Well, I have been home a major portion of November, first with a sick child and then with walking pneumonia. (We're both feeling better, thank you very much, but that's not what this thread is about! )
What it IS about, is this:
Not being able to sleep well at night I have discovered something important about my home.
THERE ARE RACCOONS LIVING IN MY ATTIC AND THEY SOUND LIKE A TON OF ELEPHANTS AT 4:30 AM WHEN THEY COME IN FROM THEIR NOCTURNAL ACTIVITIES. THIS IS SIMPLY AWFUL. IT ALSO EXPLAINS THE ODOR I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY SON'S ROOM, SINCE THEY ARE NESTING IN THE ATIC ABOVE HIM. YUCKY!
Sigh.
And my landlady is just not moving on this. I am sending her a certified, return receipt letter tomorrow. I don't think she gets the seriousness of this. Actually, I don't think she particularly cares, but the critters are tearing out the insulation and destroying God knows what else - you'd think she'd want to protect her investment better.
Oh well.
Thanks for listening.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I saw a Judge Judy episode a couple of weeks ago (hey, it was exam period) where a woman had a squirrel infestation that her landlord didn't address.
She ended up getting $5000 - maybe this could be your chance!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Oh no! And I thought the pigeons in the attic that my parents used to have were bad. Wild critters should stay outdoors, at a distance, where they can be cute and stuff.
Good move on the certified letter. Good luck!
(((((Shan&son, but NOT the 'coons)))))
Posted by JonnyNotSoBravo (Member # 5715) on :
Hmmm, can't you call animal control to come get them out? Or lure them out with bright, shiny objects? Or throw a coupla smoke bombs in there? (I'm only guessing this works, because I saw all the animals running from fire in Bambi )
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
I've heard that leaving a radio turned to a talk station on where they are living works.
Ni!
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
I have no advice.
However.
I have this cartoon hanging in my office bulletin board:
A sign says "Insomnia Clinic: Are you up all night? Do you have circles around your eyes? We can help! Call 555-1455." In front of the sign are two raccoons with their paws up, looking confused.
*snicker*
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
imogen: i'm all for $5000 - that'd take care of one credit card!
rivka: thank you for the hugs - the certified letter has been duly dispatched
Jonny: you come on down and take care of the smoke bomb and luring, would ya?
kwsni: talk radio would drive anyone out of the house (grin)
mack: shall we be raccoons together? Posted by MoonRabbit (Member # 3652) on :
I have a raccoon trap, if you are near Portland. Email me to arrange to borrow it.
They can't resist marshmallows.
Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
Racoons would really freak me out. I would also be terrified of rabies. I hope you mentioned escrow in that letter.
All we ever used to get in Georgia was bats, snakes, field mice, and centipedes (and millipedes).
Posted by Maccabeus (Member # 3051) on :
We have raccoons around where I live, but except for the one that my sister caught and is keeping as a pet, they don't come near the house.
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
Not to rain on anyone's parade, but in most states (or is it a Federal law?) you can't keep a raccoon as a pet unless it was bred in captivity. The only exception here is if you are running a zoo or wildlife refuge, in which case you have to have special licenses.
Posted by Trisha the Severe Hottie (Member # 6000) on :
One time a racoon walked right into the living room. At first we thought it was the cat, but it was so much bigger. Or maybe it was when a second one followed after. There are sonic pest repellers (maybe talk radio works), and then while they are gone, you can nail something over the eaves. Though in your case, such an alteration would probably be against your lease.
Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :
Here's what worked for my Mom and Dad. He went up to the attic and played trombone at the racoon until it left. The low notes are most intimidating. I am not sure what the neighbors thought if they happened to hear someone playing trombone in mom's attic at 3am, but at least nobody called the authorities.
I love raccoons. I've never had any in my attic, but I used to have a family of squirrels upstairs and they were very good neighbors.
The very first domestic animals probably became attached to humans in just this way. They probably hung around and ate garbage, then later moved on in. Most likely that's how dogs were domesticated. I'm sure lots of people were like, "EWWWWWW! Dog infestation! Rabies! Kill them!" back then too. Then there were the weird animal lovers like me who said, "Aw, they're cute! I don't mind them!" And the other people said, "EWWWWWW, that's SOOOOO disgusting!" <laughs>
Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :
And the interesting thing is, the one adaptation that gave our species dominance over the whole world was not intelligence, not brains, so much as it was a propensity to make friends with other species and team up with them. Hence the agricultural revolution, which was really a biological revolution that involved domesticating plant and animal species. (Wheat, corn, etc. and dogs, cattle, horses, etc.) Without them, we'd still be naked apes with rocks and sticks. It was agriculture (and animal husbandry) that gave us the surplus food that allowed there to be time for people to think and play around and make innovations in technology like axes or slings or bows and arrows or plows or whatever.
So hearts matter more than heads.
[ December 03, 2003, 11:38 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
Posted by ssywak (Member # 807) on :
kwnsi,
quote:I've heard that leaving a radio turned to a talk station on where they are living works.
And now that Rush Limbaugh is back...those racoons should be no problem at all.
-Steve
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Rush Limbaugh and non-professional Trombone Music both drive out Raccoons. Is there a difference?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Racoons are so cute. But not when they jump on your face and try to eat it. Then that sucks and ruins a person's whole entire life. How many are up there?
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
Anne Kate, dear, I love the way your brain works.
Ni!
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
You guys are too much!
Some pest control person will be out Saturday morning to inspect and put together a plan of action. I would guess there's at least 4 up there since a family of 6 was living in the tree across the way.
My landlady didn't understand why I sent a letter certified/registered. She said that must mean I don't trust her. I pointed out to her that state law says major repairs/problems need to be submitted in writing and hand-delivered or sent certified. I forbore to point out to her that it usually takes three months to get anything done and let her know that I felt a certain responsibility as her tenant to help protect her investment/property and that the best way for me to do so, besides paying my rent on time and keeping the place clean and tidy was by following the law's suggestions regarding big issues. We ended on a positive note, but she was really upset. It was like making my grandma angry. Not fun. Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :
Dan Raven: My dad was, in fact, a professional trombonist. Though I'm not sure if the racoon could discern the difference.
kwsni: Thank you, dear! I can't get it to work any other way!
[ December 03, 2003, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: ana kata ]
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IT ALSO EXPLAINS THE ODOR I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY SON'S ROOM, SINCE THEY ARE NESTING IN THE ATIC ABOVE HIM. ![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
YUCKY!![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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