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How to keep raccoons 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." |
How to keep raccoons away
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? |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
"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/ |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"Ann" wrote in message
... 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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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! |
How to keep raccoons away
"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? |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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 |
How to keep raccoons away
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How to keep raccoons away
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How to keep raccoons away
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/ |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. |
How to keep raccoons away
"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? |
How to keep raccoons away
On Mon, 10 May 2004 16:56:07 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ann" wrote in message ... 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. |
How to keep raccoons away
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. |
How to keep raccoons away
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. |
How to keep raccoons away
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. |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
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 |
How to keep raccoons away
On Mon, 10 May 2004 17:25:31 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote: "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. Where I live (a little north of Seattle, Washington) you have to pay for this service unless you can show they are injured or diseased. I had a family of 4 destroying my ponds last year and was told to either live with it or pay the cities subcontractor $300 to remove them. And keep paying about $75 per animal after that as new ones arrived to fill the created void. Tony |
How to keep raccoons away
I have no love for raccoons. They have killed too many of my pet ducks. They kill just for the fun of killing as they do not eat the meat. Dogs are fairly effective at chasing them but you want to make sure your dog is big enough that it will be the winner if it actually catches the raccoon. The Have-a-heart trap is good. However my idea is to submerge the trap in the swimming pool if you actually catch a raccoon. Dick |
How to keep raccoons away
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 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. He wasn't kidding about the sledgehammer. We had electric fencing in our pastures to keep the horses in, and a brush against a live fence was enough to knock a person on their butt. Not only does it hurt, but it kind of zaps your brain silly for a minute. Not fun. Lauri in WA I like my email spamless |
How to keep raccoons away
"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. *** Next time your aldermen or county council meets for budget deliberations, show up. When the animal control people put in for their appropriation, point out their dereliction of duty. Pack the gallery with your supporters if you can, with the press if they will send a reporter. Democracy in action.-Jitney |
How to keep raccoons away
"bill" wrote in message news:MPG.1b09eda2ef2138ea98970e@localhost... In article , says... "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? Electricity is electricity. Lightning is static electricty, but I wouldn't want to get hit with it. No, there's a difference. A static charge of 1000v will (in most cases) dissipate so quick you barely hear the snap, where 1000v ac or dc will kill you more than likely. Now that I think of it some, it may be that they *do* use static electricity for fences. Looked up electric fence on the internet. What I read doesnt explicitely say static charge, but they are talking about powering it with a low voltage battery so that does kind of imply a short lived charge. |
How to keep raccoons away
In article ,
says... "bill" wrote in message news:MPG.1b09eda2ef2138ea98970e@localhost... snip 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? Electricity is electricity. Lightning is static electricty, but I wouldn't want to get hit with it. No, there's a difference. A static charge of 1000v will (in most cases) dissipate so quick you barely hear the snap, where 1000v ac or dc will kill you more than likely. Now that I think of it some, it may be that they *do* use static electricity for fences. Looked up electric fence on the internet. What I read doesnt explicitely say static charge, but they are talking about powering it with a low voltage battery so that does kind of imply a short lived charge. Your static charge is DC. It's the same as the charge stored in a capacitor. It just happens to be created by friction instead of a battery or other mechanism. The zap you feel when you get charged up shuffling across a carpet then touching a door knob is just the electrons flowing from you to the door knob hence DC. It doesn't kill you because there isn't a lot of current flow for a long period of time. "Ampere. The unit of electrical current. Also milliamp (one thousandth of an amp) and microamp (one millionth of an amp). One amp corresponds to the flow of about 6 x 1018 electrons per second." So 1000v that only produces current flow for a millisecond is going to be felt, but that's about it because as soon as the current starts flowing there's nothing to keep it flowing and the voltage drops quickly. When you get hit with 1000v with a power source behind it that can keep the current flowing with out the voltage dropping your in deep doodoo. For the sake of argument, lets say your body equals 100 ohms of impedance: 1000v /100 ohms = 10 amps but since amps are a function of current over time and current flowed only for 1 millisecond you have to divide 10 amps by 1000 and get 10 milliamp equivalent. Enough to get your attention for sure. But rarely if ever fatal. See: http://www.t2.unh.edu/spring99/pg4.html for the effects of rising levels of current flow. The fences probably use a capactive discharge circuit. Bill |
How to keep raccoons away
"jitney" wrote in message Next time your aldermen or county council
meets for budget deliberations, show up. When the animal control people put in for their appropriation, point out their dereliction of duty. Pack the gallery with your supporters if you can, with the press if they will send a reporter. Democracy in action.-Jitney And you'll be laughed right out of the building. The AC people are hired. They do what they're told to do, they pick up what they're allowed to pick up. The aldermen are ELECTED. They are the ones who need to change the policy if the AC don't pick up wildlilfe. I used to be an animal control officer which usually means a glorified dog catcher. I was paid to pick up stray PETS. Because I also was a wildlife rehabilitator they said I could pick up wildlife but wouldn't get paid for it. Only reason I could legally pick up wildlife is because of my rehab license. Sue Northern Wisconsin |
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