I thought once Echo had grown that was the end of our Raccon experiences. But instead it has multiplied and we enjoy them very much. Recently we adopted an abandoned baby bunny. The strange thing is the bunny and baby raccoons actually play together sometimes. The bunny even hides under the deck with my dog and the Raccoons. (I don't think that's normal but if they can all live in peace seems like people can too.)

I have my own raccoon story! We had an old trash can that was cracked on the bottom. First time, raccoon got in to the trash bin and caused a mess. Second time, bungee corded the lid, coon chewed bungee cord up. Third time, replaced the old bungee cord with a new one, tied the bin to our railing, coon gets very frustrated. Fourth time, raccoon finds crack in the bin, enlarges it, and rips up the trash bags within, looking for food and causing a HUGE mess. Fifth time, bought a $70 Toter bin and an $8 assortment of bungee cords. Sixth time, raccoon scratches bin. (Should have bought trash bin insurance!) Seventh time, raccoon never comes back.

NOW this is where raccoons belong.

At a Boy Scout summer camp around 50 years ago, some of the geniuses decided to trap the raccoon that raided our tents and got food out of closed boxes and cans.

They had zero success for most of the two weeks I was there.

Then, one night, they had a setup with a steel garbage can propped up, and a string to drop it onto the raccoon, and this time they did NOT fall asleep before he stole the bait.

You could hear that raccoon scream for MILES and it sounded like he was tearing his way out right THROUGH the steel sides!

(I never found out whether they let him out, or he tore his way out, -or whether he ate them all on the spot or just frightened them for life.)

I don't think anyone within earshot ever tried to trap a raccoon again!

Betsy, such great pics of Echo and her kits, and a lovely story.

RickCorey said:At a Boy Scout summer camp around 50 years ago, some of the geniuses decided to trap the raccoon that raided our tents and got food out of closed boxes and cans.

They had zero success for most of the two weeks I was there.

Then, one night, they had a setup with a steel garbage can propped up, and a string to drop it onto the raccoon, and this time they did NOT fall asleep before he stole the bait.

You could hear that raccoon scream for MILES and it sounded like he was tearing his way out right THROUGH the steel sides!

(I never found out whether they let him out, or he tore his way out, -or whether he ate them all on the spot or just frightened them for life.)

I don't think anyone within earshot ever tried to trap a raccoon again!

Too bad there weren't LED lights and GoPro cameras at that time.

JuneOntario said:Betsy, such great pics of Echo and her kits, and a lovely story.

Great thread!

>> >> You could hear that raccoon scream for MILES and it sounded like he was tearing his way out right THROUGH the steel sides!

>> Too bad there weren't LED lights and GoPro cameras at that time. Sighing!

Right! It would have been some great wildlife video. Half-dressed Boy Scouts running around in panic!

The big bully raccoon was back this morning. Poor Ginger was the victim. When I heard the ruckus, I stuck my head out of the door and shouted, "Stop that!" The bully stopped biting Ginger and ran off, but Ginger stayed where she was (maybe she does recognize me!). A few minutes later when I looked out, the bully had come back, but appeared to have learned that causing a fight will make the angry lady appear. Instead of launching an attack, the bully was slowly and inexorably backing up to Ginger and simply pushing her off her little pile of peanuts. She snapped and snarled, but the bully rolled up into a ball so she had nothing to get hold of. Ginger gave up and wandered off. There weren't many peanuts left by then, anyway.

JuneOntario said:The big bully raccoon was back this morning. Poor Ginger was the victim. When I heard the ruckus, I stuck my head out of the door and shouted, "Stop that!" The bully stopped biting Ginger and ran off, but Ginger stayed where she was (maybe she does recognize me!). A few minutes later when I looked out, the bully had come back, but appeared to have learned that causing a fight will make the angry lady appear. Instead of launching an attack, the bully was slowly and inexorably backing up to Ginger and simply pushing her off her little pile of peanuts. She snapped and snarled, but the bully rolled up into a ball so she had nothing to get hold of. Ginger gave up and wandered off. There weren't many peanuts left by then, anyway.

Not fair to the regulars that pretty much all get along. Maybe there is a way you can scare him off?

Rita, I can't think of a way to scare the bully off without scaring all the other raccoons as well. However, if today's exercise taught the bully not to bite, there is hope that I can moderate the bad behavior. I have not yet been able to definitely identify the gender of the bully - it might just be a large female with no kits - so at the moment I'm giving male raccoons the benefit of the doubt.

JuneOntario said:Rita, I can't think of a way to scare the bully off without scaring all the other raccoons as well. However, if today's exercise taught the bully not to bite, there is hope that I can moderate the bad behavior. I have not yet been able to definitely identify the gender of the bully - it might just be a large female with no kits - so at the moment I'm giving male raccoons the benefit of the doubt.

Well, I hope it works out.

The raccoon buffet has been peaceful since my last post, with no bullying. This morning Number Three and her four kits had gathered at the old bird table before I arrived with their breakfast. The old bird table is falling apart: the stump that the table rests on is rotting away, and the table has a hole in the middle that connects to the hollow trunk below. Three kits were on the table, and as I approached they all tried to go down through the hole, which is only big enough for one kit at a time. Two made it to the ground and ran into the bushes, but the third kit had only just begun to go into the hole when I arrived at the base of the stump. So he stayed exactly where he was, with his front end in the hole and his back end in the air. It looked so funny, I could not help myself, I burst out laughing. I guess I should have backed-off and let the poor little guy escape, but I didn't think of it at the time. I just tipped a cup of peanuts all around his little, quivering, hairy butt and tiptoed away.

JuneOntario said:The raccoon buffet has been peaceful since my last post, with no bullying. This morning Number Three and her four kits had gathered at the old bird table before I arrived with their breakfast. The old bird table is falling apart: the stump that the table rests on is rotting away, and the table has a hole in the middle that connects to the hollow trunk below. Three kits were on the table, and as I approached they all tried to go down through the hole, which is only big enough for one kit at a time. Two made it to the ground and ran into the bushes, but the third kit had only just begun to go into the hole when I arrived at the base of the stump. So he stayed exactly where he was, with his front end in the hole and his back end in the air. It looked so funny, I could not help myself, I burst out laughing. I guess I should have backed-off and let the poor little guy escape, but I didn't think of it at the time. I just tipped a cup of peanuts all around his little, quivering, hairy butt and tiptoed away.

Too cute and funny. They will soon learn that seeing you is a good thing as you are the bringer of all sorts of good things to eat.

Sneaking in the house and trying out all the toys.

Betsy, do they have a favorite toy? I'm thinking I might leave some toys outdoors for the kits, but I'm not sure what sort they would play with.

JuneOntario said:Betsy, do they have a favorite toy? I'm thinking I might leave some toys outdoors for the kits, but I'm not sure what sort they would play with.

They like something they can stick their little hands in and explore by touch. They like the bus because they can reach into it.

They like toys that light up... But don't make scary noise.

They like scattered mega Lego blocks because they turn them all over to see what's inside. They will play with small balls no bigger than a base ball. (Rubber balls and tennis balls.).

They will also like rag dolls with yarn hair and button eyes.

if you get them a toy they can reach into then put some crumbs or dried cran berries in it to begin with.

After they eat then the kits will just play.

As far as balls... Think "Cat toys".

Raccoons love to feel things so texture with sparkly buttons and little cubby holes in the toys are super attractive.

They will play with toys tied to the end of a rope that hangs from their feeder.