Will hot pepper spray hurt the koi or shubunkins?

[JAL]

Hi friends,
After having my zen pond with 12 fish for five years, I've just had the first loss-by-murder there. I'm sure it was a raccoon who attacked my most-friendly shubunkin. The fish are now traumatized. I don't think me trapping is an option; just learned the nearby community pool bathhouse is overrun with raccoons .... grrr.

So, I'd like to do something that is safe for my dogs (who drink from the pond so the fish aren't afraid of mammals sticking their head in ...) and the fish. I've just built up a rock wall around shallow edges I never viewed as killing fields before, and would like to spray the rocks with hot pepper spray or fox urine, or some other deterrent. I've tried to search the forum for warnings to dogs or fish about spray deterrents, but haven't found any. Apologies if there are threads on this and I've missed them.

Welcome any advice!

A heartbroken pond owner in western Pennsylvania ...

 

[j.w]

@JAL
Never used any, sorry! I wouldn't think it would hurt tho.
I had to put up a tall net on posts clipped to a short fence to keep critters including raccoons out. We only had a few tho, not a ton of them like you do!

 

[GBBUDD]

I BELIEVE TULSEY LANDSCAPING had a video where they did similar but the video they actualy had a baby raccoon with them. my gut would be if your over run with them then someone is feeding them and you need to find who it is and make them stop. it's illegal in MANY MNAY AREAS to feed such. electric fence would also be a alternative

 

[Lisak1]

We once concocted a spray comprised of every smelly, hot, spicy thing we could think of to combat a skunk - it actually worked! We didn't spray it on the ground or near the pond; we just sprayed it in the areas where we thought the skunk was gaining entry into the yard - under and over the gate and fence mainly. We sprayed for 5-6 days in a row and convinced him to go find his delicious fish dinner elsewhere.

 

[JAL]

I BELIEVE TULSEY LANDSCAPING had a video where they did similar but the video they actualy had a baby raccoon with them. my gut would be if your over run with them then someone is feeding them and you need to find who it is and make them stop. it's illegal in MANY MNAY AREAS to feed such. electric fence would also be a alternative

 

[JAL]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I think there are more raccoons in the area than I can trap (at $50 a critter for the trapping service to remove during the guy’s mandatory one-week hire)! So, I took the advice of making it difficult. I shored up the edge of the pond with a border of rocks and other temporary impediments to keep the raccoon (or, now I learn, possibly a cat) from hunting from shore. And I bought a spray at the local Agway that the young clerk there shrugged when she sold it to me. “Sure, I sell this stuff with rotten egg smell. But, c’mon; they go into trash cans.” She told me she had to deal with them when they were pulling chicks through the wire of her coop. What’d you do?, I asked. “Me? I shoot ‘em.”

 

[GBBUDD]

I was beyond shocked when i saw a racoon early morning fishing for frogs , biggest dang Racoon i ever saw and my cousin had three as pets. this thing was eating good. I have a lot of frogs i have never kept track of them maybe i should

 

[chibae]

I was beyond shocked when i saw a racoon early morning fishing for frogs , biggest dang Racoon i ever saw and my cousin had three as pets. this thing was eating good. I have a lot of frogs i have never kept track of them maybe i should

My video camera caught both my neighbor's cat and a raccoon decimating the frogs in my micro pond. Along with my two three year old goldies. This year the pond has a grid over it. We have a large natural pond across the street from us, a commercial chicken farm about a quarter mile away, and neighbors with back yard chickens and ducks. Add in the wild waterfowl and it is a raccoons dream for poultry eating. Guess the frogs were a tasty change. Also the wild turtles are wandering to nest, so the crows are patrolling the yards looking for eggs.

 

[Lisak1]

I have a bird feeder with a camera that gives me yet another remote view of the pond - are you surprised? Any movement at night activates a very bright light. One night last week the camera turned on and who did I see but ole Mrs Raccoon, poking around my pond. The camera caught her on the scurry, so I think the light freaked her out.

 

[GBBUDD]

More than likely they think a person is coming out right behind the light going on.

 

[j.w]

I thought all the raccoons were long gone around here. Well one ran across the road today right in front of me while I was out walking in the rain.

 

[GBBUDD]

I thought all the raccoons were long gone around here. Well one ran across the road today right in front of me while I was out walking in the rain.

Stay clear of racoons out during the day. Rabies is not the only problems they can transmit. There's a mite that is becoming a problem that can make you go blind and that's no joke. And you don't need to be bit . Just touching them can transit the mites.

 

[j.w]

Stay clear of racoons out during the day. Rabies is not the only problems they can transmit. There's a mite that is becoming a problem that can make you go blind and that's no joke. And you don't need to be bit . Just touching them can transit the mites.

I was thinking that also! He ran like heck when he saw me. I wouldn't go near one no matter what time of day it was.

 

[MrB]

I had problems with raccoons, getting into my pond and biting holes in the water pipe from the pump to my waterfall. Here's what I do that's cheap and easy and works well for me. First line of defense. Put motion sensor light/lights around your pond. Raccoons are a very private animals and don't like the light. The light comes on and they run off. Cats aren't crazy about it either. Second line of defense. I fill a large water bottle with water and add a little hot sauce to it. You can add mint as well. I spray it liberally all around the pond. Repeat as necessary. Maybe every three weeks or so. Raccoons have super noses and the smell of hot sauce and/or mint stinks to high heaven to them. They won't want to go around your pond because it stinks. Cats don't like it much either. Lucky for us, people can't smell it. Doesn't seem to bother birds, either, in case you are wondering. Hope this helps. Good luck!