It is already permanent once the chow wagon is located. Raccoons love snails. Maybe once all the snails are gone it will lay low or it may discover fish are on the diet; or maybe worms in the plants to make a big mess.

The only way to keep them out is electric fence.

CT

I agree...electric fence is the only sure way to keep them out of your pond.They ate all my fish, destroyed my plants...we tried all , scarecrow, animal urine...you name it. The only thing that worked is the fence...its kepted them out for three years now (I also live in the city).

ok....not the nicest method but cheap. A friend of mine used a Super soaker squirt gun and a liquid mix of water and cayenne pepper to keep them out of his garbage area. Caught them out there a couple times and hosed them down with it each time. They stopped coming back after that.

I supposed water balloons would work also.

An electric fence is the only thing that worked for me.

You can dress up the Fido Shock fence by using bamboo and copper instead of the plastic and wire it comes with.

One of the reasons raccoons make such a mess in ponds is that they are feeling around for snails. They aren't just after fish.

Really cruel to spray them with the hot pepper. It gets in their eyes and they rub it in. It's painful and can cause permanent damage as they rub their eyes. They will respond as quickly to a strong spray of water and a human presence. Much better to use the Fido Fence or one of the clones as that won't cause lasting injury. Sandy

I agree with Sandy. This method has been mentioned in other posts, and there's absolutely no reason not to use an electric fence instead.

Brenda

The problem with an electric fence in my situation is the size of my water feature. I estimate that it would take about 60 yards of fencing (times however many strands were required) to enclose the feature. It would cross a path twice, posing a tripping hazard. I would have to have more power run to that area of the yard, since all of the outlets are in use. On the positive side, the electric fence would always be on.

Pepper spray can work and it is not as bad as some have suggested. I live in Colorado. Here, every officer who attends the Colorado Police Academy is sprayed directly in the face (including the eyes) with mace. It is very unpleasant, but there is never any permanent damage. However, for pepper spray to work, you have to be there to use it. Raccoons are mainly nocturnal, so not a perfect solution. The same could be said for any other "weapons" (slingshots, BB gun, etc.). Apparently, as described in this article from Alaska (http://www.adn.com/outdoors/craig_medred/story/9153851p-9070218c.html) pepper spray can leave a long lasting residue. Perhaps some of that sprayed near the water might be something of a deterrent.

Of course, there is something to be said for the balance of nature. Raccoons will help to control the snail population. I've been told to eventually expect visits from mountain lions (they do live nearby) that will be drawn to the water. If true, they might discourage by the raccoons directly or indirectly.

For now, I am going to just take a wait and see approach.

Very valid points, Boulder, however...the officers are able to rinse their eyes out immediately following the training. I'm not sure raccoons would know to thrust their faces in water and blink rapidly to remove the spray. :)

What a great experience that would be, seeing a mountain lion! From a distance, of course. *gulp* :D

Wildlife is an advantage to having ponds, IMO, not something to be "dealt with." Unfortunately, many folks don't agree. (Brenda

Yourit, fair enough. Actually, we love having the wildlife visit. Raccoons can just be so destructive.

I've only seen one mountain lion, and it was from a safe distance. A few years ago, one killed a deer in an open space area about 100 yards from our house.

Awesome!

One thing I have learned about raccoons is that they are very easy to train. You can, with patience and a garden hose make them understand limits. It is also a problem when some idiot treats them like pets or children and they lose their fear of humans. As for the electric fence, there are several models that run on batteries. After all, there are not a lot of electric sockets around a pasture or large garden. I found several that enclosed very large areas for less than $80 that run on batteries at Tractor Supply. I used to see them at Fleet Farm as well as control for deer. Sandy

Have encountered mountain lions up close and personal, threatening my dogs, and later lost one dog to a lion. Don't wish for them to show up in your yard, they are not a desireable thing at all.