Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Where's all the fish food going?

I have had some serious issues with my fish feed. I have two 50 pound feeders and both of them "empty" all 50 pounds in about 5 days. I finally put up a camera to try and figure out what is going on and now I know. Its been a buffet feast on the pier. I have 248 pictures just from one night. I am not sure how I am going to shut this down but the party is over starting next weekend. As much as hate to fund the fattening of my residential racoons, I do find the humor in it. Enjoy......

I've found that live traps baited with a can of catfood that has holes punched in it works well, and unless you drive the 'coons over 20 miles away they WILL find their way back to the buffet. I usually use the live traps to hold them until I can see how allergic they are to lead.

Option 2 would be an electric fence around the feeder only. But, I don't know how well it would work if the feeder is setting on wood - it might be enough insulation for the electric fence to not be effective.

once they find it, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them. They tear up my feeders at the deer lease all the time. May have to extend the feeder out into the water on legs. Good luck...

Ha! Those 'coons look awfully fat for this time of year!

If you could electrify just the feeder's housing, it would stop the stealing.

A cheap HF solar fence charger should do the trick. I think you could set your feeder on a sheet of aluminum or steel, then on a smaller sheet of rubber or plastic to insulate them. Place the fence charger on top of the feeder. Run the hot wire to the metal sheet, the ground wire to the metal feeder housing. When a coon steps on the sheet metal base, if he then touches the feeder housing, he get zapped.

OK, it may not work, but it's a lot fun to think about.