How do I keep racoons out of my garbage... They know how to unlock the can.....?

Question

I bought a locking garbage can and the racoon knows how to open it... Smart...

Answer 1

A locking garbage can is a good first step. But there are two more things you need to do.

Raccoons get into the garbage by tipping the receptacle and then operating the plastic locking handles (they ARE smart aren't they).

So with a couple of short 'bungee' cords, secure the locking handles. Stretch the cords across from one handle to the other, making sure they are very taught.

Next, tie off the garbage pale to the house or a fence post - so they can't tip it over.

Once you've added bungee cords to the 'locking' handles, the raccoons can still get at the garbage by pulling at the lid till there's enough room to get their paws in. Because they need two hands to pry and reach in, they need to tip it to the ground first; they can't pry off lids if they have no place to stand!

They are smart and adaptable - but I think that should do it for this year anyway!

Good Luck!

I have a couple of posts on Raccoons @

http://filter-blog.blogspot.com/

michael holloway

Answer 2

This will sound weird because it sounded strange to me when someone told me but in only a couple of weeks it actually worked when nothing else did.

I put all edible table scraps, even potato peelings and stuff, into a plastic grocery bag each day and threw them on the ground about five feet from the trash cans. Then each day I would move the bag further away into a corner of the yard where we kept some branches and stuff.

After just a little while they would completely leave the cans alone and all of us happily lived ever after. It also lft more room in the cans so when i had extra trash from a prty or something or it was a holiday week and they didn't pick up for an extra day i had room in the trash to fit it all. Kept more out of the landfill and kept the kitchen trash from getting stinky too so i only had to take it out every other day.

Where we are now is so much more urban that i really miss our little masked friends. My kids used to watch them in the summer and we'd laugh for a good half hour at their antics before we went off for bed.

Answer 3

My father in law built a small garbage "garage" out of scrap lumber, painted it and padlocked it. If they can pick the padlock, I'd move to a new neighborhood. I have to say, around our neighborhood, to see a racoon up close is not cute, they are common carriers of rabies and a cause for concern.

Answer 4

Pour some ammonia over the top of the trash. The smell will keep them away. Works for me! :)

Answer 5

Pour some cayenne pepper in on top.They don't like it.They can go where no man can go......