Would running 3 strands of hot wire around mango tree repeal raccoons?

[bovine421]

Would running three strands of Hotwire .One at 6 in another that a foot maybe and then a foot and a half work as a deterrent to raccoon or as my mother-in-law call some La Coon. I have some three-foot-tall Garden rabbit hog wire that I would put around the drip line or perimeter of the tree. Then run the hot wire outside of that in case they hit the hot wire and go forward instead of backing up. There's nothing new Under the Sun as the saying goes so I'm sure someone else has tried this. Hopefully with success

Yes John!
Rock and Roll is not noise pollution
https://youtu.be/i_i7PKdQJU4

[Jaboticaba45]

I don't know if that would work, but what I can say from experience is that they are smart and will keep coming back unless drastic measures are done.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Raccoons are a constant here.  I have live trapped them, released them at a river in the Nat'l Forest.  Seems all I did was create a new space for others to move in.  Population otherwise stays the same.  They visit every night, climb fences, eat fallen fruit, etc.  I have a game camera that follows the population pretty closely.  My neighbor's koi pond has been regularly destroyed by the raccoons, but we put in two strands of hotwire around the pond and that keeps them out.  Ground must be wet for effective action.  Now and then he hears them grunt/cry when they get hit, but pond is left alone.  I do find that they take away dead tree rats and gophers that I leave for them instead of burying them.

[zands]

@Jack, Nipomo ... Thanks for that. I know you have been around a while, so have seen all the tricks of the animal marauders that look at our fruit orchards as all-you-can-eat buffets.  You might have a large, medium, small number of fruit tree plantings. They want to eat them.
And if the fruits are not near ripe, no big deal. They will eat what is available. Same as we eat green, unripe bananas and plantains, after cooking them.

@Bovine
First off your mango tree cannot be close to other trees... Where they can jump from tree B branches onto the branches of tree A that you want to protect.
If mango tree is in the clear, how about this. See if you can get some razor wire. Coil this at the base of your mango tree. You will not need much of it. Here is what my search shows. That you can get a smaller amount for $40 or so.>> https://www.bing.com/search?q=tractor+suppply+razor+wire&PC=U316&FORM=CHROMN  Your local Tractor Supply might have this too. Along with the Ivermectin in the next aisle over.

Obviously, and this has affected me. If your mango tree is not in the clear from branches of other trees. Then what you do at the trunk of the tree will not stop critters. Though, your raccoons just might be too heavy to jump from tree to tree via their branches. I know that squirrels do it. I have seen this. I am already making plans for next mango season to ward off squirrel attacks.

[monkeyfish]

Wow, razorwire sounds like a terrible idea. For one, its not safe for humans, accidents happen, like if you stumble and fall into it yourself. That stuff is treacherous. Plus, the first raccoon that gets into it will create a tangled-up mess. Then you'd have to restring.

As to the initial idea, if by a hotwire you mean one connected to 120 volt house mains, that is also unsafe for humans and quite the fire hazard as well.

Safety first!  My suggestion, spend twentyfive bucks and get something made for the task:

 https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/power-wizard-pw50-electric-fence-controller-3680003

No fires, No hospitalized people.

[sapote]

but we put in two strands of hotwire around the pond and that keeps them out.  Ground must be wet for effective action.  Now and then he hears them grunt/cry when they get hit, but pond is left alone.

How many volts on the hot wires, and why need 2 hot wires? I would guess these are 110v ac household power. Wet ground and 110v can be deadly for human and accident can happen, like the hot wire touching the wet ground.

[sapote]

Would running three strands of Hotwire .One at 6 in another that a foot maybe and then a foot and a half work as a deterrent to raccoon

If this is for only one tree, then I will do this: cut a piece of chicken wire for a disk shape about 12" dia, and a center hole to clear the tree trunk; install it around the tree. Cut another bigger disk with inside dia 3" larger than the first disk, and with outer dia of 24". Install the end disk around the first disk and they are separated by 3" gap. Anchor the disks with stakes to fix them in place. Connect each disk to a hot wire so there is 110V between the two disks. These should not touching wet ground.
If ground is not dry, use carboard or wood placed under the chicken wire disks.
The coon will approach carefully, then steps on the first outer disk; so far so good; then as soon as its front paws sensitive toes  step on the inner disk with the hind legs still on the outer disk, it screams calling god, its back curves up like a bent lift spring, and then the whole body bouncing off like a fast arrow into the dark night with sharp pain of 110V.
This is very dangerous and the power should be pull off as soon as other human is around.

[Jack, Nipomo]

No, No...not 110 vac household power!  110 VAC at 20 or 30 amps can be deadly to unaware humans and animals. Visit a good ag type hardware store that carries the hot wire charger for cattle, horses, sheep, etc.  We have used it for our horses and dogs without issues.  The voltage is high, but minimal current, like walking on a rug, getting shocked touching a wall.  There is not enough voltage x current to power a lightbulb, but the voltage is enough to shock a horse or dog.  I can touch mine to see if it is working, not pleasant, but effective.  The hot wire (carrying voltage) is strung where needed, insulated from the ground (use insulators meant for hot wires or I simply use PVC pipe as supports.  Here it is dry and we don't see rain.  The hot wire is energized and the other wire is the ground, literally. A copper pipe or tube can be hammered into the ground where the ground wire is connected.  A circuit is completed between the two (hot wire and ground) resulting in a shock.  An animal is standing barefooted on the ground, touching the wire, and gets a shock.  Best is ground is damp/wet for good connection.  Because it is high voltage (relatively speaking, like a spark plug wire) it is effective over a long distance (pasture) or in less than damp conditions.  Tough animals like cattle respect the wire, my dogs respect a wire even when it is not connected to anything as they became trained with their initial experience.  It scares the animal, but causes no harm.  Horses seem to sense the voltage on the wire and avoid it.  One problem (other than urinating on a hot wire) is that plants that touch the hot wire will short it out and somehow animals know when it is not working.  Plants must be trimmed back from the hotwire regularly.

[roblack]

Find another way Bo. Aint worth it, and don't want to read about you forgetting about the electrified razor wire and being found filleted and charbroiled.

Reminds of motion activated sprinkler. Can't tell you how many times got doused.

Currently working on the Varmint Catapult. Sends them flying into neighbors yard. If I forget, only get smacked.

[sapote]

No, No...not 110 vac household power!  110 VAC at 20 or 30 amps can be deadly to unaware humans and animals. Visit a good ag type hardware store that carries the hot wire charger for cattle, horses, sheep, etc.  We have used it for our horses and dogs without issues.  The voltage is high, but minimal current, like walking on a rug, getting shocked touching a wall.  There is not enough voltage x current to power a lightbulb, but the voltage is enough to shock a horse or dog.  I can touch mine to see if it is working, not pleasant, but effective.  The hot wire (carrying voltage) is strung where needed, insulated from the ground (use insulators meant for hot wires or I simply use PVC pipe as supports.  Here it is dry and we don't see rain.  The hot wire is energized and the other wire is the ground, literally. A copper pipe or tube can be hammered into the ground where the ground wire is connected.  A circuit is completed between the two (hot wire and ground) resulting in a shock.  An animal is standing barefooted on the ground, touching the wire, and gets a shock.  Best is ground is damp/wet for good connection.  Because it is high voltage (relatively speaking, like a spark plug wire) it is effective over a long distance (pasture) or in less than damp conditions.  Tough animals like cattle respect the wire, my dogs respect a wire even when it is not connected to anything as they became trained with their initial experience.  It scares the animal, but causes no harm.  Horses seem to sense the voltage on the wire and avoid it.  One problem (other than urinating on a hot wire) is that plants that touch the hot wire will short it out and somehow animals know when it is not working.  Plants must be trimmed back from the hotwire regularly.

I understand it now. I had seen this when watching Lion video clips in Africa where the hot wires were used to keep the lions in the National Park. It is high voltage but was stored in capacitors as static discharge and not continuous current as household power. This is safe as compared to household power.

[zands]

Harbor Freight carries only one size animal trap and it is huge. Just $25. Raccoons will prefer meat over fruit, so bait it with some funky old meat from your freezer. Even better if you can buy a live chicken. Butcher it and toss the innards in the trap. Innards give off more of a smell to lure the raccoon in. Eat the chicken and toss the bones and scraps in there.

[roblack]

...or better yet

Procure a giant turkey. Remove its innards, and crawl up into it like Luke Skywalker (or just put it on your head). Rub the innards generously all over your body. Wait for the raccoon assault, and be ready.

[zands]

...or better yet

Procure a giant turkey. Remove its innards, and crawl up into it like Luke Skywalker (or just put it on your head). Rub the innards generously all over your body. Wait for the raccoon assault, and be ready.

Ever see the claws on raccoons? Ever see those claws bared, with the raccoon hissing and snarling? For sure they like animal flesh more than fruit. Though pound for pound, weasels, otters and others in their family are the nastiest, toughest, most fighting critters around. I read about an animal control officer who had trapped one that was a nuisance. Put the trap/cage in the back of his pickup truck. When he got to his destination, he found that the animal had gotten through the cage wires and had escaped.

I would like to see a larger raccoon and smaller weasel put into a secure cage, battling it out to see who wins.

Mink are in the weasel family. This video shows one in a chicken coop at night doing in 10 chickens. The chicken feathers are flying.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWeXEGwXa8g

[bovine421]

It's a Sound Idea. Use hot wire like you use for livestock. Runs off car battery wrap it around the tree with 3 or 4 metal stakes with insulators on them. Have a micro jet sprinkler on a timer

[Jack, Nipomo]

There are versions of hot wire (electric fence) chargers.  In remote areas there are ones that use battery, some use solar, or a plug-in if there is a source.  All put out several thousand volts at minimal current to be effective.  That is not as scary as it seems as the sparkplug in one's car is driven by several thousand volts in order to spark across the air gap of the plug.  A police Taser delivers 30 to 50,000 volts. Amazon carries several electrical fence chargers with good descriptions. They have been effective in keeping raccoons away from the chicken coop when a little short electric fence is surrounding the coop.

[sapote]

I read about an animal control officer who had trapped one that was a nuisance. Put the trap/cage in the back of his pickup truck. When he got to his destination, he found that the animal had gotten through the cage wires and had escaped.

Did I say it's magician? I had witnessed the whole act escaping the cage within 5 minutes when the door triggered and closed.

[Ulfr]

Hot wire here just means electric fence like is used everywhere for stock. Is it something different elsewhere? Am I missing something or are others? You would use more that a single wire to stop them going over/under to answer a question asked above.

It will work just fine I imagine though I have no experience with raccoons.. I use it all the time around my property for protecting chickens and for my dogs who eat/destroy everything. I just use a little solar energiser that sits on a star picket (our version of a t-post). I use the hi-vis wire/tape and because dogs are trainable, I can just put the wire/tape anywhere I want the dogs to stay out of and whether it is energised or not they will respect it. It’s cheap and very effective temporary fencing and I have used it in so many different configurations. The solar/battery ones are very convenient compared to the mains powered energisers.

[Mark in Texas]

How many volts on the hot wires, and why need 2 hot wires? I would guess these are 110v ac household power. Wet ground and 110v can be deadly for human and accident can happen, like the hot wire touching the wet ground.

I haven't given it a real test (let the vineyard go last 2 years because of mother nature's hits) but I have 1 hot wire about 6" above the ground and will probably need another about 5" above that one for my vineyard.   What's showing is a string type hot wire above the high tensile metal wire for lamb control.   It's not there anymore.

We use solar power here in central Texas to provide power for coon control at the hundreds of vineyards around here.  Most managers make it a daily routine of setting live traps and shoot.  Been doing that but hate the drill, helluva way to start your day.  Buzzards love me though.   

They are climbers and can open up latches with their hands. Very smart.  Mothers can be vicious and will attack.   

Ground does not need to be wet but in order to install the ground correctly you do need to drive it (rebar works well) down far enough to some moisture. 

The charger model shown is a real ass kicker, good for long runs and multiple wires.
 

[Mark in Texas]

There are versions of hot wire (electric fence) chargers.  In remote areas there are ones that use battery, some use solar, or a plug-in if there is a source.  All put out several thousand volts at minimal current to be effective.  That is not as scary as it seems as the sparkplug in one's car is driven by several thousand volts in order to spark across the air gap of the plug.  A police Taser delivers 30 to 50,000 volts. Amazon carries several electrical fence chargers with good descriptions. They have been effective in keeping raccoons away from the chicken coop when a little short electric fence is surrounding the coop.

Good stuff there.  There are cheap pet chargers for sale that work for small installations.

[bovine421]

There are versions of hot wire (electric fence) chargers.  In remote areas there are ones that use battery, some use solar, or a plug-in if there is a source.  All put out several thousand volts at minimal current to be effective.  That is not as scary as it seems as the sparkplug in one's car is driven by several thousand volts in order to spark across the air gap of the plug.  A police Taser delivers 30 to 50,000 volts. Amazon carries several electrical fence chargers with good descriptions. They have been effective in keeping raccoons away from the chicken coop when a little short electric fence is surrounding the coop.

Good stuff there.  There are cheap pet chargers for sale that work for small installations.

Mark I would imagine this is something they would probably do at the Cow Camp. Wrap a hot wire around the pee tree and when Freddie the freeloader drinks one too many beers flip the switch. After knocking his hat off get a big laugh when they hear his war hoop!

[Mark in Texas]

Mark I would imagine this is something they would probably do at the Cow Camp. Wrap a hot wire around the pee tree and when Freddie the freeloader drinks one too many beers flip the switch. After knocking his hat off get a big laugh when they hear his war hoop!

Can be heard far out yonder way.

I hear the sheriff in charge of Venice Beach is installing them around palm trees.   Austin could use a 1,000 of them due with all the homeless loading up that town.   

[achetadomestica]

why not catch them in a Hav a hart trap?
then you can shoot them or let them go somewhere else
for someone else to deal with? I put catfood in mine or tuna and
caught both neighbor's cats. Then I placed a banana in the trap.
The coon would take it out and eat it next to the cage. I tried tying
a string to the banana to make it close and still couldn't catch him.
One night the cage closed but he got out and still ate the banana. Then
I accidently figured out what would work. Put a banana in the trap
a couple nights and let the coon eat it. Then put a bunch of bananas in.
The greedy coon will be there in the morning. I prefer to shoot them then
pass the problem on. I have tortoises in my yard and don't need coons.
 

[bovine421]

Does anyone know what night they meet at the Kingdom Hall. This sinner needs Redemption.Lol

[zands]

Your night photo shows a scared, shivering baby raccoon in your trap.

[K-Rimes]

I had some bands of racoons causing problems but they moved on after a neighbor killed one with a .22

I'll shoot them on sight if they come back but then I do live pretty rural and it's normal to hear a gunshot here or there. These days I set up deer enforcer since that's the pest du jour and it's keeping them at bay, I would think raccoons are too stubborn and wouldn't be scared off by a little water.