Updated on October 27th, 2020. 6 raccoons relocated from our neighborhood. As shocked as I am… there were 6 of them and maybe more!
We live in Tarzana in a townhome amongst 12 other units. Around our condo, there is an acre of land and tons of greenery including fruit trees. We had a few animals around our house who roam around. I’ve seen just about every animal including cats, mice, rats, possums, raccoons, bats, many different birds including ducks who swim in our pool.
Family of Raccoons
Had them here on our property for a few years. They primarily just walk through and don’t do anything destructive. In the last few months, they have been walking on top of the roof late at night.
Firstly, my neighbor called me one night at 11pm just after I fell asleep. She said that there is someone in the house. I ran there and we looked around the entire place, but could not find anyone. I stopped and just listened and could not hear anything. Did not know what to make of that.
The next week I thought there was someone in my house! I freaked out as it was so loud and sounded as if there was somebody walking in my upstairs bedroom. I look around and could not figure it out. I went outside and looked on the roof and there they were – a family of raccoons! They were just climbing from the top of my roof over to my neighbor’s roof. I was trying to discourage them by hazing. They were not scared of me, quite the opposite. I just went back inside and forgot about the incident.
Forward another month ahead. My son Daniel told me in the morning that the raccoons were trying to break into his room. As you can see in the main photo there he is. He was knocking on his window!
After talking to our association a few times about getting an exterminator to come and set up traps to relocate the family they agreed. They put me in charge of setting & baiting the traps.
The Traps
Within a few days we began to have animals in the traps.
It started with a raccoon. Poor kid was trapped and the sprinklers went off. He also scratched the dirt around him all night. In the morning he looked very dirty and sad, even held up the empty can of food to me when I found him in the morning. Dont know if it is the same one who was looking to break into my sons room. He did get relocated to a new neighborhood Calabasas.
The second prisoner was a stray cat. I let him out in the morning. I thought he was a little tame, but no he was not.
The third one to get caught is a opossum. This is my sons favorite animal. He has told me much about how they live, anxiety and how good they are the environment. So, we let him go as he is a keeper on this property for his rat hunting skills.
The fourth guest for relocation was a raccoon and not a happy camper. Not sure where he got relocated to.
The fifth guest I really felt bad for. He was caught and our sprinklers went off and by the time I got to see him in the morning he was just sad. Well-fed with cat food, but really sad. He clawed the ground around him and the cage, but he was indeed sad and tired in the morning.
As of today, we have the traps out and baited. Still looking to relocate the entire family.
Fourth Raccoon – October 10th, 2020
This is the fourth raccoon so far. Quite a big family in such a populated area in Tarzana. This has been the largest and the feistiest one of the bunch. I hope this not the mother and there are more babies somewhere…
Fifth Raccoon – October 13th
This may be the last member of the raccoon family in our complex. I hope. I think this is the raccoon from the photo in m sons room. He/She was relocated and is now somewhere away from people and homes. There is a trap still out, but I am thinking that a family of five is the max here…
Sixth Raccoon! – October 25th Update
Crazy, but Daniel said that he saw at least six raccoons and I did not think it was possible. An yet, here we are #6!
