How do you get racoons to stop invading your garbage cans at night in the backyard??

Question

Does anyone have a simple safe way to stop these pesty racoons from knocking over the garbage at night and making a mess in the yard??

Answer 1

Keeping Raccoons Away
Raccoons are active in twilight and evening. They prefer relative darkness. Installing motion activated lighting may be helpful in discouraging raccoons. However, simple porch lights may not be adequate. You might need to go to extreme measures in terms of lighting. Bright flood lights, like the quartz halogen fixtures used for driveway illumination and security purposes may be necessary. Plus, one light, at a distance may not have the desired effect. We recommend multiple lights, either on the same circuit or independently triggered, to saturate the area.

Raccoons don't like being around humans, so placing a waterproof radio near trash cans may be helpful. Set the radio to a "talk" station. It doesn't have to be loud. The voices will discourage raccoons from the area.

Buy metal trash cans with sealing lids. You can improve the tightness of the seal with a length of plastic tubing (like for water supply lines in you windshield washer system or your icemaker supply line). Slice a cut along the length of the tube and slip it over the rim of the trash can. When you put the lid in place, the tubing compresses to form a tighter seal. Also, place a heavy object, such as a cinder block, on top of trash can lids.

Raccoons like their food clean and will sometimes wash it in available water. They also find the smell of ammonia objectionable. By adding a small splash of ammonia to your garbage, the raccoons will be less likely to scavenge your trash.

Your pets need water available at all times, but as much as possible, eliminate sources of water for raccoons. If possible, lock your pets securely away at night, with their water. Don't leave water out that the raccoons can get to. Also, don't leave pet food out at night, raccoons love the stuff.

If raccoons are nesting in your attic or under your home, please read this article for tips to get rid of raccoons.

Answer 2

You can either lock the lids on the garbage can -- which is pretty difficult because racoons are pretty good with those little paws. If you get something they can't get into, chances are you won't be able to get into it either! Or you can put the garbage cans where they can't get at them. Keep them inside the garage or the basement, or build a little container for them with a lid that you can lock down.

Answer 3

Get some Absorbine Jr. It is green, comes in a bottle , has a large swab attached to the cap. Apply generously around your garbage can and top of your garbage. Once they get a wiff of it, it is likely they will avoid your trash for good.

Answer 4

before closing the garbage bag or top, pour undiluted AMMONIA over the garbage and then close the bag......and sprinkle some of the ammonia around the bag outside....they won't like that. In Texas, we kept the garbage in BARRELS, no joke - they couldn't crawl inside ---- and with the AMmonia they would just keep clear of our house and go hassle the neighbors.

Answer 5

Get a roughneck trash can the handles lock down the lid. They are sold in most hardware stores.

Or put a peice of heavy wood on top of your trash lid.

And finally you may want to consider taking your trash out in the morning.

Answer 6

A few shakes of ammonia on top of your garbage will keep any animals out of there. I had the same problem and that works great for me. You can put a steak on the top of your can and shake a little ammonia on it and nothing will mess with it. Trust me this is the cheapest and best way to keep things out of your trash.

Answer 7

try this :
1 put the garbage in a safe box. ( very big safe box)
2. hang the garbage over tree, lamp post.. or in ur neighbour
3. throw ur gabage into ur neighbour gabage can
4. throw ur gabage on the collection time, only
5. try not to have gabage, eat outside..
6. move out... mayb u should stay in North pole or India
7. get a security guard to gurad the gabage can

Answer 8

The safest way is to go to your local pet shop,and get you a can of spray like it would be in the dog aisle,what you use for puppys that like to bite on furniture,I can't remember what its called though but ask they will tell you and they will not like the taste at all they will stay away.

Answer 9

there are many ways you could put bleach at the batton of the garbage, mothballs at bottom, or you could bungee cord the cover shut thats all i know best of luck with those damn racoons.
P.S. or you could shoot em but if your not violent try my ideas

Answer 10

Try to put something smell which can repell the racoon