Raccoons

[Bill Jesse]

For years a family of raccoons have lived in the area. In the evening I see them walking along my fence on their way to a neighbour's fruit tree. My outdoor pen is about 8 feet from the fence and the raccoons do not even stop.
Two nights ago I spotted a baby raccoon sitting in the crook of a tree which is right over the pen. It was just washing itself. I had already put the rabbits back in their indoor hutch.
Last night I saw another walking beside the bunny barn on the opposite side of the outdoor pen. the bunnies were out but for some reason did not see or smell the raccoon. I chased it away but obviously he was in no hurry and not afraid of me.
Now I am concerned about leaving the bunnies unattended in the evening. The pens are wire pens with heavy duty commercial fishing net over the top. I am even concerned with them inside the barn where the indoor hutches are. They are spring-latched but raccoons are pretty clever and can undo these things.
I guess I have to rethink the situation. I have absolutely no intention of harming or trapping and relocating the raccoons.

 

[Ana_The_Dreamer]

I owned two pet ducks, I had raised them from their first days. They stayed in an enclosed (heavy duty chicken wire) pen and their co-op was also spring-latched and weighted. One morning I woke up and a raccoon had somehow gotten into the co-op and brutally killed one of the poor ducks and ripped the wings off of the remaining, punctured its eyes out, etc. (Sorry for the morbid description) I ended up having to put the surviving duck down. It was so horrible and such a traumatic experience for me. It still upsets me to this day. Raccoons are dangerously clever. I would be extremely cautious with raccoons around your bunnies. Judging from the tracks I found, this raccoon wasn't even very big. My ducks were eight pounds each and had large wings, so I can only imagine the fight that evil raccoon put up.
I'm not sure what you should do since you have no intentions of trapping or relocating the raccoons, but I would consider it. Once a raccoon gets up the courage to not be afraid of humans, that's when you know they're comfortable enough in the area. I would keep a wary eye on the raccoons and maybe take some extra precautions to keep your bunnies safe. I wouldn't ever want anyone to loose their pets like I lost mine.

 

[Devi]

Here is a few ways to deter racoons..

At least for a few days, they can be deterred by the scent of bloodmeal (such as Miracle-Gro 100961 Organic Choice Blood Meal, 3-Pound) or bonemeal (Miracle-Gro 100940 Organic Choice Bone Meal, 3-Pound, either product available from Amazon at a very low cost for Amazon Prime members) placed around plants. The bloodmeal or bonemeal will do double duty as a natural fertilizer. Raccoons can also be temporarily deterred by motion activated strobe lights or radios playing intermittently. If the same frightening method is used for more than a few days, raccoons will learn to ignore it.
Raccoons can also be deterred by placing fox urine granules (Shake Away 3004503 Small Animal Repellent – Fox Urine Granules, 3 lbs.) along the perimeter of your property, but the granules have to be replaced every time it rains. After a week or so, especially if food supplies are short, raccoons may boldly venture in despite the placement of predator urine.

Electric fences, however, are an effective barrier to raccoons and squirrels. Electric fences properly charged will not hurt animals or people. The power source for an electric fence is usually either a solar panel (Fi-Shock SS-440 Solar-Powered Low Impedance 10 Acre Medium-Duty Electric Fence Charger) hooked to a battery, since the fence has to be operative at night when raccoons are active, or a step-down transformer attached to household current (such as the Fi-Shock SS-725CS AC Powered Light-Duty Electric Fence Charger, 5-Acre Range). Never connect an electric fence directly into household current. String one line on insulators placed 6 inches (15 cm) above the ground and a second line 12 inches (30 cm) above the ground. Because hair provides insulation, a rapidly moving raccoon will not be shocked by an electric fence unless it encounters a barrier it cannot go over or under.

The first step in getting rid of raccoons naturally is making your house, lawn, or garden a less desirable location for them. According to the ICWDM, priority should be given to securing trash cans. Sturdy rubber or plastic trash cans are best, such as the Rubbermaid Commercial Brute Rollout Container, Square, Plastic, 50 Gallons, Gray (9W27GY). Smaller trash cans should be placed on a rack elevated at least one foot (30 cm) off the ground. All outdoor refuse receptacles must have tightly fitted lids that are kept closed at night.

Pet food is gourmet food for raccoons. If you have outdoor pets, take their food inside at night. If you live in a dry climate or there is a drought, take water bowls inside, too. Pick up fallen nuts and fruit, and harvest vegetables as they ripen. Do not leave tasty morsels on which raccoons will dine.
Raccoons prefer wooded habitats that give them cover. Keeping your lawn mowed and making sure you have a separation between flower beds and shrubs will help keep raccoons at bay. Take down any trees limbs within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of your roof to keep raccoons from leaping inside, and make sure everyone in your household makes a habit of closing the door as they come in.

 

[kjb]

Do not keep them outside, when I was little during the summer my mom would keep my bunny out side and i had 3 total at 3 different times, but each one of them had gotten killed by a raccoon or a fox. I wouldn't take a chance. It is a horrible experience.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Unless your willing to build a Fortification you may have to re think your situation. My dad's chicken coop was double walled with heavy guage wire and 4 inches of separtion between the inner and out wall. We also dug and buried heavy guaged aluminum panels down 24 inches. I had a Opposum raid my Koi pond and kill my biggest one and it only ate a tiny little bit. I got traps from animal control and relocated 4 of them 20 plus miles away near the river.