush without severe lacerations. That's why
birds hang out in them and laugh at the cats.

no space for that, unfortunately.

i


"Ignoramus15189" wrote in
message ...
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured.
@ @ @


char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"Ignoramus15189" wrote

forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.


Maybe not in the way you intended. First of all check out your state and
local regulations, it may be illegal to trap and release game animals.
Second, even if it is legal, you are merely transferring your problem to
another area for someone else to deal with, and can very well also transfer
diseases such as parvo, rabies and scabies along with the coon. Third, in
the long run it won't even matter 'cause a new population will move in to
take over the void left by removing the current residents.

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

Check out both the web site and order their excellent fencing catalog for
ideas.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/store/fencing.html

Skip


Skip & Christy Hensler
THE ROCK GARDEN
Newport, WA
http://www.povn.com/rock/

In article ,
"The Rock Garden" wrote:

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

To my knowlege, elect. fences are simply the only reliable technique.
period. The only remotely secondary solution is to build a complete cage
around things, and ... racoons are damn good at defeating stuff like
that. Any garden/hardware store should have everything one needs.

Of course, this is just making the racoon someone else's problem... :-)

..max

--
the part of
was played by maxwell monningh 8-p

In article ,
"Joseph Meehan" wrote:

that's upsetting that they can climb.

They live in trees. They are also very good at opening gates and
latches. They can quickly learn to turn standard door handles. They are
not too good at picking locks, but some primates can do that.

ahem.. cough [tap tap] THEY HAVE HANDS!!!

..max

--
the part of
was played by maxwell monningh 8-p

On Mon, 10 May 2004 14:33:59 +0000, Ignoramus15189 wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

that's upsetting that they can climb.

Very well ... trees, downspouts, whatever. As already mentioned, they're
good with their paws. Saw one open a foam cooler, and then the screw top
on the jar of jelly he selected. And in areas where they're used to
people, lights and/or radio don't work. What about keeping a dog in the
fenced area at night?

A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your
local animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

I can get weird too, I am not afraid of raccoons.

Unless you live in a rabies-free area, it would be foolish not to be
cautious. Even non-rabid raccoons can be fiesty if they're cornered. So
if you're involving a child in this, be sure he understands that he should
not approach one by himself.

I would just trap them
and release then a few miles away. The issue is, are there so many local
raccoons that trapping them is a waste of time? Do they migrate? For
example, obviously, trapping birds is a waste of time since they
propagate everywhere. But, if I could trap, say, 3-5 raccoons, would it
actually help?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Depends on how many there are around. It would be
bad form to release on private land without permission.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
Sharpen your spade and make a "slot" into the ground all along the
bottom of
the existing fence. Insert fence wire as deep as possible, and attach
the

I am sorry for my stupid question, but what is fence wire?

Galvanized wire screen that you buy in rolls. It's available with openings
of various sizes. It'll be obvious which size to get.


top of the wire to the chain link fence. This still leaves the top of
the
fence vulnerable though, and raccoons can definitely climb.

that's upsetting that they can climb.

It's not upsetting to the raccoons. :-)


A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your
local
animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

I can get weird too, I am not afraid of raccoons.

In order to release an animal from a Havahart trap, your hands will be right
ON the trap as you open the end. You didn't say whether you've seen raccoons
on your property during daylight hours, but if you have, it's assumed they
may be rabid. Animal control people may have equipment which allows them to
keep a little more distance during the release.

Besides...if you have to "get weird" to keep from being bitten, it might
mean hurting the animal.


The issue is, are there so
many local raccoons that trapping them is a waste of time? Do they
migrate? For example, obviously, trapping birds is a waste of time
since they propagate everywhere. But, if I could trap, say, 3-5
raccoons, would it actually help?

Beats me. I lived in a semi-city neighborhood where we'd only see one or two
per year. No idea what your area is like. Take a walk, look for other
vegetable gardens, and knock on the owners' doors & ask them.


Another suggestion I've heard is to plant prickly stuff around the crops
that interest the raccoon. Zucchini and other squashes have abrasive
stems
that some raccoons won't step through. And, you didn't mention how far
your
fence is from the garden. If it's possible to plant shrubs that'll end
up
being 3-4' in diameter, and still leave room for YOU to work, you might
consider barberry. Nothing gets past that bush without severe
lacerations.
That's why birds hang out in them and laugh at the cats.

no space for that, unfortunately.

Too bad. It's fun to watch dogs crash into barberry bushes.

"Max" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Joseph Meehan" wrote:

that's upsetting that they can climb.

They live in trees. They are also very good at opening gates and
latches. They can quickly learn to turn standard door handles. They
are
not too good at picking locks, but some primates can do that.

ahem.. cough [tap tap] THEY HAVE HANDS!!!

.max

They also have a sense of humor. While camping in the Catskills many years
ago, my wife & I watched as some knucklehead set up a screen house, and
inside it, two sets of collapsible plastic shelves onto which he placed what
appeared to be enough snacks for an army. Lots of chips, cookies, cereal,
etc. The ranger warned the dummy about wildlife, but I guess he decided the
ranger didn't know what he was talking about. Around 2:00 AM, there was lots
of crashing & interesting animal sounds. Two raccoons had bitten through the
screen and knocked over the shelves. When the guy got up the nerve to come
out of his tent, the creatures were still inside having a feast, while they
watched the guy run around outside the screen house yelling. The feast
continued for about an hour until the ranger finally came over and urged
them (with a stick) to go elsewhere. He then evicted the camper.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes & gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.

"Ann" wrote in message
news
What about keeping a dog in the
fenced area at night?

No! Bad idea! The dog will dig in the garden or crap all over it. Bad, bad,
bad.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , The Rock Garden wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote

forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.


Maybe not in the way you intended. First of all check out your state
and
local regulations, it may be illegal to trap and release game animals.
Second, even if it is legal, you are merely transferring your problem to
another area for someone else to deal with, and can very well also
transfer
diseases such as parvo, rabies and scabies along with the coon. Third,
in
the long run it won't even matter 'cause a new population will move in
to
take over the void left by removing the current residents.

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a
garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter
would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

Check out both the web site and order their excellent fencing catalog
for
ideas.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/store/fencing.html

I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

You've been watching too many movies. Farmers use electric fences all the
time for livestock large & small. You haven't seen many electrocuted cows or
pigs, have you? An electric fence produces a nasty tingle. We're not talking
about a prison.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.
--
There are now more raccoons in urban areas than there are in "the
country". The access to garbage and pet food and lack of real predators has
caused a population explosion. The ****ONLY**** method that will work and
work well is to install an electric wire. It's cheap enough since you
already have the fencing. You'll need the standoffs for a wire around the
bottom and one around the top. You can probably do it for less than $75
with stuff you can buy at the co-op.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...


I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

You've been watching too many movies. Farmers use electric fences all
the
time for livestock large & small. You haven't seen many electrocuted
cows or
pigs, have you? An electric fence produces a nasty tingle. We're not
talking
about a prison.


an electric fence is a non starter, period.


You're no fun.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.



Animal Control here WILL NOT deal with anything but dogs and cats and the
occasional potbelly pig. Raccoons are *wildlife* and therefore non-domestic
and not their problem. If you have an injured one, the state wildlife guys
will direct you to a vet and foster parent, but they don't deal with them
either unless they're possibly rabid, and since that's not happened since
sometime in the 70's, you just get told to call a pest control firm who'll
charge you big bucks and still not solve your problem.

If the original poster and his child are too stupid to install an electric
wire like was recommended, then let him deal with no fish in the fish ponds
and no veggies in the garden and several ER bites from trying to trap them.
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

Ignoramus15189 wrote:
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.

Might want to give one of those electric-eye-operated sprinklers a shot. I've
used 'em to keep cats out of flowerbeds and herons out of small ponds. Never
tried with raccoons, but not too many animals (except ducks) like to be squirted
with a stream of water.

Get a bobcat. (a real bobcat, not the tractor kind.)

Hope this helps, :-)
Bob

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to
enlist
your local animal control people?

I hate spending money on various contractors. Hiring contractors is an
unbelievable waste of time and money.

Are we on the same planet? I'm referring to your TOWN'S animal control
department. I've never heard of those people charging a citizen for removing
an animal.


The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

roftlmao, I hope to avoid it.



You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.

does it actually work? I kind of like the idea.

Try it yourself. Sprinkle some on the counter and press your paws into it.
Now, rub your eyes, pick your nose, and if you're really brave, go take a
leak. If there's enough sweat on your hands to cause the essence of the
powder to be released, your pecker will be in a world of hurt for a few
hours. If you like the results, head over to a supermarket that sells spices
in the bulk department. Lock & load!

"Sunflower" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to
enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.



Animal Control here WILL NOT deal with anything but dogs and cats and the
occasional potbelly pig. Raccoons are *wildlife* and therefore
non-domestic
and not their problem.

Hmm. They were more than happy to come over to my house to remove a raccoon
that was wandering around the yard in broad daylight. Is it possible that
animal control departments are different from one place to another? Would it
hurt to call and ask?

"Sunflower" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to
enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.



Animal Control here WILL NOT deal with anything but dogs and cats and the
occasional potbelly pig. Raccoons are *wildlife* and therefore
non-domestic
and not their problem. If you have an injured one, the state wildlife guys
will direct you to a vet and foster parent, but they don't deal with them
either unless they're possibly rabid, and since that's not happened since
sometime in the 70's, you just get told to call a pest control firm who'll
charge you big bucks and still not solve your problem.

If the original poster and his child are too stupid to install an electric
wire like was recommended, then let him deal with no fish in the fish
ponds
and no veggies in the garden and several ER bites from trying to trap
them.
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll
actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...


Are we on the same planet? I'm referring to your TOWN'S animal control
department. I've never heard of those people charging a citizen for
removing
an animal.

Oh, I see. I became confused. I called animal control department of our
village a couple of weeks ago, and they said that they would not help
with raccoons.

Perhaps they'll only help with raccoons if they're spotted during the day,
which usually means they're rabid.

Doug Kanter wrote:

My brother had a group that use to stop by his house and let his cat out
so they could all play together. They never bothered anything, but the cat
had fun playing follow the leader with them.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

On 10 May 2004 18:18:55 GMT, Ignoramus15189 wrote:
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:

Are we on the same planet? I'm referring to your TOWN'S animal control
department. I've never heard of those people charging a citizen for removing
an animal.

Oh, I see. I became confused. I called animal control department of our
village a couple of weeks ago, and they said that they would not help
with raccoons.

They won't let you shoot 'em, but they also won't take care of them
for you? That's inconvenient.

My thinking is, buy this cayenne pepper powder, get some food
leftovers, sprinkle with CPP, and leave for raccoons to try. That
could probably dissuade them from visiting my property. I could use
CPP on my garbage bins, as well.

That or you'll find that they like it

I would rather not sprinkle CPPon the garden, as my son plays with it
(he "owns" some of the plants and likes to sprinkle water on the
garden). But, if raccoons are smart enough to avoid a whole yard if
they have enough trouble on it, I will be fine!

Let us know how it turns out. Might end up with a bunch of chilihead
racoons.

Ignoramus15189 wrote:


Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.

Flippin' governments. Take the fun out of everything. ;-)

Ignoramus15189 ) wrote:
: I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
: somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

Here's the advice I hear frequently on "You Bet Your Garden" with Mike
McGrath:

Dig a trench two feet deep around your garden, and put 6 foot tall
wire fence into it. No burrowing animal burrows deeper than two feet.
Use stakes to support the fence, and fill in the trench. You now have
four feet of fence above ground and two feet of fence below.

Don't secure the top foot of the fence to the stakes. Instead, bend
it outwards at least 45 degrees.

Now you have a fence that burrowing creatures can't burrow under, and
climbing creatures can't climb over. When they try to climb, they
have to hang upside down from the unsecured part of the fence, which
bends under their weight and drops them on the ground.

The only way a critter can get through such a fence is by jumping over
it, knocking it down, or going through it.

I've never tried this myself, but it sounds reasonable.

--- Chip

"Adam Russell" wrote in message
...
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll
actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant
hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but
somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I
know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.



Don't let your kids wear wool socks on a low humidity day...imagine what
would happen if they discovered they can shuffle around the house and zap
each other with a few thousand volts. A typical static electricity shock is
about 2000 - 4000 volts.

Of course a amperage involved is so low, that aside from the surprise, no
damage is done. Ever taken a weak 9v battery and tapped it against your
tongue? A fresh battery hurts a little, but a weak one gives a little
tingling sensation.

A consumer grade electric fence is harmless, it will give a mild shock, but
nothing dangerous. I couldn't find the specifications online, so
guestimating, if an electric fence transformer draws 120v A/C @ 1 amp, the
output would be 4000 v A/C at .03 amp.

That's just a mild shocker, pretty safe..if it was D/C on the otherhand is a
different story.


Sameer

In article ,
says...


snip
I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.




Voltage doen't kill you, current does. You get hit a lot of
voltage when zapped with static electricity, but very little
current.

Bill

In article ,
says...

snip
A consumer grade electric fence is harmless, it will give a mild shock, but
nothing dangerous. I couldn't find the specifications online, so
guestimating, if an electric fence transformer draws 120v A/C @ 1 amp, the
output would be 4000 v A/C at .03 amp.

That's just a mild shocker, pretty safe..if it was D/C on the otherhand is a
different story.


Sameer



Doesn't matter whether it's A/C or D/C.

Here's a reference:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/eleccurrent.html

Bill

In article ,
"Doug Kanter" wrote:

A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your local
animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

EZ way to get rid of the coon is to take it (in the trap!) to your local
coon dog hunter. It'll help train his dogs to coons.

--
free men own guns - slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

"Snooze" wrote in message
. com...

"Adam Russell" wrote in message
...
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll
actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant
hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but
somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how
much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I
know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.



Don't let your kids wear wool socks on a low humidity day...imagine what
would happen if they discovered they can shuffle around the house and zap
each other with a few thousand volts. A typical static electricity shock
is
about 2000 - 4000 volts.

Of course a amperage involved is so low, that aside from the surprise, no
damage is done. Ever taken a weak 9v battery and tapped it against your
tongue? A fresh battery hurts a little, but a weak one gives a little
tingling sensation.

A consumer grade electric fence is harmless, it will give a mild shock,
but
nothing dangerous. I couldn't find the specifications online, so
guestimating, if an electric fence transformer draws 120v A/C @ 1 amp, the
output would be 4000 v A/C at .03 amp.

That's just a mild shocker, pretty safe..if it was D/C on the otherhand is
a
different story.

You dont know much about electricity it appears. Static electricity is
completely different from transformer electricity. When you get a shock
from static electricity it is 2-4k for only an extreme fraction of a second.
I dont remember how short exactly (1ms comes to mind), but it is the brevity
that saves you. As it swiftly runs out of electrons the voltage falls to
zero. Power out of your wall does not fall off. At all. That 120v will
deliver 1mA or 15A depending on the resistance of what you are powering and
only limited by your circuit breaker or fuse. If you were to put a penny in
the fusebox it could deliver 1000's of amps with no problem except that the
wires would get hot. So putting it through a transformer will not reduce
the amperage available to any safe amount. 4000v will kill you, and it
matters not whether it is DC or AC.

Now as to the matter of electric fences, when I was a child my grandpa told
me to stay away from the electric fence surrounding the cow field. He said
it would kick me like a sledgehammer. He could have been pulling my leg,
but I imagine that anything meant to coerce a cow would hurt a human. OTOH,
a raccoon is not a cow. The question is open whether you could make a fence
with enough jolt to keep out racoons but not enough to hurt 3 year olds. I
personally doubt it.

"bill" wrote in message
news:MPG.1b09865a96075c6c98970b@localhost...
In article ,
says...


snip
I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I
know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.




Voltage doen't kill you, current does. You get hit a lot of
voltage when zapped with static electricity, but very little
current.

Yes but they dont use static electricity in electric fences, do they?

On Mon, 10 May 2004 16:56:07 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:

"Ann" wrote in message
news
What about keeping a dog in the
fenced area at night?

No! Bad idea! The dog will dig in the garden or crap all over it. Bad,
bad, bad.

Not if the dog is trained. When I lived in the city, where most houses
had postage-stamp back yards, the majority had at least a couple tomato
plants AND a dog.

On Mon, 10 May 2004 16:56:11 +0000, Ignoramus15189 wrote:

I have enough critters to take care of (a 3 yo kid and 2 chickens and a
fishtank). A dog to keep the 'coons away is a hassle, and, I cannot have
a dog live inside the house due to allergy.

OK.

I am sure I can come up with a safe release procedure, such as, I would
be in the bed of the truck, and release the raccoon from a lowered trap,
or whatever.

I relocated som opossums and it went fine. Placed the trap so when I
opened it, the critter was facing toward some brushy cover.

I would release them in a forest preserve.

Unless you're sure it isn't prohibited, be stealthy about it.

About an electric fence ... Assuming yours are standard raccoons, they'll
raid the garden at night, so it wouldn't be on during the day. I wouldn't
put one outside the chain link in an urban area in any event, but it
should be possible to attach one to the top with some kind of angle
brackets (pointed in). The raccoons would get zapped on the nose when they
come over the top of the chain link.

On Mon, 10 May 2004 14:41:03 -0700, Adam Russell wrote:

Now as to the matter of electric fences, when I was a child my grandpa
told me to stay away from the electric fence surrounding the cow field.

He never showed you how to take a stalk of timothy, start by holding the
end and touching the other end to the fence ... then shortening the
distace between your hand and the wire until you felt the electricity?

He said it would kick me like a sledgehammer. He could have been
pulling my leg, but I imagine that anything meant to coerce a cow would
hurt a human. OTOH, a raccoon is not a cow. The question is open
whether you could make a fence with enough jolt to keep out racoons but
not enough to hurt 3 year olds. I personally doubt it.

Dairy cattle are more sensitive than humans to electricity. "Stray
voltage" that humans don't notice can decrease their production. My REC
(rural electric company) will come out and check the barn if a problem is
suspected. With any animal, you want them to touch their nose (wet and no
hair) to the fence. A trick with bear is to hang bacon from the wire.

I wouldn't have an electric fence positioned-so and/or on-when a 3-year
old could get to it. But, worst case, it could certainly hurt, but I
don't think harm him/her. An additional precaution is to use a battery
operated fence to limit the amperage in case the tranformer malfunctions.

Oh, for cryin' out loud....

I grew up on a farm, and as kids we grabbed the fence tons of times when we
thought it was off. It hurt like hell, but it didn't kill us. Just sent us
crying to mom.

Ig..don't know what state you live in, but in PA the Game Commission will
remove nuisance wildlife at no charge....

Jennifer
"Adam Russell" wrote in message
...

"Snooze" wrote in message
. com...

"Adam Russell" wrote in message
...
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll
actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant
hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but
somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

I'm pretty sure it takes more than 9v to scare off a racoon. So how
much
voltage would you use that would do the job but not hurt the child? I
know
you can die from as little as 50v. Even less if you got imaginative.



Don't let your kids wear wool socks on a low humidity day...imagine what
would happen if they discovered they can shuffle around the house and zap
each other with a few thousand volts. A typical static electricity shock
is
about 2000 - 4000 volts.

Of course a amperage involved is so low, that aside from the surprise, no
damage is done. Ever taken a weak 9v battery and tapped it against your
tongue? A fresh battery hurts a little, but a weak one gives a little
tingling sensation.

A consumer grade electric fence is harmless, it will give a mild shock,
but
nothing dangerous. I couldn't find the specifications online, so
guestimating, if an electric fence transformer draws 120v A/C @ 1 amp, the
output would be 4000 v A/C at .03 amp.

That's just a mild shocker, pretty safe..if it was D/C on the otherhand is
a
different story.

You dont know much about electricity it appears. Static electricity is
completely different from transformer electricity. When you get a shock
from static electricity it is 2-4k for only an extreme fraction of a second.
I dont remember how short exactly (1ms comes to mind), but it is the brevity
that saves you. As it swiftly runs out of electrons the voltage falls to
zero. Power out of your wall does not fall off. At all. That 120v will
deliver 1mA or 15A depending on the resistance of what you are powering and
only limited by your circuit breaker or fuse. If you were to put a penny in
the fusebox it could deliver 1000's of amps with no problem except that the
wires would get hot. So putting it through a transformer will not reduce
the amperage available to any safe amount. 4000v will kill you, and it
matters not whether it is DC or AC.

Now as to the matter of electric fences, when I was a child my grandpa told
me to stay away from the electric fence surrounding the cow field. He said
it would kick me like a sledgehammer. He could have been pulling my leg,
but I imagine that anything meant to coerce a cow would hurt a human. OTOH,
a raccoon is not a cow. The question is open whether you could make a fence
with enough jolt to keep out racoons but not enough to hurt 3 year olds. I
personally doubt it.

Ignoramus15189 pontificated wisely
that:

In article , The Rock Garden wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote

forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.


Maybe not in the way you intended. First of all check out your state and
local regulations, it may be illegal to trap and release game animals.
Second, even if it is legal, you are merely transferring your problem to
another area for someone else to deal with, and can very well also transfer
diseases such as parvo, rabies and scabies along with the coon. Third, in
the long run it won't even matter 'cause a new population will move in to
take over the void left by removing the current residents.

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

Check out both the web site and order their excellent fencing catalog for
ideas.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/store/fencing.html

I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

Given that the racoons are nocturnal you would only need to turn the
fence on at night when presumably your 3yr old would be inside.


I can second the recommendation for Premier. Their customer reps are
very helpful and knowledgable. I called when I was setting up fencing
for our goats planning on getting a fancy combination of electric twine,
HT wire, fiberglass line posts, metal corner t-posts and a solar-battery
energizer. After asking what I wanted the fencing for their rep
suggested electric netting, some plastic corner posts and an energizer
with 9v alkaline battery. Saved me a bunch of money and I've been very
happy with the system.
Kevin Miller
(rot13)
http://www.net1plus.com/users/miller9

Ignoramus15189 pontificated wisely
that:

I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.

Check out an airgun: Not the Daisy bb gun many had as a child, but an
adult pellet gun (www.straightshooters.com). Don't know about where you
are but here in MA firearms are highly regulated to the point I cannot
use one on my 12 acres, but an airgun is not considered a firearm and
has very little restriction. Check your local reg because some U.S.
states and towns, as well as other countries, do restrict airguns
significantly.

Also be sure to carefully check your local hunting regulations. Many
places, including MA, have an "exemption" to the hunting season rules
that give property owners the right to destroy wildlife in the act of
causing damage or threatening personal safety.

Good luck.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}" ;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

Kevin Miller
(rot13)
http://www.net1plus.com/users/miller9

Are you sure it is raccoons? We have a fairly large veggie garden and
there are lots of raccoons around, but they don't damage the veggies.
Des

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in
message ...
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @
@ @

char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p
,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

On Mon, 10 May 2004 20:54:32 -0400, styxx374 wrote:
Oh, for cryin' out loud....

I grew up on a farm, and as kids we grabbed the fence tons of times when we
thought it was off. It hurt like hell, but it didn't kill us. Just sent us
crying to mom.

Ig..don't know what state you live in, but in PA the Game Commission will
remove nuisance wildlife at no charge....

Me too, Northern Tier. I did see them drive by with the bear barrel once,
but I wouldn't hold my breath for them to remove anything else.
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=458&q=160709