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OK, it's Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 417
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 7:09 pm: | 
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Forget mice, we have racoons! Our across-the-street neighbor has witnessed the entire family climb out from behind our soffit and climb down off the roof at night.
We've seen the racoons traipse through our back yard.
Our next door set a trap and caught a racoon and brought it to the south mountain reservation. The town loaned us a trap, and we're borrowing the neighbor's trap. I caught a baby and brought him to the reservation. There are more to be caught. Before I call a contractor to assess and fix the damage, how do I know if I'm done? I understand some racoons are smart enough not to go into the traps, so I might not be able to catch any more.
By the way, we've caught two squirrels and one cat in the traps. Poor things.
Boy, a trapped racoon is scary, and I had to CARRY him in a trap. When I opened the door, I jumped back REALLY FAST, and he ran forward fast, into the woods.
Tom Reingold
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jgberkeley
Supporter
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 3103
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 7:27 pm: |
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Learn to love them. I used bungee cords to lock my trash cans and compost box.
Now all the cridders have big arms and flex them when you confront them.
Give them a name and let them join the family.
Welcome to Maplewood. |
OK, it's Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 418
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 7:35 pm: |
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Um, no thanks. They're very cute, but they can be dangerous. And did you notice I said they're LIVING in my house? Or at least, they were. We've heard them scratching above our heads in our bedroom. They can do a lot of damage.
Tom Reingold
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Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 1884
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 7:54 pm: |
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Tom:
Be careful how you handle any raccoons you catch. Rabies is a continuing problem in Maplewood and several raccoons have tested positive for rabies in recent years.
The best way to keep raccoons out of your house is to remove any food sources they may be getting into. George is right about about tying down the garbage cans. An even better solution is to get an insinkerator (sp?) so that you reduce the amount of food which is getting into your garbage. It is also a good idea to feed any pets you have on a regular schedule and not leave their food out after meal time.
Loud music and bright lights also tend to encourage raccooms to pick up stakes and move elsewhere.
Good luck. |
vermontgolfer
Citizen
Username: Vermontgolfer
Post Number: 71
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 9:04 pm: |
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OK,
we may not agree but many things, but we're together on raccoons. Be sure you don't see then during the day, raccoons, by nature are nocturnal and generally if they are out during daylight that's a cause for concern. I would suggest a call to the animal control officer to see what advise he can offer to rid yourself of these critters.
Good luck! |
us2innj
Citizen
Username: Us2innj
Post Number: 830
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 9:09 pm: |
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Any hints on keeping them out of a koi pond. Several times in the last two weeks, the pond has been breached by (what I believe are) raccoons. In-pond plants have been overturned, and rocks in the water have been displaced. Fortunately, the koi count has remained constant. I guess they're able to hide or outswim the invader. |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 109
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 9:48 pm: |
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We thought we had squirrels getting into our house through holes in our roof. We called All Jersey Pest Control, and they installed one-way tunnels in about 3 different holes in our roof/fascia. They said they could tell by the type of hair near the holes that we had raccoons as well as squirrels.
We left the tunnels up for about 7-10 days or until we didn't hear critters playing tag in the ceiling of our attic office. Then All Jersey came back to seal up the holes for good using some sort of metal material.
It wasn't cheap, but our problem is gone, and we didn't have to deal with traps. |
OK, it's Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 421
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 11:44 am: |
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Thanks everyone! vermontgolfer, don't worry about our different places on the political spectrum. I rarely see that as a hindrance to "getting along".
My boss told me a friend of his had his house damaged to the tune of $15,000, so this is a serious matter. Good thing insurance covered most of it. So an exterminator will probably be well worth it. Then again, this friend of my boss's did not use an exterminator. Once he caught his sixth racoon, he didn't see any any more. I just caught my third last night. I dropped it off in the reservation this morning. It just happens to be right on my way to work.
Tom Reingold
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OK, it's Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 422
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 11:46 am: |
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By the way, we had a bat a few weeks ago, too. It flew in through the attic window, where my daughter was sleeping that night. It flew around the attic and then went down to the second floor. My wife happened to be on the toilet, and the bat flew in the bathroom and then back out. We haven't seen it, so it probably doesn't live with us. Welcome to Maplewood indeed!
Tom Reingold
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mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 1920
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 12:03 pm: |
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us2,
It could be a heron, there's a few over by me that cruise the stream, and I heard they also fish in backyard ponds.
There's nothing like spending your whole life in a BAR!
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JJC
Citizen
Username: Mercury
Post Number: 93
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 5:27 pm: |
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Pond - the Herons usually do not overturn plants, etc. That is probably the racoons. Koi are actually smart and as long as the pond is deep enough or they have somewhere to hide, they should be OK. Racoons do not like to swim - so if the fish are hard to get to, the racoon will move on. You can also put the black netting ovr your pond (usually sold where you would buy pond things) - but of course, that does not look very nice. Our house had racoons in the attic a couple of owners ago - there are scratch-marks all over the place and our cat (who is large and has managed to chase all of the racoons away from the pond at our former house) will not go up there... |
harpo
Citizen
Username: Harpo
Post Number: 916
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 5:49 pm: |
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Tom,
If you've seen bats in your house and are already dealing with raccoons, you should call a professional for help. You might try Humphrey's. They are in the phone book. Bats can have rabies in Maplewood (and raccoons can as well). They shouldn't be inside your house at all.
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papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 110
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 6:41 pm: |
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Yep, bats. Had one of those too. It came in through the hole in the bathroom ceiling that we punched to let the water out when we first realized the roof was shot. That was a fun first week in the house!
I learned about All Jersey Pest Control from 2 others on the jitney who had the same problem and recommended them. I don't know anything about Humphrey's, but it's amazing how many exterminators/pest control companies can't or won't deal with squirrels. |
harpo
Citizen
Username: Harpo
Post Number: 917
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 30, 2003 - 12:21 am: |
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Humphrey's removes squirrels with a Have-A-Heart trap.
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