How to keep racoons out of my garbage and snakes from under my decks and shed? Please help!?

Answer 1

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When I lived out in the country, I had the same problems...

Bungee cords over the garbage cans helped most of the time, but they still got in on occasion. We ended up trying ratchet straps, but the little suckers chewed through them. Finally, I put two locks on it like the ones you put on a shed door and use with a master lock. They never got through those and instead of a master lock, I just used extension cord clamps since they're easy to remove (for humans!).

As for the snakes, you could try mothballs. That seemed to work for me. But after i ran out, I was kind of lazy, so I sprinkled some granulated chlorine (for pools) between the cracks of the deck. It killed the weeds that were growing up through the deck too. Of course, it smells like chlorine for a few days and it'll kill your grass if you use too much and there's run-off. But I had rock under mine and it all sloped towards a patch of rock that surrounds the pool so i didn't worry about grass issues. And it may not be too environmentally friendly, but it worked well. (And the snakes never came back... Neither did the racoons, skunks, squirrels, and other critters.)

While I know these are proven methods, just be careful with the chemicals and the amounts you use. I'd hate for you to kill your lawn or have chlorine fumes choking you to death as you try to enjoy your deck. Remember... A little goes a long way... Animal senses are far more sensitive than our own...

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Asker's Comment:

Thanks for the info

Answer 2

Put a lock on your garbage cans, but I do not know about your decks and shed.

Answer 3

move to the city?

Answer 4

Give them to me! Awwww raccoons are so cute!

Answer 5

For the raccoons, you should get a trash can with a tightly sealing lid. For snakes, there's not too much you can do.

Answer 6

Lock up the garbage, or get one of those garbage cans that are specially designed against wildlife. They're harder to open.

About the snakes.. I think you have snakes because they have food in your shed and decks. If you get rid of the mice, the snakes will probably go elsewhere for food.

Answer 7

the snakes are coming because of some type of food source (rodents). get rid of their food and they won't come around. putting a lock on the trash can may be the only way to get rid of the coons.

Answer 8

Yeah, I'm wid Steve! I'd be so fast outta der! But seriously ~ I live on the 3rd floor & the trash is half a block away! I have those electronic pest repellents in the living room & bedroom & corridor which are designed to keep insects away. Also there is this 'boric acid' which is in all the crevices around door ways & windowsills....be sure you got no kids around for this....& I get 2 pts at least!

Source(s):

MikeWonDoctrine

Answer 9

snake hate lime.