First let’s understand them. Raccoons are found over most of North America, their numbers and range have grown over the past 50 years. They have become well-adapted to urban life.
They are nocturnal eating machines with excellent night vision, especially attracted to ponds and fountains because water has always been a source of food for them. They forage mostly by sense of smell. They will eat pet food left out for dogs and feral cats, slugs, snails, fallen fruit, bird eggs, mice, small snakes, frogs, berries, bird seed, worms, beetles, nuts, fish, grasshoppers, etc. They have excellent hearing and clean and groom themselves frequently.
They are generally solitary, mating January through March, litters of three to six kits are born between April and May. After roughly eight weeks the intelligent young follow their mother on foraging expeditions and quickly pick up new skills watching her. Young raccoons are weaned by summer and start their normal solitary lives by autumn. They can live up to 15 years but few actually make it past two years due to disease, malnutrition, coyotes and cars.
KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM YOUR GARDEN
Raccoons are excellent climbers so sprinkling flour on fences or other possible entrances to the garden or around disturbed soil will begin the process of identifying and excluding them.
Be aware of trellises, vines and tree limbs that can be used for access. Garbage cans are attractive, so use bungee cords to keep them out. Use bird netting over garden plants and fruit trees. Apply Repels-All to possible entrances, sprinkle large amounts of black pepper around veggies.
Idea: use a Scarecrow Sprinkler. It's a safe, effective and low-maintenance repellent. Raccoons will be driven off, uninjured. When a pest gets within range (35 ft.) the Scarecrow begins moving in arc and sprays out a 3-second pulsating stream of water. It’s the combination of the movement, the noise and the water itself that scares them off. The Scarecrow will continue to shoot out water at 7-second intervals until the pest leaves. It can be elevated by strapping it to a pole or stake.
Check it out at Sloat Garden Center! But, please be sure to call your local Sloat to confirm it's in stock. These have been top sellers!
They are nocturnal eating machines with excellent night vision, especially attracted to ponds and fountains because water has always been a source of food for them. They forage mostly by sense of smell. They will eat pet food left out for dogs and feral cats, slugs, snails, fallen fruit, bird eggs, mice, small snakes, frogs, berries, bird seed, worms, beetles, nuts, fish, grasshoppers, etc. They have excellent hearing and clean and groom themselves frequently.
They are generally solitary, mating January through March, litters of three to six kits are born between April and May. After roughly eight weeks the intelligent young follow their mother on foraging expeditions and quickly pick up new skills watching her. Young raccoons are weaned by summer and start their normal solitary lives by autumn. They can live up to 15 years but few actually make it past two years due to disease, malnutrition, coyotes and cars.
KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM YOUR GARDEN
Raccoons are excellent climbers so sprinkling flour on fences or other possible entrances to the garden or around disturbed soil will begin the process of identifying and excluding them.
Be aware of trellises, vines and tree limbs that can be used for access. Garbage cans are attractive, so use bungee cords to keep them out. Use bird netting over garden plants and fruit trees. Apply Repels-All to possible entrances, sprinkle large amounts of black pepper around veggies.
Idea: use a Scarecrow Sprinkler. It's a safe, effective and low-maintenance repellent. Raccoons will be driven off, uninjured. When a pest gets within range (35 ft.) the Scarecrow begins moving in arc and sprays out a 3-second pulsating stream of water. It’s the combination of the movement, the noise and the water itself that scares them off. The Scarecrow will continue to shoot out water at 7-second intervals until the pest leaves. It can be elevated by strapping it to a pole or stake.
Check it out at Sloat Garden Center! But, please be sure to call your local Sloat to confirm it's in stock. These have been top sellers!
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