To Borrow: nonlethal trap big enough for a small to med. size raccoon?

[soreback]

anyone have one i can borrow so i can relocate him/her from my backyard?

[jwebber]

maybe prop up a big empty trashcan and put some food at the bottom

as long as it can't knock it over, the raccoon probably couldn't climb out

[brian_brox]

maybe prop up a big empty trashcan and put some food at the bottom

as long as it can't knock it over, the raccoon probably couldn't climb out

You could flip the trash can upside-down and prop one side up with a stick. Tie some string to the stick and wait for the racoon to take the bait. Once he's under it, pull the string and BAM! Got'em!

[mjbrox]

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/POLITICS/analysis/toons/2007/04/12/mitchell/11a.gif

[Squirrel_Girl]

I bought a Have-a-heart cage for groundhogs and sent one on a permanent vacation to the far side of the Monocacy.

I lent it to some friends and never got it back (didn't have any more groundhogs, so I didn't need it cluttering my house anyway). If such a cage is big enough for 'coons, I can check into getting it back.

[AVee]

I Called my local animal control when I had a similar proble and they directed me to who/where I could borrow a trap from. All I had to do was leave a deposit which was returned when I brought he trap back.

[repoman]

Depending on where you live, the county regulations regarding use of a trap vary. I had a situation about 10 years ago when some feral kittens moved into a pile of debris under my front porch in Fairfax. I called the Fairfax animal control to inquire about a trap and got an earful about how I needed to have a trapping permit to use one. They offered to provide a trap but only if I signed an agreement to continuously monitor it so there was no chance the animals could left in the trap unattended for even an hour! I ended up getting a have-a-heart trap from the Arlington animal shelter (no questions asked) and returned it with the kittens when I was done. Regulations may have changed.

I don't think it's a great idea to roll-your-own trap with a stick and trashcan. For one thing, raccoons are pretty smart and not likely to fall for it. They are also nocturnal, so expect a long night sitting in the bushes waiting. If you did happen to trap the thing, then how would you get it out and contain it for relocation afterwards without being scratched or bitten or otherwise mauled by the critter?

Good luck either way catching the thing. We had a raccoon take up residence in the attic of a house we owned in West VA a few years back. Our local pest control guy set up a have-a-heart trap baited with peanut butter in our attic for 3-4 weeks. The raccoon was able to get the peanut butter and escape the trap several times before we eventually caught him. They are clever little beasts.

Repo

[soreback]

thanks all, but i would not try the trash can approach. raccoons are incredibly resourceful and intelligent but also nasty lil things when cornered.

I'll probably just try a local animal control/shelter to see if i could borrow a nonlethal trap since he/she is really becoming more and more of a nuisance as the days go by.

[jwebber]

ah, where's your sense of adventure!!

I had a couple raccoons at our last house that were always getting in the cat food at night...
just about had to shove em off the porch w/ a broom....


real trap is safer though.....