The "Thing" came back last night at 8:15 and the noise and banging around was as bad as ever. I got Steve on the phone and we talked about what I might do. He told me to stomp on the floor and the reaction was immediate! Wow! The "Thing" started hissing, and kept doing it, especially when I would stomp again. It is definitely not a cat, or a rat, or anything very small. Steve thinks it could be a raccoon. I just don't know what to do as this thing isn't going away, and I can't figure out what he is doing to make the kind of loud noises I'm hearing. I will admit I was frightened, but as usual, it quieted down and I didn't hear much after that. Now I wonder why I don't hear him leaving in the morning. I am a light enough sleeper I am sure I'd wake up through that kind of racket.
I can't close up the opening he's coming through as it is where the utilities come from under the house to the meter outside. I forgot to check some of the other houses on my walk this morning to see what others do about this situation, but as the pipes & utilities come out towards the rear of the house I probably couldn't see them anyway.
I walked another mile this morning around the neighborhood. I could hear my Mom's voice in my head scolding me for going out before my hair had completely dried, and without a hat in this chilly weather. "You will catch pneumonia!". I'm 77 years old and my Mom is still telling me what to do!
Nothing else has been happening. I think I mentioned in a response to a previous comment, that my test results hadn't been processed by Tuesday, so I'm now rescheduled to get them this coming Tuesday.
I wanted to mention that I found some Vick's Vapo Rub in my medicine cabinet that I used for my leg muscles yesterday. I didn't have an ache or a pain after that. I'll see how I do today, but I don't have any discomfort so far.
I wish someone could tell me how it could be Thursday already - it sees this week just began yesterday.
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It sounds like you have a coon as they do hiss and are big enough to cause a great commotion. This happened to me years ago and it was actually two coons fighting under the house. My old dog had recently died -- this never happened when she was alive. I think just her dog odor kept things at bay. You might look around for a pest repellent of some sort which repels them by smell. They don't like light as they are nocturnal, so you could try a spot light under the house or around the area. It was so long ago I can't remember what worked for me.
ReplyDeleteGuess we will always have the "mother voice" in our heads.
I just read on a website that coons don't like cinnamon or black pepper, so I mixed up about a TBSP each of ground cinnamon and ground black pepper. I sprinkled it just inside the opening, so I hope the smell deters them. If it doesn't I may have to mix up more of the spices so that they can't get in without getting it on their paws. Wish me luck!
DeleteThey also don't like cayenne on their paws.
DeleteI'm afraid I might have spread too little of the spices - not a wide enough band to insure they get it on their paws. I'll see what happens in the next two nights, and if I need to add more I will mix cayenne with the rest. I really appreciate your suggestions.
DeleteI hope you come up with something that works and you have a peaceful night.
ReplyDeleteGypsy I would have been frightened as well, it is good that you had your son to call upon. Wish I had some suggestion to give you but I would be interested to learn if what you are doing is effective.
ReplyDeleteOur mothers voice always seems to follow us even as grown women, it is just something in our culture.
My mother knew exactly how to get to me, and she played that card very well. I try not to do it to my children, but I'm sure they would be able to tell me thing I do that drive them crazy!
DeleteI don't want to wish my evening away but I'm anxious to see if the coon comes back. If he does, I will buy big jars of cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne this weekend and figure our how to get a good layer down that he has to step on. They don't like it on their paws from what I read.
I have had coon and possum intruders under my house. Kept setting a live trap. Caught quite a few coons, a whole family of them. Only caught one at a time and a few possums. I have transported them quite a few miles away, but this time I just dispatched them very quickly. So far, others have taken their place. My son and his wife raise quite a few different farm animals and rabbits on the back of my property. A lot of the predators are coming to try and get the chickens and ducks, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would have have problem dispatching a coon or a possum if they try to take shelter under my house. Not that I could actually do it myself, except maybe for spreading something that doesn't agree with them.
DeleteMy neighbour in Toronto used Eucalyptus oil on her garbage bags to keep raccoons away.& it worked for her. Try soaking a small rag with some.
ReplyDeleteCayenne has been known to cause squirrels to practically claw their eyes out to stop the pain. I'd try other deterrants first if you can. I wonder if moth balls would do anything.
I don't have any problem with the garbage cans, just the skirting around my mobile home. They can find a loose panel, or in my case, come in through the opening where my utility lines come from the house. I'm going to prepare something this weekend to spread around the house.
DeleteI thought you might be able to soak a rag in it & throw it under the house....Maybe your son could put hardware cloth around the opening. It is fairly strong. When I lived in the city, we had a family of raccoons living in our chimney for quite some time. my mother finally had to have pest control remove them. They used a tree near the house to come down every night to prowl. Hope you find a solution,
ReplyDeleteI may try a solution of boiled habanero peppers which you let cool and then put in a spray bottle. I may resort to that - I could soak a rag and throw it in the opening.
ReplyDeleteAt 8pm I have heard some noises but nothing like the loud banging around the past couple of evenings. I can only wait and see.
Moth balls are toxic to humans. I do not use them near the house.
ReplyDeleteI remember them from when I was a child (people wore woolen clothing back then and it was susceptible to moth damage). I doubt if I've ever bought a box of them.
DeleteYour problem certainly has brought out others' experiences and suggestions. I hope one of them works. I would think in a city they would have someone you could call to catch the varmit and cart him away.
ReplyDeleteIf you call someone at the city for a problem like that they would tell you to contact a pest control service. I think I can do just as well with my attempts, although it might take some trial and error.
DeleteI am afraid my solution is not politically correct, so I will pass on advice, but hope you find a solution soon!
ReplyDeleteChuckling as I read your comment! In some circumstances I would definitely feel the same way, but I guess I think of a raccoon as a cute little animal.
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