This is a battle we fight constantly and reports are that raccoon numbers are very high this year. There are several things to try. If you are feeding from your deck, you pretty much have to take you feeders in at night. With any luck, you can get them to move along. If you are feeding from a pole system in your yard the solution is to add a raccoon baffle to your setup. This is not to be confused with a squirrel baffle. Squirrel baffles are too small to keep adult raccoons out.

A well balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean chicken and fish, but very little red meat. A high grade, low ash dog food can be substituted for the chicken/fish component. To Diet Page

Not like a dog or a cat. Once a year in early spring the 'coon's coat "cracks". The dead hair of the winter coat comes out in clumps. In the wild, the den is lined with it to keep the newborns warm.

Yes, but we are willing to negotiate the issue. If you give us our own belongings from the time we are tiny and frequently replace them when we annihilate them, we'll generally agree to leave your things alone.

Humans misinterpret the signs of sexual maturation during mating season. For differing reasons, both sexes are prone to aggression during mating season. Once it is over, we return to being your loving pet until next year. Not really. If your house can withstand the onslaught of an active two year old that can climb sheer walls, it's probably safe from me.

In general, no, but we do tend to become obese if we are allowed. And those that are obese tend to have heart conditions that significantly shorten their lives.

This is a personal decision. I've known of a family that raised 2 children and 3 raccoons, a squirrel, a cat and two dogs together successfully. You have to assume that at some point the children will be bitten by the pet raccoon. This probably precludes the children from entertaining friends in the home.

Please feel free to email us with any questions or comments not covered here. We will attempt to find or direct you to the appropriate answers.

Whenever birds are concentrated in a small area, the risk of a disease spreading within that population increases. Even so, feeding birds may not necessarily increase the rate of disease spread, and should not have a net negative impact on the House Finch population. House Finch Disease Survey data tell us that the disease has decreased from epidemic proportions and is now restricted to a smaller percentage of the population.

The bird houses should be emptied of old materials after the nesting season by removing the bottom. Check again in early spring to remove any seasonal debris that winter might have blown in. The roof is cedar and will age naturally, but to bring back a fresh look to the shingles, wash with detergent and mild bleach. Some of our customers like to apply linseed oil to the shingles. It is a safe and natural preservative, but allow it to dry before returning the house or feeder to it's post.

Absolutely. Every two or three days, every week at the very least, scrub the inside of the bottle with a bottle brush (some people fill it with water, add sand or rice as a scouring agent, and shake it), and rinse with hot running water. If you leave the sugar-water out much longer than three days, it ferments and produces a mold fatal to hummers.

If your community is experiencing this problem, then fill out an Urgent Help Form. Under the General category, select Quick expert help for all other problems using the check boxes, and then select Other using the drop-down box. One of our volunteers will contact you either by phone or by email regarding this matter.

Adult raccoons may be anywhere from 24 to 40 inches in length (including 8-12 inches for tail) and weigh 14 to 40 pounds depending upon locale (larger raccoons in the north) and sex (males are larger than females). Average is about 3 feet and 25-30 pounds. Captive raccoons can weigh considerably more than their wild neighbors and they have a tendency to obescity. I would venture a safe guess that the male raccoon who weighed a record 62 pounds was not found in the wild.

Raccoons can squeeze through any opening that they can get their head through. Often times, common points of entry are through attic vent louvers and attic fans. You should try to make sure that these openings are either closed (if not in use) or properly guarded by using sturdy metal screen. Learn more about keeping raccoons out of the attic and house. Get help for problems with raccoons.

Leave them up until December, but make sure fresh syrup (4 parts water/1 part sugar) is in the feeder

It is always a good practice to sanitize the house and equipment between batches of chickens. There is a saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" !!! This is especially true of chickens so are so susceptible to diseases and are constantly eating off the ground!!. Wash all pens, waters and feeder surfaces with a good detergent. Add 1 oz. of disinfectant to each gallon of water and saturate by spraying all surface areas.

Another method would be to provide the squirrels with their own feeders. This method is in hopes that with their own food source, they will be too busy to pay attention to the bird feeders. There are many squirrel feeders on the market, such as the Havahart Squirrel Chair. Simply place a corn cob on the provided peg and watch the squirrels sit and eat the corn! Place the feeder away from your bird feeders. Purchase a squirrel chair in our online store.

You will not be able to exclude squirrels entirely, as they are wily creatures. If you view your interaction with squirrels as a war, you will lose, and most people find it very demoralizing to be defeated by an opponent with a brain the size of a ball bearing. In most cases, you can diminish squirrels' consumption of your bird feed through three simple tactics:

Raccoons like dark quiet places such as an attic or basement. You can try discouraging them or making them move by setting up things that disturb their home environment (i.e. lights, music, etc.). If you have more than 2 of them in your attic or basement you're very likely to have a mom and babies. Male and female pairs do not stay together. Males are solitary and groups are generally mom and her babies.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has a problem animal hotline at 303-297-1192 or visit their website at www.dnr.state.co.us/wildlife/.

Call 704-336-2673 to setup the pickup of large items and yard waste. Do not put the item by the curb until the scheduled pickup date. It may be a week or two away.

The City of Shoreline does not provide trapping services. If you would like a list of trappers please call (206) 546-1700. For information regarding other wildlife, please call the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife at (425) 775-1311.

Tube wild bird feeders are very popular with most backyard wild birds. They provide some of the most productive bird watching hours. Goldfinches will use thistle seed feeders. Most backyard songbirds will be happy to use your standard tube bird feeders that are filled with sunflowers or seed mixes. They come in a great variety of styles and prices.

Yes, as long as the type of cable used is approved for such use and the dimmers are not drawing more than the rated current carrying capacity. The feeder cables typically used in the US' Entertainment industry, Types SC and W, have a 290 Amp rating for size 2/0. Yes and No: "Type W" and "Entertainment" (actually "Type SC") are 2 different types of feeder cables. TMB sells 2/0 cables of both types.

Leave them out all year long. After the last Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have flown south in September or October, there's a fair chance your feeder will attract a Rufous or Black-chinned Hummingbird. These western species winter in Florida in small numbers, and a handful are recorded in Gainesville every fall and winter. Allen's, Buff-bellied, and Calliope Hummingbirds have also been recorded in Alachua County.

Before filling your feeder with fresh seed, it is recommended that the following precautions are taken: Remove all old seed. Soak feeder in a light water/bleach solution (9 parts H20 to 1 part bleach). Scrub feeder and allow to air dry. Rake and remove accumulated hulls and droppings from underneath the feeders. Spread mulch (bark or wood) under the feeder, replace mulch when soiled. To prevent mold growth, use weatherproof feeders when conditions are humid or wet.