# DIY mama raccoon outta chimney flue



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Your community animal control should know what to do, and your tax money has already paid for this service.

I would call them, and permanently attach the cover after they have moved out.

ED


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Keep the trail camera going. Be sure to not use your furnace/boiler and drop a long heavy duty rope down from the top and secure it. If babies are big enough to get around they may be big enough to climb out. The fule by itself may work for mama because she can push against the sides but the little ones are too small.

Animal control might approach from the cleanout at the bottom. Do check to be sure that door is closed as she may be nesting in the basement instead of the chimney.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Mother racoon will physically move them if she feels they are threatened and too small to get out on their own. She will transport them in her mouth.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Smoke them out, don't make the mistake of grabbing one, those hind legs will cut you long, deep, and continuous.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

Took us three days to get a raccoon out of a heat duct system when I was a kid.
Set a trap with a can of sardines. The critter will come running.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

I called in a pro.. I have to travel for the next week and just as soon have that thing and the babies gone when I get back..

For reference it'll run me about $300 depending on the number of babies..


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Quick story. BIL had a raccoon in his attic and it destroyed the place, insulation totally ripped up. So, wanting a bit of revenge as well as getting rid of the critter he went up there with his 357 loaded with bird shot. He learned too lessons.
1. Never discharge a 357 in an attic, he went deaf for several minutes.
2. Bird shot just creates a lot of blood and makes a big raccoon very mad.

I'm not sure how he ended it but I'm sure he would have preferred your approach, maybe next time.

Bud


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

1) paying taxes doesnt mean you have the privelege/right to use the local city animal control dispatch- here, you have to pay yourself for "pest" problems.
2) $300? I understand- you had to get it done, but a $3 gallon of Ace hardware Industrial strength ammonia would have vaporized them out. And with no long term harmful effects.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

papereater said:


> 2) $300? I understand- you had to get it done, but a $3 gallon of Ace hardware Industrial strength ammonia would have vaporized them out. And with no long term harmful effects.


I appreciate that you see the value of not harming wild animals. Just for the record, not sure that ammonia doesn't cause long term effects.

https://www.stearnspkg.com/images/sds/bulk/EXTRA-STRENGTH-AMMONIA-VV-WL90-SDS.pdf


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

papereater said:


> 1) paying taxes doesnt mean you have the privelege/right to use the local city animal control dispatch- here, you have to pay yourself for "pest" problems.
> 2) $300? I understand- you had to get it done, but a $3 gallon of Ace hardware Industrial strength ammonia would have vaporized them out. And with no long term harmful effects.


Well so they can't physically remove them so they are going to dump a bottle of smelly crap down the chimney ... Guess I coulda saved myself $200 and just pissed down the flue... Or gotten that $3 gallon of ammonia...


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

Nik333 said:


> I appreciate that you see the value of not harming wild animals. Just for the record, not sure that ammonia doesn't cause long term effects.
> 
> https://www.stearnspkg.com/images/sds/bulk/EXTRA-STRENGTH-AMMONIA-VV-WL90-SDS.pdf


For the record, I can tell you that ammonia does not have serious long term (or even short term) side affects. besides, are we really concerned if that **** comes down with circulatory problems when he reaches the ripe old **** age of say, 9 years?? I think not. 

Ammonia is one of the least hazard bases known in science. It is a Packing Group III for DOT haz shipping, the least of all hazard classes. Chemically , it is classified as a weak base. Very short term affects........


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

ryansdiydad said:


> Well so they can't physically remove them so they are going to dump a bottle of smelly crap down the chimney ... Guess I coulda saved myself $200 and just pissed down the flue... Or gotten that $3 gallon of ammonia...


No!! Don't be cheap! Spend the $3.Pee does not smell as bad- it will have no effect!! Even after it decomposes down to ammonia (amines in pee break down to ammonia) it will be very dilute ammonia!!! STUDY!!


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

papereater said:


> For the record, I can tell you that ammonia does not have serious long term (or even short term) side affects. besides, are we really concerned if that **** comes down with circulatory problems when he reaches the ripe old **** age of say, 9 years?? I think not.
> 
> Ammonia is one of the least hazard bases known in science. It is a Packing Group III for DOT haz shipping, the least of all hazard classes. Chemically , it is classified as a weak base. Very short term affects........


Did you even read the SDS? If you are concerned about wildlife, and especially if there are babies, how can you not be aware that their eyesight can be irrevocably affected by Industrial Strength ammonia? Lets put you in a chimney with Industrial strength ammonia & see how you feel coughing, choking & unable to see. . . that's not very humane, it's torture.

I'm not saying that a raccoon can't be a risk. I was worried when there was one in the attic, clawing at the attic opening & the possibly of a panicked raccoon falling down into the inside of the house, definitely, had me concerned. But, I'd also be concerned about how children watching would be affected by treatment of an animal.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Without going back through the thread, is there a clean-out door at the bottom? 
Mama may be able to push herself against the sides to gain traction to climb out, but the babies (assuming they are there) may not be able to do so and mom may not be able to climb and carry them. Really easy to lower something down there to act as a ladder for all to climb out. This time of your they would be happy to leave if you give them a chance.

Bud


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

They are in the flue for the water heater... Any sort of potential access is actually inaccessible due to how close the furnace is to the chimney... 

The babies are putting up a good fuss right now so I expect mom is getting them on their way out.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Raccoons are a little advanced above humans in this respect. Mama needed a few days to locate the kids another home rather than living under a bridge. What are you going to do if they all die in the pipe?


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

SeniorSitizen said:


> What are you going to do if they all die in the pipe?


You said it. Based on the quiet for the past few hours now I expect they are all gone. Will get up there ad place the cap back on lightly and check back tomorrow to see if its been moved.. But I expect she has moved on.


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

Nik333 said:


> Did you even read the SDS? If you are concerned about wildlife, and especially if there are babies, how can you not be aware that their eyesight can be irrevocably affected by Industrial Strength ammonia? Lets put you in a chimney with Industrial strength ammonia & see how you feel coughing, choking & unable to see. . . that's not very humane, it's torture.


I Dont read sds's, I CREATE them, EVERY DAY. 

I KNOW ABOUT AMMONIA! aND i KNOW ABOUT SODIUM HYDROXIDE, AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID, AND GLACIAL ACETIC ACID, AND CYANIDE, AND CHLOROFORM, AND aRSENIC, AND MERCURY, AND LEAD, AND ABOUT ANOTHER 200-300 CHEMICALS. yOURE OUT OF YOUR LEaGUE HERE. The English Poet ALEXANDER POPE SAID A LITTLE LEARNING is a dangerous thing. 

I didnt mean to suggest to dump a gallon down there and drown them in ammonia. Of course, one need to use common sense, squirt a bunch. The **** will hate the smell, and get the kits out, hopefully, but of course, whenever one deals with PESTS (this forum IS on pests, correct??) one takes chances. The OP should take a chance, or submit to a **** family. 

You did not critisize post #5 for suggesting to "smoke them out" with smoke, which, unlike ammonia contains tiny particles of burnt debris, which clogs the alveoli in the lungs of any mammal. Ammmonia is short term, and all evaporates within minutes. 

Your smug comment about my 'torture" is also pathetic and hipocritical. With so many poisons on the market at HD and other stores targeted for pests you are smug about avoiding harming/killing/"torturing" animal pests. 

I bet you think Its OK to "torture" a rat with arsenic/metaldehyde poison/bait, but not cute squirrels, or cute baby *****. Theyre both mammals, and us humans have only arbitrarily deemed that its OK to torture rats/mice, but not *****, squirrels, etc etc.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I don't know how you know my science background, since I have never stated it fully on DIY. Too much schooling isn't widely respected on here. Experience is. 

I do not poison rats/mice, I have cats. I rather like them from a distance. The cats like them, too.

I do know that the people that wrote the old MSDS or the newer SDS write as few negative facts as they can get away with. After all they are paid to do so. I'm not sure which part of "serious eye damage" you don't understand, but this isn't the CBR. It isn't the place for grandiose self-serving statements.

The OP seems to be a reasonable man.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Sorry for being a few days late, hadn't read this thread, but a contractor was demolishing a local abandoned commercial building this spring, discovered a fox den with young ones, contacted the proper authorities, and they did as papereater suggested; set some ammonia just inside the entrance to the den and the mother moved them that night. As far as I have heard, no harm done.


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## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

we had a **** once... once.... called animal control, they wouldnt do anything until it became a danger to our kids or pets. They suggested getting bobcat urine, sprinkle a bit on a cotton ball and put at the corners of my lot. Did just that, but anyone that knows me knows i go overboard. My lot was at the end of a culdesac, pie shape, huge back yard. I decided to 'sprinkle' the remains of said urine along my lot line just to get rid of it... raccoon was gone next day. in fact, a bunch of us neighbors were sitting around putting a few beers back when we all determined none of had seen ANY wildlife, including rabbits, birds for a while (I assume at least since I did the urine thing anyway) - but I didnt rat myself out, My **** was GONE!


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

KPDMinc said:


> we had a **** once... once.... called animal control, they wouldnt do anything until it became a danger to our kids or pets. They suggested getting bobcat urine, sprinkle a bit on a cotton ball and put at the corners of my lot. Did just that, but anyone that knows me knows i go overboard. My lot was at the end of a culdesac, pie shape, huge back yard. I decided to 'sprinkle' the remains of said urine along my lot line just to get rid of it... raccoon was gone next day. in fact, a bunch of us neighbors were sitting around putting a few beers back when we all determined none of had seen ANY wildlife, including rabbits, birds for a while (I assume at least since I did the urine thing anyway) - but I didnt rat myself out, My **** was GONE!


Where do you get bobcat urine in California?

There is something to the wildness. My part wildcat cat is 1/3rd the size of the red tabby but she gets attacked by dogs & cats. I think they don't like the unknown wild part.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

You might check with your Game and Fish office.

They will also be able to tell you any applicable regulations concerning the use of the Bobcat urine.


ED


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

It's on Amazon :vs_bulb::vs_worry:


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## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

Nik333 said:


> Where do you get bobcat urine in California?
> 
> There is something to the wildness. My part wildcat cat is 1/3rd the size of the red tabby but she gets attacked by dogs & cats. I think they don't like the unknown wild part.


forgot to mention, was when I lived in Iowa 12 years ago. Humane society had it


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

Does any one know if they sell Mt Lion or African Lion urine in Washington DC? Like to see what happens if I pour out about a quart on each floor where congress resides. We could only get sooooo lucky.

I have 2-3 diff types of spring traps [does not hurt animal. As mentioned, if you put sardines in the trap, you will catch the critter. Just make sure it set for the target animal and isolated from other dogs, cats, etc.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Is that urine Skunk repellant.

I wonder because skunks eat the foulest things off the roads, as well as the floors of Congress is often covered with Bull Stuff.


ED


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