why do racoons mess around in our ponds?

[greenthumbnails]

Okay, my best efforts of tagging my liles have been turned upside down all winter and even just yesterday by some animal (I am guessing racoon) that comes in the night.  Always goes to the same spot and tips all the pots over and rips out the tubers from their pots and leaves a big mess.  I don't think it is eating them as I don't find pieces of tuber laying around.  Once I found my thermometer carried halfway across the lawn and unceremoniously dumped minus the rubber plastic part that attaches to a fish tank.

Whatever it is it must have an opposable thumb (I think), how else can it carry things like thermometers and seashells across the lawn?  It always returns to the same spot even though all sides are accessible to whatever it is. 

If it is a racoon why do they do this? 

[Kittyzee]

I know this may sound really simple, but it's just what they do.  It's their nature:  to be drawn to water and investigate things that may be edible.

[Jerry]

Your pond is a cafeteria to a racoon. As Kittyzee said...it is what they do.
Check out the "Rainbird."

[Bullfrog]

I agree, raccoons feed near water, I believe that they lack adequate salivary glands to moisten their food so they dip it in water. This gave way to the urban myth that they "wash" their food. They love crawfish and other marine life (food) and are very curious about anything shiny.

As a frog I am constantly on the lookout for racoons lest I also wind up as their supper. They are nocturnal and the only thing that might deter them would be a motion sensor light but probably only for a little while. It would probably be used to see more of your pond after they got used to it. A cagey coon has made your pond his dinner table and it's going to take some doing to get rid of him.

They are ingenious and can open latches with their nimble little fingers, smart as a whip also.

[Esther]

My mother tells about visiting a zoo when she was newly married and I was very little. People were feeding the raccoons peanuts etc. Someone had an icecream on a stick and gave it to the raccoon. He promptly took it to the water where he proceded to wash it. Of course the icecream melted and there stood the puzzled creature wondering where his treat had gone.

[Julles]

So sorry, Thumbnail.  They really do make a mess, and it's danged hard to keep them away.  We've discussed 'coons many times on this site.  I rememer when one got into my pond (not the good koi pond, TG) and killed all five fish.  Didn't eat them - just bit off the heads and left scales and bodies scattered all over the area, plus a bunch of dumped pots.

[LeeAnne151]

Yes, it was certainly a raccoon(s) that did this. No other animal rips plants out of their pots and creates such a huge mess.

They are looking for food. They think there might be a snail or a frog or crayfish hiding in those pots. I have had them take bites out of water hyacinths and waterlily rhizomes and then toss them several feet from the pond. I have also found the thermometer and decor items half way across the yard. Actually, the thermometer has been gone for years.

I have an electric fence surrounding my fish pond but they come and destroy my smaller ponds and water bowls and pots as well. I'm about to give up on container ponds.

I'm very sorry, been there and done that....It is very frustrating

[reddad35]

You could set some traps around your area. Call someone and tell them what you are doing and ask them to get rid of your victims. (live traps) I would not mess around with a caged coon. Another thing is the motion sprinklers that Jerry mentioned. I have not used them but it seems they make them for herons and coons. One last thing, I hate a dog staying outside, but an outside dog would rid your yard of coons.

[greenthumbnails]

Hmmm....food for thought.  Thanks everyone!