# Raccons?



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If they are raiding your barn & pooping in the feed yes, if they are rabid & bite your horse, oh yes.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

If you have raccoons in your area, be sure to vaccinate your horses (as well as your other animals and yourself!) for rabies.

ETA: Bats are also a major carrier of rabies, so same warning as above


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

As this is posted in barn maintenance I take it the raccoons are in/around your barn??? As noted above, yes, there are serious health implications that can come from having wildlife, including raccoons, in/around your horses, their feed and their living areas.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Raccoons once came into my house, ate my cat's food and he was absolutely sick for days. We had to get him an entirely new dish and change food because it just made him gag and other gross stuff...

They are smart little ******s. Unless everything is locked with a key, they can get into it. Be very careful!!


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

All of the above, and if any of them have a chewed up tail, call animal control to get them immediately. When ***** get rabies they chew off their own tails. Tell-tale (punny) sign of trouble.
Even if they are not rabid, I would dispatch them or call some one to relocate them.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

As others have said, yes. In addition to rabies, they can transmit EPM. My brother in law is an avid hunter/trapper and he takes care of them for me. It's a win/win as I get rid of pests/potential harm and he gets pelts to sell. 

Many years ago, we had a female get in the indoor arena wall and have babies. It was fun finding out they were there when on a green horse and they skittered up the wall :shock:


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## Rascaholic (Oct 4, 2010)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> As others have said, yes. In addition to rabies, they can transmit EPM. My brother in law is an avid hunter/trapper and he takes care of them for me. It's a win/win as I get rid of pests/potential harm and he gets pelts to sell.
> 
> Many years ago, we had a female get in the indoor arena wall and have babies. It was fun finding out they were there when on a green horse and they skittered up the wall :shock:


Rats running across the rafters....BIG huge rats. Dozens of them. Did I mention I have a phobia of rats and bats :lol:


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

Contract your local **** dog hunters....they would love to help you out.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

verona1016 said:


> If you have raccoons in your area, be sure to vaccinate your horses (as well as your other animals and yourself!) for rabies.
> 
> ETA: Bats are also a major carrier of rabies, so same warning as above


Bats aren't a "major carrier" of rabies, that is a huge misconception. Last summer I found a little female bat by my front gate, so I put her in a box with some soft bedding and found a local bat rescue who educated me on the bat. They get a bad rap from a lot of misconceptions due to hysteria and the euw factor many have, when in reality they are great little creatures who eat a phenomenal amount of bugs that bother and harass and can harm us each night. 

This is a great site to read, please anyone who thinks bats are vectors for rabies, this comes right from the bat conservatory:
Bats and Rabies


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Actually one of the biggest carriers of rabies anymore are feral cats...


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

We have them everywhere. Just today, I had two on my back deck eating the cat food in broad daylight. Completely fearless, and they don't even flinch if you yell or bang on the window. My horses are vaccinated for Rabies, but they seem more concerned with the house than the barn :?.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Equiniphile, be careful with them eating your cat's food..


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I know, it sucks. We empty the feeder and refill it every day (with gloves, just in case) and hose it off just to be sure, but there's nothing more we can do other than get the shotgun out, which might just happen soon....


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah they're pesky little ******s..


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

Call the TurtleMan, he'll take car of it


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## LAhorses (Jan 5, 2012)

We have bats and love them, we have very little bugs especially the mosquito!! Also watch out for opossums I heard they can transmit some sort of disease to horses.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

GreySorrel said:


> Bats aren't a "major carrier" of rabies, that is a huge misconception. Last summer I found a little female bat by my front gate, so I put her in a box with some soft bedding and found a local bat rescue who educated me on the bat. They get a bad rap from a lot of misconceptions due to hysteria and the euw factor many have, when in reality they are great little creatures who eat a phenomenal amount of bugs that bother and harass and can harm us each night.
> 
> This is a great site to read, please anyone who thinks bats are vectors for rabies, this comes right from the bat conservatory:
> Bats and Rabies


"Wild animals - especially bats - are the most common source of human rabies infection in the United States." This comes from the CDC.


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## KarrotKreek (Mar 31, 2012)

verona1016 said:


> "Wild animals - especially bats - are the most common source of human rabies infection in the United States." This comes from the CDC.


Well the updated info from the CDC with the most recent stats from 2010 show:
Wild animals accounted for 92% of reported cases of rabies in 2010. Raccoons continued to be the most frequently reported rabid wildlife species (36.5% of all animal cases during 2010), followed by skunks (23.5%), bats (23.2%), foxes (7.0%), and other wild animals, including rodents and lagomorphs (1.8%). Reported cases decreased among all wild animals during 2010.
CDC - Rabies Surveillance Data in the United States - Rabies


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## chuckdee (Mar 16, 2012)

I would be more concerned with the ***** than bats. Bats keep the bugs in checks where the ***** are just a pain in the tookus.


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Raccoons are adorable but can be very aggressive if cornered. Those teeth can eat through wire, so don't try to grab one. Animal control is your best bet.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

chuckdee said:


> I would be more concerned with the ***** than bats. Bats keep the bugs in checks where the ***** are just a pain in the tookus.


Agreed


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

Our hunting dogs are to hunt bear.

They practice on **** off season.

I am more concerned when they are hunting **** than bear.

Many more dogs have been hurt or, killed by **** than bears.


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## chuckdee (Mar 16, 2012)

*re*



Ripper said:


> Our hunting dogs are to hunt bear.
> 
> They practice on **** off season.
> 
> ...


Wow! That is surprising. How are they killed by a ****? Does the rabies get them?


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

chuckdee said:


> Wow! That is surprising. How are they killed by a ****? Does the rabies get them?


Nope...they kill the dogs in a fight with them.

That happens a lot with one or, two dogs.

The guys like to turn out 5 or, 6.


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Raccoons can be vicious!! They look sweet with their little bandit masks, but if they are threatened, they will attack and are plain nasty!! We caught one when I was a kid and the **** looked like a badger when we cornered it.


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

Watch this **** in a roll cage.


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## chuckdee (Mar 16, 2012)

*re*



Ripper said:


> Coonhounds working **** in roll cage - YouTube
> 
> Watch this **** in a roll cage.


Amazing that the **** doesn't back down. I guess when you think about it they are a relative of a badger and wolverine and they're nasty.
Might be easier to capture or put a bullet in them if they're threatening your area.
Spare the dogs! lol


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

chuckdee said:


> Amazing that the **** doesn't back down. I guess when you think about it they are a relative of a badger and wolverine and they're nasty.
> Might be easier to capture or put a bullet in them if they're threatening your area.
> Spare the dogs! lol


Most of the time the ***** run up a tree.

Then they are shot.

The dogs love the chase.


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## kindredspirit (Jul 9, 2010)

I'd get a live trap and have animal control remove it.


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