raccoons - how to protect summer ponds

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

For 3 years now I've some trouble with raccoons. They come
at night to catch and eat my fish. Does anyone know how to
protect summer ponds _effectively_ against those
interesting little fish lovers? :-)
--
cu
Marco

[NetMax]

"Marco Schwarz" > wrote in message
...
> Hi..
>
> For 3 years now I've some trouble with raccoons. They come
> at night to catch and eat my fish. Does anyone know how to
> protect summer ponds _effectively_ against those
> interesting little fish lovers? :-)
> --
> cu
> Marco

My understanding is that a sharp drop on the edges of the pond will deter
them. They wade into the pond to go fishing (unless the water level is very
high). If their first step is into deep water (2-3'?), they draw back and
circle the pond looking for another ledge to fish from.

Alternately, a water hose with a motion detector will sometimes deter them,
but then again, sometimes they just take the free shower provided ;~).

Good luck, these are very clever critters.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Koi-lo]

"Marco Schwarz" > wrote in message
...
> Hi..
>
> For 3 years now I've some trouble with raccoons. They come
> at night to catch and eat my fish. Does anyone know how to
> protect summer ponds _effectively_ against those
> interesting little fish lovers? :-)
======================
Some people have success with electric fences and others with those motion
sprayers. A big dog would help. We use those almost invisible fine black
bird nets and have 3 dogs so raccoons are not a problem here.

Coons aren't the only thing that could be eating your fish. We had water
snakes, bullfrogs, herons, kingfishers and snapper turtles eating ours until
we got the nets.

--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
Reading Headers:
http://tinyurl.com/amm9s
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Marco Schwarz > wrote:
>Hi..
>
>For 3 years now I've some trouble with raccoons. They come
>at night to catch and eat my fish. Does anyone know how to
>protect summer ponds _effectively_ against those
>interesting little fish lovers? :-)

Get a Terrier dog.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[Eric]

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 15:34:35 -0600, Richard Sexton wrote
(in article >):

> In article >,
> Marco Schwarz > wrote:
>> Hi..
>>
>> For 3 years now I've some trouble with raccoons. They come
>> at night to catch and eat my fish. Does anyone know how to
>> protect summer ponds _effectively_ against those
>> interesting little fish lovers? :-)
>
> Get a Terrier dog.


Yeah, a bull terrier. Little terriers think they can take a 'coon, but if
they actually caught one they'd be in trouble.

-E

[Koi-lo]

"Eric" > wrote in message
. sbcglobal.net...
>
> Yeah, a bull terrier. Little terriers think they can take a 'coon, but if
> they actually caught one they'd be in trouble.
>
=============================
We have 3 dogs. The Doberman will silently, head down, sneak around and go
for the hindquarters, the large black mutt (we don't know what breed it is
but it weighs 96 lbs) goes for the head and throat. The small dog grabs
anything it can, usually the front somewhere. Nothing stands a chance
coming into our yard. When it's dead they'll toss it around and play with
it like a ragdoll. Raccoons learned quickly not to come near our house and
pond.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> They wade into the pond to go fishing (unless the
> water level is very high). If their first step
> is into deep water (2-3'?), they draw back and
> circle the pond looking for another ledge to fish from.

Sounds good. Thanks.

> Alternately, a water hose with a motion detector will
> sometimes deter them, but then again, sometimes they just
> take the free shower provided ;~).

:-)

--
cu
Marco

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> We use those almost invisible fine black bird nets

Okay. Thanks.
--
cu
Marco

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> Get a Terrier dog.

Sorry, I'm afraid a dog would possibly bite the raccoons..

--
cu
Marco

[Marco Schwarz]

But thanks, too.

--
cu
Marco

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Marco Schwarz > wrote:
>Hi..
>
>> Get a Terrier dog.
>
>Sorry, I'm afraid a dog would possibly bite the raccoons..

Ok, well, get a large cat to keep them company then.

Around here racoons are pests off the worst order that kill
chickens for sport - and worse. Keep in mind they're small
bears and no fun. Now the otters here are fun.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[Koi-Lo]

"Richard Sexton" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Marco Schwarz > wrote:
>>Hi..
>>
>>> Get a Terrier dog.
>>
>>Sorry, I'm afraid a dog would possibly bite the raccoons..
>
> Ok, well, get a large cat to keep them company then.
>
> Around here racoons are pests off the worst order that kill
> chickens for sport - and worse. Keep in mind they're small
> bears and no fun. Now the otters here are fun.
=====================
Some people have had success with those electric fences around their gardens
and ponds. Raccoons will generally avoid them or so I hear.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
Reading Headers:
http://tinyurl.com/amm9s
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> Ok, well, get a large cat to keep them company then.

Well, we've a male cat (13 years) that like to bring young
rats and that's really good at keeping ferrets (Mustela
putorius) away from our house. But raccoons.. ;-)

--
cu
Marco