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Racoon stuck in attic

rgecko23

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
0
Massillon, Ohio
My neighbor called me and told me her daughter has a racoon stuck in her attic. I told her she is probably up their with her babies, and she said that she heard if the coon had babies up their the insulation would need replaced because the smell would attract other racoons. Is this true? Is it because of mating season?

anyone around want to get rid of these things? Apparently just because I wear camo and hunt, I am like the turtle man and will get rid of varmit for everyone......
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,859
260
Trap her in the attic. Make sure you don't set the trap on top of the insulation. She'll pull every fist full of it she can find inside the trap. Set it on a small piece of plywood and screw the trap to it. Once you get her locate and remove the babies. Place the insulation from the nesting area in a garbage bag. You don't have to get a bunch. Just where they're laying. Fix the hole where she's getting in. Btw. Removal services run like 75 dollar set up fee. 40 dollar catch fee for the mom. And depending on how easy it is to he to the babies 50-100 dollar removal and clean up fee. And they don't even fix the hole. They tell you to hire a contractor.
 
Gordo

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
Just dealt with this at the place we moved out of. The coon was no where to b found, but them fuggars where living in the attic of the garage for a long time.

Replaced all insulation(stunk) and patched up entrie holes/fixed ceiling(was coming down in places, prob because fuggin of the coon traffic).
 
Ricer2231

Ricer2231

Senior Member
3,709
0
Muskingum county
I just trapped a mother and four babies last year but they were in my chimney. So I guess I wouldn't be much help with the insulation part but a live trap is how I caught the mamma and a pair of welding gloves is how I caught the babies. I set the box trap on the roof to catch the mamma but like was said earlier, make sure and set it on a piece of plywood because they will definitely dig, scratch, and pull at anything they can get ahold of through the trap. So far I have caught eleven more coons around the house and four possums.
 
"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,023
274
North Carolina
If you catch a varmit you can't release said varmit.... Put a .22 too it or take it too a pond and drop the trap into the water wait 5 minutes and remove the trap from the water and the deceased varmit from the trap.....

Like stated above if you don't find the entrance hole and patch it you're just spinning your wheels they'll be another in it's place in no time...... Insulation isn't that expensive so remove about twice the length that you think is needed to be removed and lay down new stuff.....

Too find the hole you can use a mirror during the day or a bright flashlight at night.... Have someone in the attic too see if they can see a light coming through, and if a coon can get it's head through it a hole the rest of the body's coming as well.....
 
rgecko23

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
0
Massillon, Ohio
Man, I don't even know if I want to get into this. I don't even know the chick, its my neighbors daughter. And I just met my neighbors a cpl months ago. Maybe I'll just trap the coon, and take the babies out and let them deal with the rest.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,859
260
rgecko23 said:
When you take the insulation from where they were nesting at do you just out the babies back in it when you let them go?
Click to expand...

State law requires you to kill all of them or release them on the same property you took them from.
 
RedCloud

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,383
193
North Central Ohio
Whatever you do DON'T board up the entrance hole until you get mom first. If you get the babies out and board it up she will still dig until she gets back into the house to get back to were she last left her babies. If you put a trap in the attic near the entrance hole and catch mom, use her in the trap to help find the babies ;) She will go off and start growling like a SOB if your getting close to them. Just keep an eye on her as you move through the attic and she will sniff the air in the direction you need to go ;)

Another thing, Coon will use the restroom in the same spot almost every time. You find a pile of #2 and remove everything for a good distance around it.

Joe is right, it ain't cheap to get a licensed pest removel person to get the job done. That's why they are asking whoever they can to do it for little to nothing :)
 
RedCloud

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,383
193
North Central Ohio
Jackalope said:
State law requires you to kill all of them or release them on the same property you took them from.
Click to expand...

The only way around this is to contact a wildlife rehab and have them pick up mom and the babies after you trap them. I have had the local wildlife rehab people collect babies after mom was shot and the den was found.
 
"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,023
274
North Carolina
RedCloud said:
The only way around this is to contact a wildlife rehab and have them pick up mom and the babies after you trap them. I have had the local wildlife rehab people collect babies after mom was shot and the den was found.
Click to expand...

Seems like a lot of extra work for a coon..... :smiley_coolpeace:
 
Ohiosam

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,742
191
Mahoning Co.
I have a buddy who traps beaver, he set a big ass conabear that he uses for beaver. Baited it with apples. Worked perfectly. But those traps are dangerous, be 150% sure no kids or pets get near it.
 
Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
"J" said:
Seems like a lot of extra work for a coon..... :smiley_coolpeace:
Click to expand...

Yup. Plywood, live trap, .22's in the backyard, repeat til trap is empty for a long time. With the babies and young ones, you can often catch two at a time! Vinnie and Lou will be in there just hanging out...
 
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