How can I prevent raccoons from ripping up my sod?
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3 of 5 of our 2 month old hens.
Question by jen_is_working: How can I prevent raccoons from ripping up my sod?
Less than a week ago I laid new sod in my backyard. I’ve been diligently watering it, and it seems to be beginning to take. However, the raccoons are giving me a huge problem as every morning I wake up and they’ve ripped up a corner of it or in some cases even literally rolled up half a piece like a carpet. I went to a garden centre and they told me they’re probably searching for grubs so to tack down each corner of the sod with spikes. I tacked it down yesterday, and when I looked out this morning I expected to see it lying perfectly intact but those $ ^#*& raccoons had ripped it up AGAIN. They had just ripped it up regardless – spikes and all. I just came in from putting it all back.
I don’t know what to do – the sod won’t ever really take if it’s getting ripped up every night!! Short of sitting out all night with a shotgun (my dad’s suggestion), what can I do?? I’m getting so angry and frustrated every day his suggestion is sounding better and better (albeit not particularly realistic).
Thanks.
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One Response to How can I prevent raccoons from ripping up my sod?
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There’s a couple ways to control the critters. First is to sprinkle hot pepper flakes or cayenne pepper around the seams. One nose full of pepper and they’ll be gone. Or not. maybe they like a little spice with their food. You can place chicken wire over the sod until it’s very well established. Raccoons can’t stand walking on chicken wire. You can use grub killer on the lawn -but if you have kids or pets using the lawn it’s not the best idea. You can soak fuzzy tennis balls in ammonia and leave them on the sod -it will also deter you from using your lawn.
You can also get “critter ridder” sprays from the garden center. A few of these are pepper based and several of these simulate the smell of the pheromones in the urine of raccoon’s predators. We can’t smell the pheromone, but the racoons do. They think that something wants to eat them -so they leave the spot. There’s also a few chemical based critter-ridder sprays -these stink and they will repel you as well as the racoons. There’s the shotgun method. Finally, live traps work too. A pest control guy will come to your home, place a trap with some food in it, trap the raccoons and relocate him. No harm, no killing, and he gets to go somewhere that’s better for him. It’s not the cheapest -but it’s the nicest to the animal and least deadly.
Here’s a few places I have found helpful: http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/Professional-Trapper/howtogetridofraccoons.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Raccoons
http://raccoondeterrent.net/5-ways-to-get-rid-of-raccoons/
Linda S
June 5, 2013 at 5:43 pm