Just spent 45 minutes trying to get a raccoon out of a flue in Burlington

The little guy had a whole nest up there and kept popping back down every time I thought he was gone. Anyone else ever had a job turn into a full-on wildlife rescue?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mary3mo ago

Wait, a whole nest? Like he had babies up there or just a pile of junk? I mean that's not just a raccoon in a flue, that's a whole family setup. No wonder he kept going back down, he was probably trying to save his stuff. That sounds like a way bigger problem than just one animal.

the_sage3mo ago

Exactly, @the_mary, that's the real nightmare. It's never just one. My neighbor had a squirrel nest in their attic and it was a full-time job getting them all out. The mom kept darting back in for the babies, and they had chewed up a ton of wiring. One animal is a quick fix, a whole family turns into a weeks-long mess. You're right, it's a totally different scale of problem.

jade_grant951mo ago

That "quick fix" thing is spot on. My buddy in South Burlington had a similar thing with a groundhog under his deck last spring. He thought it was just one, kept plugging the hole, and the thing just dug a new tunnel. Turned out there were like six babies down there, and he spent the whole month of May watching momma groundhog sneak back and forth. Ended up having to dig up half the patio to seal it right.