Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but I saw your raccoon dicussion below, and thought I could get some questions answered:

I have turtles that I want to keep outside, but there are raccoons around that I am afraid will get them. I was thinking of fencing in an area with that new, "vinal" kind of fence. Is that smooth enough that a raccoon wouldn't be able to climb over? How high should it be to keep the raccoons from jumping up and getting over the top?

Thanks for anyone's opinions!

The wildlife hospital that I volunteer at has an outdoor turtle enclosure that is raccoon-proof. It is fairly large in area, but only about two feet high. The sides are made of a wooden frame, waterproofed and buried several inches into the ground. I believe chicken wire was attached to the base of this frame and buried under the enclosure, this is how most of our outdoor cages are constructed, and it keeps raccoons from burrowing into the enclosure from underneath. The top of the enclosure is made of a wooden frame, covered with two layers of chicken wire, so the frame is sandwiched between the sheets of wire. Because of its size, the top of the enclosure is very heavy, but still must be secured with padlocks any time there are turtles inside.

This cage is probably starting to sound like turtle-prison, but the inside is actually quite nice. There are several peices of slate for basking, a variety of edible plants, and two water basins for bathing.

Raccoon proofing is nearly impossible, as you may find out once you set up your enclosure. Chicken wire isn't sturdy enough to stop them, and they can even claw thru wood if their heart desires. Hopefully you will come up with something that will work well, dog kenneling is sturdy enough that they can't get thru it, but ideally you would sink it several inches underground to prevent burrowing. Good luck!
Joker
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PHJoker
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I was thinking of that new kind of vynil fencing. It looks like they wouldn't be able to climb up it. I would have to do something about digging under it anyway, so the turtles don't dig out.

How high can raccoons jump?

Can turtles get big enough so that they aren't prey anymore?

I honestly doubt that vinyl fencing would deter the raccoons. They are amazingly agile, and having opposable thumbs (think of little people hands), can climb just about anything you can devise. As for jumping? That I don't know....never seen one jump. I suspect that with their excellent climbing skills, there isn't much call for it.

As for turtles getting large enough to not be prey...I doubt it? Unless and animal poses a threat to a raccoon, I don't see any way the raccoon would not consider it a possible meal option. Turtles are not overly intimidating.

There are certain things that will deter raccoons, ammonia soaked rags, loud noises (radio set to a talk show) that are commonly suggested to folks who wish resident raccoons to move on. Those may be of some help.

If you do go ahead with this, you could also make sure there is an ample food supply available for the raccoons...fruits/dog kibble/veggies are all things they enjoy. Of course, if you live in the city...that may not be an option.

Have you checked out the turtle message boards for suggestions? I am sure others have built outoor turtle enclosures with success, maybe a good place to check. If you visit http://forums.kingsnake.com, there are a number of turtle boards listed. Good luck, wish I could offer more help!

Joker

>>I was thinking of that new kind of vynil fencing. It looks like they wouldn't be able to climb up it. I would have to do something about digging under it anyway, so the turtles don't dig out.
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>>How high can raccoons jump?
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>>Can turtles get big enough so that they aren't prey anymore?
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Thanks for all the help. I really don't know what do. I've been to the turtle forums, and mostly they have their pens covered. I'm trying to avoid this.

My husband suggested building a pergalo and then screening it in. I don't like this because then the frogs and bugs (free turtle food! ;> ) can't get, but this may be the best I can do.

Thanks again.

Raccoons can climb up anything! So you have to put on a sturdy top and listen to the advice of the first person that answered to your questions because she knows what she is talking about more than the others (no offense guys!). I dont think coons can jump very high, I might be wrong, but they can climb anything, especially is there are turtles! Turtles can never get big enough to the point where they are not prey anymore. They are always prey for some sort of animals.