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Monday 22 March 2010

Monday RACCOON RANT

This was the state of affairs two years ago when we were targeted by a mommy raccoon who had decided our house was just right to have her kids born and brought up ..... lord .... if anyone knows how crazy I am they will know how CRAZY this made me !
It was a successful mission with no harm done but family was evicted and sent on their merry way ....
Now jump forward two years ... last night number one son happens to hear a bit of noise around 11 PM .. goes out to see one VERY BOLD raccoon (giving number one son the finger as it nestled inside a hole he managed to tear into the siding ..
Number one son decides to pitch a couple of rocks at it to discourage the BEAST with the fickle finger of fate that he flashed ..
Then number one son spots a man walking a dog coming down our street and decides his scenario of pitching rocks, at granted, his own home .. might not be viewed as socially correct ?
So .. this morning .. in the midst of cleaning house .. I guess the boys decided at some point and time they were going to have to tell me the sordid details .. for which the box of Kleenex was issued while the water works from one tired woman who crumbles at the thought of wild kingdom moving in one by one.
Next ... the panic of trying to remember what company we used two years ago .. thankfully some brain cells were functioning .. Green Shield and owner Curtis came to the rescue so quickly we are blown away ..
They have to construct a special one way door to stop the nonsense .. hopefully early enough to avoid the catastrophe last time when mom and one kit got out but one kit was stuck inside .. you talk about crying .. I don't know who was worse .. me or the baby raccoon .. anyways .. it was all resolved so quickly .. thankfully.
BUT here we are again .... two years later ... what is it about our home ?? .. could it be the garden of Eden drawing the bigger wildlife in ... ahhhhhaaagggrrrrs !! ... hand me a drink !! or chocolate !!
or a chocolate DRINK ?
The saga continues ....................

24 comments:

Jan said...

I feel for you. We think we have a raccoon in our attic. We have a trap set, but so far nothing. Maybe tonight.

Jan
Always Growing

Carol said...

Oh Dear! This seems to be the week for critters visiting ... one way doors sound good! I hope you have remembered the company's name and things are well under way. Best of Luck! I do not have raccoons for some reason. Happy Spring Joy! ;>)

Barbee' said...

Oh, Joy, bless your heart! I know the feeling. I am so! tired of living in a wild kingdom and all its damage and stench and droppings and fleas, and expense, and... whatever. I've heard of people having fleas in their houses because of raccoons living in their chimneys and fleas dropping in (down) uninvited. Sounds as if the men have it covered for you. Sometimes when we don't feel well, it is nice just to sit back and let someone else handle it.

Gail said...

There must be some secret raccoon/wildlife sign posted that's alerting critters to your kind heart!
Like hobos left to communicate to other hobos about the state of the town...nice lady, mean dog, etc!

Gail

Darlene said...

Oh I remember that raccoon saga and I can't believe you are going through it again!!!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Jan .. well the one way door has been constructed .. the buzz saw was busy and some how it made me feel a bit more secure to have such a good company come to the rescue so quickly. Let me know how your episode turns out girl !

Barbee' you are so right girl .. I'm just not at par with life and having this happen again albeit 2 years later .. well .. stick a fork in me I am DONE type feeling ?Thankfully it could no access the attic from where it was and the trap door is ready and waiting .. sounds like you have had your fair share of it too sister : )

Carol girl that is amazing you don't have raccoons bothering you in such a beautiful country setting .. well it must mean they are happier in their wild homes .. I think that is part of the problem with Kingston now .. it is growing so fast it is taking up the natural homes for these beasts ? Happy Spring back attacha' girl !

Gail I swear there must be a billboard with "to rent" on it for our house with these guys .. thankfully it was spotted quickly and no babies at this time of year yet as far as we know .. trap door installed and a little insurance for our, my ? state of mind ? LOL

Darlene girl .. it is hard to believe it was all of two years ago .. time flies ? yet we seem to fall backwards into the same state of affairs ?? aarrgghhh !! LOL

Lona said...

They just love you Joy. LOL! I know you wish they wouldn't love you so much.
I am glad that experience has not came to my home as yet.
I had a flying squirrel come through the attic and ate through the living room ceiling and dropped right in on us one night. I thought there was a mouse working up there and was thinking I needed to put Decon out up there to get rid of it. Gee whiz. It was a circus to watch us trying to catch that stupid thing. It climbed the curtains and everything before we got it knocked down into a garbage bag and tossed out. LOL! That was the first flying squirrel I had seen since I was a kid but I could done without seeing one in my house. So I do not want raccoons coming in to visit.
Hope you do not get anymore raccoons moving in on you.

our friend Ben said...

Oh, noooo!!! You know spring has sprung when the critters decide to move in. First we had the saga of the squirrels chewing their way into the studio. Now we have the 'possum trying to cheat Dixie, our sole remaining outdoor cat, our of her food and water. Just last night, I was hauling Shiloh ou for a final post-bedtime bathroom break. Bringing her back to the deck door, for some reason I happened to look behind the grill and saw the 'possum, playing dead, against the house wall. Talk about a test of my cardiac fitness! I must say, there are few things as ugly as a 'possum. Yuck!!! Fortunately, when we went out this morning it was gone, but no doubt it's hanging out even now, waiting for another shot at the cat food. Good luck getting your critters out for good!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

For goodness sakes. You do wonder what draws them into your home.

Carrie said...

my sweet dear Joy, I have only ever seen a raccoon in the zoo. I am sorry for your pain and prescribe an irish hot chocolate, same as an irish coffee but you know..... a gault invention! hugs xx

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Ohhhh how cute(-: NOTTTTTTTT!!! OMG I am sure you are having a melt down!!!
I am sure they see you and think oh this sweet lady would never turn us out in the cold. We can move in here and have a wonderful yard to dig up bugs and whatever else we can find in it(-:
I am glad you were resued by the racoon catcher dude(-:
We have had a lot of racoons investigate our garage for a nice warm place to live but each time we have to send them on their merry way...(-: They are not affraid of cats. So maybe thats the attraction. Jack hated them here. He would freak out when they came each night!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

What a pain! I sure hope they can trap the raccoon before she has a family in there. There have been a lot more raccoons around here lately. Two of my friends found they are nesting in tall trees in their yards making them and their dogs crazy.
I've heard of a chocolate martini before, maybe that would help?

Helen said...

As you probably know, Joy, Toronto is also known as Raccoon City. We have more raccoons per capita (they say) than any other city in the world. These guys are definitely cute, but destructive, and their, well I can't really call it anything else but poo, is toxic with a very nasty parasite. So when I say, I really feel for you, you know where I'm coming from. Good luck with that eviction.

RURAL said...

Honestly, they are the cutest little babies, when they are small. Even cuter than puppies, and kittens, but SMELL! Stink, is a good word to use.

We had them nesting up in the loft of the nursery, and it stunk year round. Of course I was the only one who could smell the pee, and other ah...stinkin mess, for most of the year.

I don't know if they ever got rid of them, more than likely the babies grew up, and returned home to the nursery loft with their spouses.

Hope that you get rid of them fast.

I have a giant one that loves to come onto my deck. We live in the middle of this seaside city, where he goes during the day, I have no idea.

Jen

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Hot chocolate and brandy! Next up the bears will be having a picnic on your back lawn :-) (kidding!! lol)

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Lona girl .. I have heard squirrels were REALLY destructive .. so I don't think raccoons are as bad , other than the fact they think they OWN the house ? LOL
I remember seeing two flying squirrels kept as pets .. and when they got out of the cage they went straight for the drapes .. as a kid I thought they were scary but cool ? LOL
The one way door is installed .. now we wait .. BIG sigh ? LOL

OFB ... OMG ! .. you really do live in the country remember ? LOL You don't need any more drama after Linus's adventures .. do the girls forgive him yet for scaring everyone ? haha
YES !! that strange creature you have there the possum ? I have seen episodes of "Billy the Exterminator" and WOW !!! I can't believe how vicious they can be .. let alone all the other creatures .. glad it got up and moved at least so you didn't have to set eyes on it again .. yet ? Good luck with shoooooing it away!!

Lisa girl .. I DO WONDER !! it isn't like I have sent invitations out to every and all creatures .. and it isn't as if the grape vine is dropping grapes for them to crush it up for raccoon wine .. What GIVES about our house ??

Carrie girl (how are you ? .. I know .. I have been terrible with e-mail .. more going on here than just the raccoon saga and I ma stretched to breaking ) In any case .. I LOVE the Gault idea on how to get some good stuff pumping in my viens ? LOL Thank you girl !!

Cindee girl I wish they would let us in on the secret about why our house is so attractive .. we have no garbage for them to dine on, things are kept neat clean and secure .. maybe they like the style of the house ? maybe it is listed as very valuable in the raccoon real estate books .. maybe it kicks them up a notch in the social circles of the raccoon kingdom ? The girls have no idea about this unless it went to the deck door and gave them the same finger it gave number one son ? LOL

Catherine girl .. the chocolate martini sounds WONDERFUL ! : )
It is very early in the season so we think we are safe that no babies have started .. last time it was late June so the little ones were born .. but able to leave under their own power once that trap door was used.
Fingers crossed this will be done and dusted SOON !

Hi Helen girl .. yup ! I have heard that about Toronto and I understand how bad it must be .. and YES on the toxic poo .. that first episode two years ago I ran into it in the garden .. not a lot but you know how bad it is with just a little !!
This company is one that WORKS and we were just relieved to remember it and they came so FAST !!
Fingers crossed : )

Jen girl .. I think they are being pushed more and more to join in the city because trying to get out to the country is too far or they can't get a cab to take them ? haha
Yes .. the smell can be awful .. last time we were lucky .. none of that went on in the attic , mom raccoon was super clean .. and this one is so far too .. but it is being evicted NOW ! haha

Ms S .. Bailey's in hot chocolate is a good one too .. the only problem is .. I get red as a BEET ? LOL .. but may celebrate once lodger is gone ? LOL

joey said...

Oh dear, Joy. Occasionally we have a family of raccoons that nest in the garage attic and make a mess! We have possums that sleep and get stuck in our window wells and have a resident squirrel that keeps making a nest on the engine block in my Acadia, storing pine cones around the wheel wells and tearing the insulation from around the engine. Has everyone baffled!

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

Oh my goodness Joy, are you kidding me? These critters certainly seem to love you. Right when you're finally free of the neighbour from hell, you get this. Sounds me to like you're due for some fudge!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Oh Joey ! You have it worse than I do ..after seeing those possums on TV .. I'm sacred of them big time .. good thing they don't like our weather .. what a weird thing about your car .. that is one stubborn squirrel ! LOL

Martha , John and I said the same thing WTF ??????????????haha
I have lost my grip and have been eating Easter bunnies ... so there you go .. no self control when stressed ? haha

Anonymous said...

I hope you can convince the critters to vacate easier than last time, Joy. Raccoons occasionally lift the heavy plywood covers of the garbage and recycling bins out back...you can't believe how strong they are! Imagine one's surprise when they lift the cover to toss a bag of garbage and a raccoon goes flying by them! It's never happened to me, personally, and just as well...I'd probably have a heart attack on the spot! ;)

Anonymous said...

Not again! I'm trying to figure out what is hiding in the garage but so far haven't got a clue. Am going to set a trap! As for you, I really do sympathize and hope the eviction takes place quickly.
Rose

CanadianGardenJoy said...

OMG Nancy ... I would drop dead if one sprung out at me from a garbage can !!! LOL
I know they are smart, crafty, dexterous little monsters .. this company Green Shield really does the job thankfully .. they will be back by Thursday to check things out .. but it still gives me the jitters and I hope NOT to find any evidence in the garden from them either ? LOL
Now I have the mental picture of one springing from the garbage can going in a loop feed through my brain NANCY !!!! hahaha

Rose I was going to send you an e-mail about it .. the boys just told me yesterday and they had to wait for me to calm down to explain it all and then we got on the phone for Green Shield straight away .. and they actually came out within an hour or so .. phew !! I don't know what it is about our home they find so damn attractive ;-)

Kathleen said...

Oh no Joy. I would be going crazy too ~ especially trying to figure out why they keep returning!
We have lots of raccoons in my neighborhood ~ they raid my bird feeders (especially the grape jelly one in the summer ~ for the orioles) but they've never tried to come inside. Yikes.
One of my neighbors had a family set up house in her chimney tho. You'll never believe how they got rid of them ~ they set a pan of vinegar on the hearth and turned the radio up super loud. The family moved out overnight. Apparently, they care for neither! I wonder if that would work for you?

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Kathleen : ) Now that was a different story of evicting raccoons ! Nice to know it was perfectly humane and "green" !
We have no idea if this is the same one as two years ago .. but .. the only way to get them out is the one way door which worked like a charm last time (aside from one of the kits being left behind by mistake .. but we worked it so mom could get the little one and then closed it out.
We don't have a chimney ..so that isn't the problem .. it is the eves of the house they manage to crack open the underneath .. but this company is fantastic .. they will get rid of the unwanted lodger.