Help!!! bandits in my chimney

T-Man

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Kettering, OH
Alright critter experts. Seems I have a racoon that has taken up nest and had a litter in my chimney for my fireplace. Fireplace has never been used since I owned the house for the past 10 years. I closed off the fireplace itself and sealed the flue a few years back so they are not getting into the house at all but I can hear them scratching around in there and have seem mom on the roof a few times. Can also hear the babies making thier noises though the wall at night. Question is, is there an easy way of getting them out? Only way in is through the top and I'm really not thrilled of the idea of getting up and trying to ram something down there to flush them out. Not even sure if the babies can climb yet. Could easily kill them I'm sure but would still need to get them out before they start smell which would not be easy. Any ideas how to get them to leave on their own accord so I can put a cap on it? I guess I could also open the fireplace back up, burn some hickory and invite Mudpuppy over for dinner.
 
Is it large enough to lower a have a heart trap on a rope with cat food for bait

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Wait until you know that the babies can climb out of there, then get a recording of a Gray Fox and play it inside the house. Gray Fox is a mortal enemy of Raccoons, and coon hunters have used their call to tree coons for decades. If you play it before the kits can climb the adults will abandon them and you'll have a problem.
 
Is it large enough to lower a have a heart trap on a rope with cat food for bait

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Has one of those ceramic liners in it so only about 8 inch square. Not going to get much down there trap wise unfortunately.
 
Wait until you know that the babies can climb out of there, then get a recording of a Gray Fox and play it inside the house. Gray Fox is a mortal enemy of Raccoons, and coon hunters have used their call to tree coons for decades. If you play it before the kits can climb the adults will abandon them and you'll have a problem.

That definately sounds like something worth a try. Now just need to figure out how big the babies are. May send my kids old cell phone camera down there on a string to get a guestimate. Thanks Longhair
 
You may want to lower a rope down in there so they have something to climb up to get out....they will leave when they are ready...you do NOT want them to die down in there for obvious reasons...

I had to do this with a squirrel that was down inside my chimney...I used an extension cord instead of a rope though, and he climbed right out and scampered off...my chimney is metal, and he could not get back out without something to climb...

Those little guys are cute...I caught this pair wandering around in the street unattended a few years back...you can pick them right up like a little toy...by the scruff of their neck of course...cooked them for lunch and made a pair of slippers out of them...:laughing:
 

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You may want to lower a rope down in there so they have something to climb up to get out....they will leave when they are ready...you do NOT want them to die down in there for obvious reasons...

I had to do this with a squirrel that was down inside my chimney...I used an extension cord instead of a rope though, and he climbed right out and scampered off...my chimney is metal, and he could not get back out without something to climb...

Those little guys are cute...I caught this pair wandering around in the street unattended a few years back...you can pick them right up like a little toy...by the scruff of their neck of course...cooked them for lunch and made a pair of slippers out of them...:laughing:

Mom gets in and out just fine, just found a safe place to raise her young'ins The pair you got looks like the pair I had 2 years ago that made the mistake of getting in my trash again the day after trash ran and it was empty, apparently they couldn't get out once in. I had no clue they were there until I took out the trash that evening. It was over 100 degrees that day outside, can't imagine how hot it got in a black trash can sitting in the driveway. They were well done by the time I found them. Spent a week there before the trash ran again, (at least they disposed of themselves) Smell was baaaaad... after a few days. Had to bleach the cans after that.
 
Yeah Mom can get in and out easily, its the little guys that will need something to hang on to..just like the ones that got trapped in your garbage cans...

.Sure, she may carry them up out of there one at a time, or she may get hit on the road tonight, and then you have a stinking mess to deal with..give them something to climb on out of there and they will go away...once they do, cap off the top tightly...especially since you dont use the fireplace anyway...

of, if you want a real adventure...take a length of barb wire and twirl it around in there and pull them out yourself!:laughing:
 
once the babies get old enough they will leave on their own, when they do just seal it up so they don't come back next season. Its only used while babies are growing.
 
If there is coon poop in your chimney be very careful with removing. Respirator, gloves and boiling water to kill possible parasites. Look up baylisascaris. Good luck getting them gone. I had raccoons climbing up a tree to the roof of a shed and crapping all over it.... unfun.
 
If there is coon poop in your chimney be very careful with removing. Respirator, gloves and boiling water to kill possible parasites. Look up baylisascaris. Good luck getting them gone. I had raccoons climbing up a tree to the roof of a shed and crapping all over it.... unfun.

If there is poop in there it's going to stay. Have it sealed at the bottom anyway. If it gets too bad once they are gone I'll drop a can of Lysol down there and shoot it with a BB gun.
 
Give them a little time, to get some size to them, have the wifey practice up on dumplin' makin' , and some 'coon recipes, break out a bottle of Jim Beam, and have a feast ..:lol:
 
The little ones will eventually get big enough and will emerge.
When you see the young ones out,,,start setting cage traps to trap.
They love sweet corn.

A tip,,if you decide to go this route,,,make sure your cage traps have hair triggers,,the smaller coons are light weight,,and can crawl in cage and eat,,and leave.

Speaking for experience here too.
Trying to guard my sweet corn patch,,had problems with cages tripping.
 
Also try to make your presence well-known around the nest as much as you can various times throughout the day. Mothers do not like that and she will move her offspring to a different area for their safety!
 
There are 6 of us in the house with 4 kids that are far from quiet. Mom knows we are there. Anytime I hear them I am banging on the chimney inside the house and they get quiet really quick. I see mom on the roof when looking out the window and she just smiles and waves at me as she walks by on her way back from the cafeteria (aka my trash can).
 
There are 6 of us in the house with 4 kids that are far from quiet. Mom knows we are there. Anytime I hear them I am banging on the chimney inside the house and they get quiet really quick. I see mom on the roof when looking out the window and she just smiles and waves at me as she walks by on her way back from the cafeteria (aka my trash can).

Buy that momma coon some fresh shrimp.
She'll eat it I guarantee.
 
One thing to know, they will come back. They might disappear for a year or so, but they'll be back. Or that's my experience anyway.

Yep! The Wife wants me to trap the coons that get into her bird feeder. Right up on the back deck, they bring the whole family sometimes and just have a great time! Great big butterballs, not the least bit afraid. I could easily walk out there and club them, or for sure set a trap, but I told her to let them have their fun, "You just never know when you might need one someday":laughing:
 
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