# Racoons in crawl space



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

This is an ad but, I'm not using it that way, it has good information. Irritating music has been known to work.








Why Ammonia Won’t Keep Raccoons Away


Placing ammonia will only deter raccoons for a short amount of time. Once your ammonia infused rags dry up, you will still find raccoons in your home.




www.skedaddlewildlife.com


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Maybe the state DNR resource officers would remove and re-home them? (they do it on TV) I would find a way to remove them without hurting them. A baby racoon is probably the cutest little bugger you will ever see!
I know they are a pain, but find someone to take them out in the woods and release them.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Don't delay getting them out, they are very destructive. 

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


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## mynameisjonas (Jun 18, 2021)

I would call your local animal control. Worse comes to worse there are companies who will trap and haul them x amount of miles away. Last time I called it was about $300. The kicker is making sure you get them all. Depending on your location this is about when they birth yearly. Also if there is a mama there is a papa somewhere too.

As far as the other peppers/spices, they are not fans of this, but this is only a temporary "stay away" trick.

_DO NOT _try and trap and transport these in your own. Even though you are trying to do the right thing, you can be fined for transporting them without the correct license. Trust me on that one too.


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## YaterSpoon (Dec 1, 2016)

Trap the mama, then climb in and get the babies.


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## squared80 (Feb 18, 2021)

dj3 said:


> How to get rid of a mama racoon and 4 babes in a crawl space? It looks like they got in through a hole in a vent screen.
> A friend recommended sprinkling Habanero pepper and Cayenne pepper powder.
> Any effective suggestions?


Racoons are the dirtiest, nastiest pests you could have in there. They live and sleep in their own filth. However you get them out, get a hazmat crew up there immediately after!!!


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

In my area they have destroyed homes, caused thousand's of dollars in damage to boats and boat houses, have no mercy!


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@dj3 ouch, sorry to hear. I have a friend in Ohio with the same problem. My younger brother says to blast them with a BB gun, then put "dryer sheets" i.e. "Bounce" and the like, throughout the space to keep them from returning. He suggested putting the sheets in there anyway, if you don't want to blast them. Then, sealing the opening.

I've got some mice the cats can't get to I'm going to try that with.

Bounce Fabric Softener Dryer Sheet Outdoor Fresh (2 x 160 ct.) - Sam's Club (samsclub.com)


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

I want to thank everyone who made a suggestion and for sharing their experience.
As time is of the essence, I looked for Habanero peeper powder and Cayenne pepper powder locally, I only found Cayenne peeper, so I ordered Habanero pepper online. From reading about Habanero Chili pepper, it's 25 times hotter than Cayenne (on the hot scale), and most animals run away from the strong smell.
This house is tenant occupied, and my tenant, who reported hearing noises at night and seeing the family early one morning, is slow to communicate with me. I told him what the plan is to get the racoons out of the crawl space and hopefully he'll get with the program.
I will report back as I have more news.


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

DoomsDave said:


> @dj3 ouch, sorry to hear. I have a friend in Ohio with the same problem. My younger brother says to blast them with a BB gun, then put "dryer sheets" i.e. "Bounce" and the like, throughout the space to keep them from returning. He suggested putting the sheets in there anyway, if you don't want to blast them. Then, sealing the opening.
> 
> I've got some mice the cats can't get to I'm going to try that with.
> 
> Bounce Fabric Softener Dryer Sheet Outdoor Fresh (2 x 160 ct.) - Sam's Club (samsclub.com)


This Fabric sheets is a good idea. I will go to the house today and spread some fabric softener sheets in the crawl space.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

dj3 said:


> This Fabric sheets is a good idea. I will go to the house today and spread some fabric softener sheets in the crawl space.


Let me know how it works!


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

@Nik333, 
Thanks for the loud music idea. Some hard rock n roll might help.
I will tell the tenant to put a radio near a vent, and try it.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

How’s it working?


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## squared80 (Feb 18, 2021)

I think you're dragging this out too long. The longer you wait to get them professionally moved AND the have space cleaned, the more you are going to pay for it later.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

squared80 said:


> I think you're dragging this out too long. The longer you wait to get them professionally moved AND the have space cleaned, the more you are going to pay for it later.


In my experience, you never "get them moved" but only move the latest group before a new bunch moves in. We are mere islands in a sea of raccoons, in my experience. Even here in California. 

A friend of mine back in the 1970s in Cleveland Ohio had a guy trap raccoons that invaded his house. He lost count at 85 removed ("relocated" to southern Ohio). I hope the dryer sheet remedy works, no harm to anyone.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I put some peanut butter on a piece of cantaloupe rind and put it in a live trap. When I catch the critter, it gets a bullet in the head. I had critters digging under my shed. In the last 3 weeks I dispatched 3 woodchucks, a raccoon and an opossum.


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

I Just came back from that little house.
Last time I was there, I sealed all vents that needed some attention, except one, then I put a few dryer softener sheets is 3 locations, AND sprinkled a mix of Habanero and Cayenne pepper powder in 4 locations,
This morning the tenants said he didn't hear any noises coming from the crawl space since then and didn't notice the animals in the back yard...
Success? I would cautiously say: Not yet.
I will go there in a couple of days again, and sprinkle more powder, wait a day, and seal the last vent.
My guess is that the powder mix is so strong, that it overpowers the dryer sheets scent and that I could have forced the critters out right away.
Now I know why they call Habanero "chili from hell".
Chili pepper hotness is known as Scoville scale, and just to illustrate, Habanero is listed at 250,000 and Cayenne at 40,000. What these numbers represent wasn't explain.
All I know is that when I sniffed the powder while applying it, I almost got a cardiac arrest.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Pepper can work as long as it is fresh. A bullet in the varmint’s head is permanent.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Grind up a few Carolina Reapers and toss them in.


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

To close this post, the Habanero powder did it, the racoons left the crawl space.
All vents are now in good condition.
Trapping, transporting wild animals across counties (unlawful in Democratic controlled CA) and BB gun are all good, but the fresh scent of hot pepper was more effective and for less.
Next time, I'll introduce Carolina reaper powder.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

That's good to know about the pepper! I have a friend in Ohio with the same problem, except in his attic.


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## squared80 (Feb 18, 2021)

Did you get it cleaned out?


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## RockyMtBeerMan (Dec 12, 2018)

I sit out on the deck with them sometimes. The kids/kits are really comical. 😄


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