Racoons--what to do?

Question

So these past few nights we have heard/seen racoons on our deck and on our back lawn. We live in a fairly big city and this just recently started. We dont leave any trash/food out. What can we do to get rid of them?? Is trapping the only real thing? We have 2 toddlers as well, and I dont want to take them outside....I'm afraid they might find some coon turds or something!!

Answer 1

They only come out at night don't worry about them they are harmless. Grew up o a farm and think you might be a little overprotective of the young uns just an opinion, lot worse they will run into in life

Answer 2

Do you have any standing water? They may be going after that given the heat going through the nation.

Racoon turds are not going to cause a problem for your toddlers. Especially if you hose down the area in the morning before you let them outside. If you really think they are a menace call your local humane society or police station and ask them for help with the situation. It will likely be a case of them being trapped and relocated.

Answer 3

I wouldn't do anything. If you're not leaving the trash out, and they aren't getting any food from your house, then I was assume that they would move along to greener pastures where they can't find what they're looking for.

I found some more information :

To convince a raccoon to move her babies out of an attic/chimney follow these simple steps:

Find out where the animal is entering and exiting your house.

Rub dog hair around the entrance/exit spot, and/or spray fox/predator urine (can be bought at sporting goods stores) around entrance/exit area, and/or continuously light their den, and/or place a radio nearby tuned to an all-talk or hard rock station.

Check the den each evening between 8-11 PM. When convinced the animal has moved out (it should take no more than a week for the mother to move the babies), make the repairs to the property. If you don't, there will be a steady stream of animals (rats, squirrels, opossums, or more raccoons) using this spot as a den site. It is imperative that the entrance/exit is closed.

If the raccoons are in the chimney, you can make a ladder out of old sheets, drop it down the chimney, and secure it with a rope. Then spray the area with fox/predator urine and give the animals time to get out. It usually takes a couple of days. Then cap the chimney.

Scare tactics, such as rubber snakes (or 18 inch pieces of black hose) and/or pinwheels, mylar balloons, or strips of aluminum foil can be used to keep raccoons out of the yard.
http://www.twrc-houston.org/nuisancewildlife/raccoons.html

Answer 4

If you have no food or garbage they wil just wander through on their way to feeding areas (places where dog and cat food are out). If your kids are not outside at night, you should have no problem, there are a lot more nasty things your kids can get into, and every little kid eats dirt or bugs at some time anyway.
If the raccoons hang around, offer them banjos. They are quite talented.

Answer 5

Consider yourself blessed to have their company as long as they do no damage.

Have some fun with them. Chase them on the deck with a remote controled toy car.

Chase them off with a saber light sword. I did this on a camping trip with a toy light sword at night and they just followed me back to camp.

They are finding something out there at night? Insects maybe. Crumbs your toddlers dropped? Cat food? Bird feeder?

If you must scare them good get a paintball gun and blast them a few times.

Answer 6

Call the animal control department if they don't go away after a while.

Answer 7

call you local human society

Answer 8

call Dr.Dolittle and get him to talk to the animals