# Raccoon deterrent?



## mx13 (Apr 8, 2007)

Turns out raccoons aren't just a nuisance if they knock over your garbage cans:
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/he...ts-resources/diseases-by-animal/raccoons.aspx

Unfortunately, we have known we have a raccoon latrine under the corner of our back deck for many years. Luckily, it's in a spot that is out of our way, but I definitely want to shut this down, now that I know it's potentially very harmful. 

Obviously, step one is going to be closing off access to the space under our shed, where they're known to nest, and remove a potential alternate den site. I might even try to trap those guys that are living in our yard, or hire someone to do that.

It sounds like that is unlikely to solve the problem completely, since animals that live in other peoples' yards will probably continue to come to our yard to crap. I seriously doubt I can get the entire neighborhood to join in a raccoon control effort, so I'm hoping to make my yard less attractive to them and get them to "go" elsewhere. 

Local stores sell several animal repellent products. Some claim to contain coyote urine, others have ingredients like putrescine that probably smell bad (hopefully more bad to sensitive animals than to us, but I could live with whatever for a while). If they were effective, I'd buy a huge amount of the stuff and blanket our lot with it. Does anyone know if any of these products actually repel raccoons?


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Not a pro, just my opinion. Anything you spread around to repel them will likely require a forever new application at some intervals as those neighborhood critters will always be around. Remove the habitat they like as you described AND check into trapping. Trapping involves killing or relocating which can have issues in some states.

local wildlife control might be able to help on all accounts and might take the neighborhood notification job off of your hands.

I have always had dogs bu also always had the occasional trash can tipped and sorted through.

Close neighbors or rural woods?

Bud


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Lime will often help in controlling the odor left by the critters.
I agree the more you do to prevent access the better.


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## mx13 (Apr 8, 2007)

Bud9051 said:


> Close neighbors or rural woods?


I live in a single-family neighborhood of Seattle. Lots are 7500 to 12000 square feet, mostly. So, lots of close neighbors...


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Does your town/city not have animal control provided by the city ? In my town, the AC dept. will come and set traps for the bandits and take them away.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Animal Control in WA deals with pets and livestock. 

They use licensed wildlife control firms to handle the wildlife problems, and their services are not free.

I think that is why he's looking for a more DIY approach.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

If he is allowed to trap and relocate or euthanize then he needs to start with a very substantial trap. I've see some of the less expensive ones destroyed by either skunks or more likely bandits. Since this is along term approach best to make a good investment right from the start.

Bud


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

From what I’ve heard, no trapping/relocation unless you are licensed. 

DIY efforts would be closing things off, keeping food or other attractants put away, using repellants, etc. 

Eliminating water supplies like pet bowls, fountains, fish ponds, etc, which can be attractants, also helps.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

A dog of the correct size and temperament or trap and release is my preferred method. Being I don't have a dog anymore the latter works for me.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Get a HavAHart trap at home depot along with a tarp. Bait trap with marshmallows. Once you catch him wrap the whole thing in the tarp and drive it far far away and release it in the woods.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Repellents repel, if at all, only temporarily.

Trapping, well, you trap forever. An old elderly friend of mine kept getting raccoons in the attic of his Euclid Ohio home, and so he trapped them. After 70 he lost count. 

The best solution is to get rid of whatever it is that makes the area a nice place for the raccoons to poop and pee. It might require fencing them off.


Maybe some pictures from various angles, with an overview of the whole situation?


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## Santa01 (Apr 15, 2021)

I think that you need to remove everything that attracts a raccoon and make a complete disinfection and I read on the Internet that coyote urine completely repels these carriers of infection, although even this did not help in my case. A pack of raccoons would often come to my yard and make a mess of my yard. Long not tolerating this disgrace, I immediately began to act, applying advice from the Internet, but did not act effectively. I had to call the service https://treasure-coast.aaacwildliferemoval.com/raccoon-removal the one who caught these harmful animals. The company managed, but it took time, but I was given advice on what to do in the future, what traps to set for them. If I hadn't, this outrage would still have continued.


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