You know when you have been bad...

[Rich Z]

It's written all over your face....

[CHASZ51]

Do you kill them or move them somewhere else?

[Rich Z]

I relocate them. I don't think I would have the heart to kill a raccoon.

[CHASZ51]

I think that is what keeps getting into my garbage can. Gonna try moth balls.

[Rich Z]

Game cameras are rather inexpensive and are great for figuring out something like this. Just set it up pointing at your trashcan overnight, and you will have your answer the next day.

I had to modify a squirrel baffle on the pole to one of the bird feeders in order to keep the raccoons out of it. I didn't realize till I saw the captured images that they could just reach around the baffle, grab the pole above it, and pull themselves up and over it to get to the feeder.





So I had to modify the baffle a bit by putting something on top that extended a surface that the raccoons couldn't grab onto.



And that did the trick. They haven't been able to get into that feeder since the modification.

[85vette]

The slinky trick would probably work for the squirrels but I don't think they're up to the task for Raccoons.

[Rich Z]

Yeah, I don't think so either.

If the baffle mod wouldn't have worked I was going to get a 4 inch diameter section of PVC and put a slit down it and slip it over the pole. I think that would have helped, unless a raccoon can actually dig it's claws into the plastic.

Smearing petroleum jelly all over the pole probably would have worked, but Connie doesn't want to run the risk of "her" lizards getting all gunked up from it if they jump onto the pole.

I really need to find some of the bird feeder poles that come as two pieces so I can just slip something over the pole easily.

[navy2kcoupe]

Wild Birds Unlimited APS (Advanced Pole System)

http://shop.wbu.com/c/bird-feeder-parts-accessories

I've had one in my backyard for years, and if it's put up right (like vertical,
and NOT leaning over), and about 10 feet away from anything that could be
used as a jumping point for a squirrel, the squirrels can't make it up to the
feeder. You can buy an entire "system", or just the pieces that you need. The
poles are locked together by spring backed "pins" that go into holes on the
other piece. Don't have any raccoons around, so I don't know if it's raccoon proof,
but I do believe that they make different diameter "bells" that go on the pole to
stop different animals.
Andy

[Rich Z]

That looks like a pretty good system, but I'm pretty sure a raccoon would be able to reach over that squirrel baffle. It's only 14 inches long, if I remember correctly, so a raccoon would likely be able to hold onto the pole underneath with his hind feet and just reach up and grab onto the pole above the baffle, much like they were doing with the baffle I am using. Possums could probably even make shorter work of it, as their prehensile tail would help hold onto the pole below the baffle while reaching up and over it.

I think if that baffle were both longer and wider it would do the trick, though.

Actually, with a straight pole, I could just put 4 inch PVC around it and I'm sure that would solve the problem. Except when a bear comes on by, of course. Not much I can do about them without stringing an electric fence around the feeders.

[85vette]

There's your answer Rich. Just run a single strand of electric fence up the pole to near the bottom of the feeder. It doesn't take but about on jolt to convince critters they don't want to go there again. They make insulators that will attach to just about anything.