Racoons in the attic...

[Back Country Hunter]

So my sister lives in a nice house in the city of Lethbridge. She has recently discovered that there are a pair of racoons living in her attic. She does not want racoons living in her attic, which is completely understandable. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions for encouraging the little rascals to leave? Thanks.

[SageValleyOutdoors]

Set a live trap with a can of tuna or wet cat food as bait just inside the attic access. Check it each morning, if something is caught, relocate the little bugger 5 miles outside of town, or shoot it. Keep going until there’s no more raccoons. Then figure out how they’re getting in and seal it up.

[sanjuanworm]

Originally Posted by SageValleyOutdoors

Set a live trap with a can of tuna or wet cat food as bait just inside the attic access. Check it each morning, if something is caught, relocate the little bugger 5 miles outside of town, or shoot it. Keep going until there’s no more raccoons. Then figure out how they’re getting in and seal it up.

I had a squirrel problem. Did the same thing with snickers for bait. 10 of them removed across the river and outta my life.

[tool]

I agree, live trap is probably her best bet and the sooner the better, they can be so destructive!
They seem to love cat food for some reason. I have had a hard time catching them in the live trap I bought to get them out of my barn. I poisoned some and shot some and haven't seen any for quite a while.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by SageValleyOutdoors

Set a live trap with a can of tuna or wet cat food as bait just inside the attic access. Check it each morning, if something is caught, relocate the little bugger 5 miles outside of town, or shoot it. Keep going until there’s no more raccoons. Then figure out how they’re getting in and seal it up.

Terminate with extreme prejudice, as they say. Invasive species, don't need any encouragement to prosper.

Grizz

[270person]

Call Billy? Good comedy while coon wranglin.

[35 whelen]

MY buddy lost part of his fishing lodge to coons ,chewed on wires started a fire .

[spirit4u]

After the coons are disposed of (without being observed or recorded) you may want to deal with all the feces that are in the attic. Do some research on this, as raccoon poo is not something to handle without proper precautions.

[LeroyvdH]

Post this in trapping section. A real trapper will tell you which conibear to use. Vapourize them. Show no mercy. When my brother had a problem. I got a call. Made them go away forever. Different situation.

[spoiledsaskhunter]

big konibear.problem solved.

[Tundra Monkey]

A radio or "ghetto blaster" in the attic will work well. Then seal up the access point.

Country or rap should do the trick.

[calgarychef]

I was just watching videos on raccoon calling...they’ll come right out of a building or tree...looks fun!

[threeforthree]

Had to do a home for racoons couple years back, went into attic and it was runways in the insulation, only way we figures they got into attic was to climb a tree that was right beside the garage, and the ripped off the siding and got in. In three weeks we got 18 racoons, all beside that tree.

[brslk]

I thought this was gonna be about a new V.C. Andrews book

[slingshot]

Years ago living in Ontario a guy at our gun club said he had a raccoon in his hay loft.We had this old guy frank that said he could get that coon in five minutes.So after our trap round we proceeded to this fellows barn.Frank had this Jack Russel a dog that went everywhere with him.He chucked this dog up into the loft.Well the commotion started that dog went nuts for 10 minutes every once in a while he would look through the loft open door.He was just covered in blood and had a grin on his face.All said and done he killed eight raccoon. What a killing machine

[frusig]

I would try electronic repellents. My grand dad had similar problem. He had them in his barn. He tried different kinds of traps but the most effective turned out to be the electronic repellent.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by spoiledsaskhunter

big konibear.problem solved.

No, thinking this calls for a cage trap. You don't want to tangle with an angry, hurting Raccoon, in the attic .

Grizz

[CLM]

Thanks for the suggestions! I am the sister. Thus far I have tried all of this (unsuccessfully)
1. Live trap outside the house baited with sardines, marshmallows. Nothing.
2. Three days of spotlight and loud talk radio playing continuously in the attic.
3. Spraying attic with pepper spray and dousing floors with cayenne pepper.
4. Mothballs along the perimeter walls and floor joists.
5. Live trap in the attic baited with eggs. They seem to love the eggs. First day no egg and no raccoon come morning. I set up a camera in the attic and see they shake the trap to move the egg to the edge, then they tip the trap on its side, lift one end, and roll the egg out.
6. I have walked the attic and banged on every joist and truss. They are still in there.

I have no idea how they are getting in. There are no obvious holes in my soffits or roof. My roof vents appear to be intact. They are big. On camera they seem similar in size to the live trap?!

[troutbug]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

No, thinking this calls for a cage trap. You don't want to tangle with an angry, hurting Raccoon, in the attic .

Grizz

No, he should do that, and video it, then share said video after his rabies shot and stitches