Trashy Animals
September 24, 2004 9:49 AM Subscribe
TrashTalk: How do I keep animals from getting into my garbage?
At least once or twice a week, I go outside to find that an animal has knocked down my trash can(s) and torn up the bags, presumably looking for food. How can I prevent this from happening?
At least once or twice a week, I go outside to find that an animal has knocked down my trash can(s) and torn up the bags, presumably looking for food. How can I prevent this from happening?
Make your cans more difficult to get into than your neighbor's cans. Bungie cords over the lids, etc.
One problem is, at least around here, the garbage collectors wont waste their time removing bungies and things like that. They'll just pass your house by. You need to find the line between what your raccoons can't get into and what your trash men can.
Do your collectors come at the same time every morning? Put your cans out at the last minute on trash days.
If the problem happens on other days, you can build an enclosure for the cans, either a solid-walled one or just a railing so that the cans wont tip over.
I have plastic barrells with "locking" lids but the racoons can still manage to get into them.
Once an animal learns the trick to something (ie ball point pen/Kryptonite Lock) he'll never forget it, so the technique becomes useless.
Also, seperate wet (food) trash from other trash.
posted by bondcliff at 10:10 AM on September 24, 2004
One problem is, at least around here, the garbage collectors wont waste their time removing bungies and things like that. They'll just pass your house by. You need to find the line between what your raccoons can't get into and what your trash men can.
Do your collectors come at the same time every morning? Put your cans out at the last minute on trash days.
If the problem happens on other days, you can build an enclosure for the cans, either a solid-walled one or just a railing so that the cans wont tip over.
I have plastic barrells with "locking" lids but the racoons can still manage to get into them.
Once an animal learns the trick to something (ie ball point pen/Kryptonite Lock) he'll never forget it, so the technique becomes useless.
Also, seperate wet (food) trash from other trash.
posted by bondcliff at 10:10 AM on September 24, 2004
It's very humbling when you start to think that a raccoon is smarter than you. Believe me.
posted by Space Coyote at 10:10 AM on September 24, 2004
posted by Space Coyote at 10:10 AM on September 24, 2004
We use big plastic bins with a hinged top and a spring-hinged clamp on the lid and lip of the bin's body.
The raccoons try. Oh, they try. But they fail.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:11 AM on September 24, 2004
The raccoons try. Oh, they try. But they fail.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:11 AM on September 24, 2004
12-guage pump. I'm partial to the Remington 870. :)
Sometimes the county animal control will lend you a trap (they did for me). They're pretty easy to set up and bait. Be prepared to catch a few neighborhood cats though. If you catch the bugger, put on work gloves before picking up the cage (by the handle), just in case. But raccoons, unless rabid, are surprisingly mild mannered. Drive them out to the "country" and turn 'em loose. You'll be doing everyone favor.
posted by Witty at 12:48 PM on September 24, 2004
Sometimes the county animal control will lend you a trap (they did for me). They're pretty easy to set up and bait. Be prepared to catch a few neighborhood cats though. If you catch the bugger, put on work gloves before picking up the cage (by the handle), just in case. But raccoons, unless rabid, are surprisingly mild mannered. Drive them out to the "country" and turn 'em loose. You'll be doing everyone favor.
posted by Witty at 12:48 PM on September 24, 2004
The most effective anti-raccoon garbage bin I ever saw was made of wood slats lined with chicken wire (so air could circulate but squirrels could not). The lid, angled downward toward the front, slid back and then lifted up, which no raccoon or skunk could possibly do, though I suppose a bear could.
Custom-made and no doubt expensive. Not good if you have a mobility impairment of any kind, or if you're merely short. And it does not solve the problem of lazy garbage collectors. But it looked nigh on impermeable.
posted by joeclark at 4:20 PM on September 24, 2004
Custom-made and no doubt expensive. Not good if you have a mobility impairment of any kind, or if you're merely short. And it does not solve the problem of lazy garbage collectors. But it looked nigh on impermeable.
posted by joeclark at 4:20 PM on September 24, 2004
Raccoons are darn hard to trap. I agree that they will just take food out of anything you set. If you poison them, you risk hurting animals that might feed on the corpse.
Take a gander at the "chinese airgun forum" for some other inexpensive, quiet solutions. Caveat: this would be my last choice, after animal control, enclosures, etc. and only if rabidity were likely or they were killing my ducks.
posted by mecran01 at 7:43 PM on September 24, 2004
Take a gander at the "chinese airgun forum" for some other inexpensive, quiet solutions. Caveat: this would be my last choice, after animal control, enclosures, etc. and only if rabidity were likely or they were killing my ducks.
posted by mecran01 at 7:43 PM on September 24, 2004
Ammonia - just splash a little inside the can, not so much that you can not bear to open the can, but enough that you can easily smell it while open.
Bondcliff is right about how the problem increases once they learn how to open the cans. You might fight their education by getting different cans or storing them in the garage until the last possible moment for a year or so until they forget about your cans and dine at your neighbors instead.
posted by caddis at 1:37 AM on September 25, 2004
Bondcliff is right about how the problem increases once they learn how to open the cans. You might fight their education by getting different cans or storing them in the garage until the last possible moment for a year or so until they forget about your cans and dine at your neighbors instead.
posted by caddis at 1:37 AM on September 25, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jessamyn at 10:04 AM on September 24, 2004