5 Surefire Ways to Poison a Raccoon

Raccoons are adorable and charming, but only when you’re looking at them on the Internet or over in your neighbor’s yard.

Raccoons that get on your property are invariably going to be a giant pain in the you-know-where. They are experts at breaking into trash and stored feed, can be aggressive, and if they get into your house to nest, you’re going to have a disaster on your hands.

Raccoons can sometimes be driven away, occasionally be caught, or sometimes kept out. But much of the time, they’re just too clever and too agile to get rid of using these methods.

Sometimes you’ve got to resort to lethal intervention. If that’s the case, poison may be one of your best and most reliable tools, but it’s a capricious one that you must use with great care…

If you think you’re up for the job, keep reading and I’ll tell you about 5 surefire ways to poison a raccoon below.

Before You Begin

Before we get started, here’s the obligatory safety brief. Don’t assume that raccoons can be ruthlessly eliminated like the pests that they are.

They might be protected where you live at the local or state level. If you are allowed to get rid of raccoons as pests, it might only be under certain circumstances or at certain times of the year.

Similarly, there might be prohibitions on what you can use to actually dispatch them. Poisons might not be acceptable at all. It just depends, and you must not assume because these laws often entail serious misdemeanor or even felony charges for breaking them.

Only once you have ascertained the full letter of the law and your responsibilities should you proceed.

Always Use Maximum Caution When Employing Poisons!

I hope this part will be obvious, but experience has taught me time and time again that not everyone will be responsible with poisons. It’s imperative that you use maximum caution and discretion if you’re relying on poison to dispatch a raccoon or any other animal.

For starters, death by poison, no matter what kind, is always hideous and often slow. Are you prepared to inflict that on a raccoon? Consider also that poison doesn’t kill instantly no matter how deadly it is.

If a raccoon is fatally poisoned but crawls off into or under your house somewhere, the corpse will soon start stinking to high heaven and that can make for a difficult or impossible removal.

Lastly and most importantly, poison is a highly indiscriminate killer. Because we can only rely on it through ingestion, typically by tainting attractive food with it, other animals like dogs and cats could likewise be fatally poisoned.

Smaller animals like squirrels, rats, and the like get poisoned and then die, and scavengers that eat them might then be poisoned. A chain reaction of death stretching on and off, all because you were careless or hasty.

Think carefully about what sort of bait you will use and where you will place it so that raccoons can get to it, but other animals cannot or are less likely to.

With all of that in mind, it’s time to get down to the poisons…

Warfarin, Flocoumafen, Brodifacoum, and Related Agents

You might recognize a couple of these poisons, but these and many others all have one thing in common: they are anticoagulants.

They work by reducing and eventually eliminating the clotting factor in the blood, typically accomplished by disrupting the integration and processing of vitamin K.

Whatever kind they are, these are widespread poisons that are used throughout the pest control industry today both at the professional and the consumer level.

Although effective, cheap, and easy to implement, they are very slow-acting with all but the largest and most powerful doses causing death anywhere from a week to 2 weeks after the poor animal eats the stuff.

Depending on the product, or the way that you apply it, a single dose might do it, or you might let the targeted animal eat from a tainted source repeatedly. It rarely results in a gory or heinous death, but it is a slow and miserable one…

If you are going this route, know that all poisons in the anticoagulant group are notorious for causing serious collateral damage to other animals. Rodents routinely fall victim to this stuff as designed no matter how it is deployed, and that ends up killing cats, birds of prey, and larger mammals that eat the mice.

A raccoon that dies from it would certainly be scavenged by foxes, crows, vultures, and the like, so try to confirm the kill and dispose of the body safely after death.

Bromethalin

Bromethalin is distinct from the anticoagulant group of poisons above because it is neurotoxic, and potently so.

It is again found in widespread use against rodents, and is highly effective against larger mammals in correspondingly larger doses, including humans, so handle and deploy this stuff with care!

The function of bromethalin is that it sharply decreases ATP synthesis after ingestion once it is metabolized.

A decrease in ATP levels means that various enzymes become dormant, and when these enzymes go dormant, it causes fluid to build up around and damage the nervous system tissues with pressure. Eventually, it results in severe disruption of bodily function and paralysis followed by death.

This is another gruesome poison, and one that commonly affects animals besides the target. When a significant dose is ingested, bromethalin causes severe abdominal cramping, explosive diarrhea, seizures, and profound sensitivity to light and noise.

Know that in the case of accidental poisoning, prompt medical intervention can neutralize the poison and minimize damage to pets and people, so keep an eye out for all of those symptoms and your own pets or other animals if you are deploying it around the property.

Strychnine

A well-known poison with a particularly dark reputation since it has enjoyed dual use in assassination and espionage, strychnine has enjoyed far more use as a common pesticide.

A long time ago, microdoses of strychnine were also used in medical settings to help people who had lost control of their muscles or could not achieve full contraction of the same.

Strychnine is a versatile poison because it can kill if ingested, but also if absorbed through mucous membranes or even inhaled.

This stuff is incredibly potent and takes effect quickly. Ingestion may result in symptoms as little as 5 minutes, but more commonly 20 to 30 minutes.

Once it starts to take effect, the poisoned animal will experience twitching that will progress to seizures and eventually grand mal muscular contractions. This is often accompanied by profuse drooling and sometimes foaming at the mouth. Death, when it occurs, is typically via asphyxiation because the respiratory muscles become paralyzed.

Prior to death, a heinous type of rigor mortis sets in where major muscle groups of the torso and limbs become rigidly locked in place. I warn you, even compared to other poisons we have discussed, death by strychnine is terribly ugly.

Largely fallen out of favor, strychnine is still produced and sold as poison for use against large rodents and larger vertebrate pests. Coyotes, foxes, moles, groundhogs, and sometimes Norway rats are common intended targets.

Interestingly, some mammals show immunity or extraordinary resistance to the effects of strychnine.

Horses are the most well-known example, and this means it might have genuine special utility if you keep horses yourself and are dealing with raccoons around the barn or shed.

Vitamin D3

No, you aren’t seeing things. Vitamin D3 can actually be a ferociously potent poison in high doses. And yes, it’s the very same D3 that we get when we go out in the sun or take as part of a multivitamin. No kidding!

You’ll often see vitamin D3 referred to in the pest control setting as cholecalciferol to prevent confusion or people just getting the wrong idea. But make no mistake; vitamin D3 is incredibly dangerous to all mammalian life in high concentrations.

It also kills in a particularly horrible way. Vitamin D3 will cause the progressive calcification of soft tissues throughout an animal’s body once it reaches toxic levels.

If you know anything about the process of calcification, you already know that it is very literally what petrification is. This is some evil voodoo stuff, but it’s entirely real!

And don’t think this is some peculiar homebrew methodology either: vitamin D3 is used around the world as species-specific poison baits, so the effects are entirely understood.

The mercy, such as it is, is that death usually results from one of several other mechanisms before that process is too far along: victims will usually fall prey to central nervous system collapse, aneurysm, renal failure, or cardiac arrest.

But compared to purpose-developed poisons, it can be surprisingly quick-acting. Minor symptoms will begin to manifest a day or two after ingestion, and in the case of very large doses, death may occur in a few days or a week later.

And don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because it is actually a vitamin that it’s somehow safer for your pets or farm animals: it isn’t, not in the concentrations we’ll be using to kill a raccoon!

Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene glycol might ring a bell, and that’s because it is commonly associated with antifreeze. In fact, it’s the majority ingredient in most commercial antifreeze solutions.

This stuff is particularly effective when used as – and definitely not intended to be used as – poison because it is quite sweet.

That trait has led to the addition of bittering agents in all products that use the stuff; many tragic accidents have occurred with children over the years getting access to antifreeze and consuming it.

When ingested, ethylene glycol causes drunkenness, severe vomiting, renal failure, brain damage, and intense seizures. This stuff is hideously toxic to all mammals, including people.

Peculiarly, most significant poisonings resulting from ethylene glycol show a lull of sorts where victims improve significantly and feel much better.

Unfortunately, or fortunately in our case, the damage has already been done and is indeed still ongoing during this lull. It is only afterward that the most crushing symptoms will return and then death will be hot on its heels.

Strictly speaking, the usual mechanism of death is kidney failure, specifically resulting from the formation of mineral crystals throughout the tissues. The victim is often in a coma before this happens, though.

Unlike several of the other poisons we have covered, ethylene glycol can kill very quickly with a sufficient dose, sometimes within 24 hours but rarely taking longer than two or three days.

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11 Desiccant Alternatives That May Work Just as Well

Do you know what desiccant packs are? You know those little packets full of beads that are labeled “Do not eat”? The ones that come in all of your electronics and certain food packages? That’s them.

These packs have an important function: they absorb moisture from the air around them. Moisture that causes corrosion, spoilage, and other problems.

Unless you live in the driest place imaginable, moisture can always be your enemy when storing anything long-term, and even for the short term. That’s why smart preppers use these desiccant packs liberally when storing food, papers, electronics, tools, guns, and more.

But the costs of buying them can add up over time, and when supply lines are dodgy you might not be able to get them at all. That’s when it pays to know how to make your own from other common materials.

In this article, I’ll be telling you about 11 desiccant alternatives that can do the job as the genuine article.

How Do You Use These Materials?

Using genuine desiccant packs is easy, but how do you use these materials? It depends on the type of material.

Certain things that are coarse and chunky you can load into cloth sachets of your own or even use something like an old sock that is still in good shape.

For other materials, particularly highly reactive ones or ones that are prone to leaking when saturated, putting them inside a plastic or glass jar that has a series of holes either poked in the jar itself or in the lid is your best bet.

You might need to use a little creativity so that your chosen media can do its job of absorbing moisture without endangering the surrounding area or making a mess. I’ll address that item by item in the corresponding sections, no worries…

white rice in plastic packaging

Rice

Here’s an old-school trick that you might have known already. Rice tends to be quite absorbent, and it is certainly available everywhere and extremely cheap.

Have you ever heard about people rescuing a phone or other device that got dropped in water by covering it in a bowl of rice? It can actually work sometimes!

Rice can do the job in a small space, but keep in mind it absorbs water fairly slowly, and it will turn mushy and mold over time. Because of that, it’s not a good choice for chronically humid or damp environments.

Another problem is that it’s highly prone to attracting rodents and insects! Wherever it is stashed, make sure these critters can’t get to it or you might have bigger problems.

table salt in bowl in a box and in salt shaker

Salt

Salt is another time-honored method for absorbing moisture, and something as simple as a big bowl of salt might deal with dampness and humidity. It has a high capacity and absorbs water very quickly because of its reactivity. Like rice, it is also ubiquitous and very, very cheap.

As it absorbs water, salt will start to clump up into rock-like formations, and this can reduce the efficiency of the salt trapped inside or below, so periodically shaking or breaking it up helps.

Also, once salt reaches maximum capacity it will start to turn into a runny slurry, so stay on top of changing it out or keep it in a waterproof container.

baking soda in bowl on kitchen counter

Baking Soda

You already know that baking soda is useful for absorbing and neutralizing unwanted odors, but it also does a fairly good job of dealing with high humidity and dampness.

But make no mistake: baking soda works a lot better against odor than it does against moisture. You can use it, and it will work, but don’t expect great things from it if you’re dealing with serious dampness or a constantly wet location.

The good news is that it’s easy to handle, safe, and very, very cheap so there’s no reason you can’t put it to use if you already have it on hand.

Cornstarch

Another pantry staple, cornstarch is more commonly used in the kitchen for various recipes and as a thickening agent. That said, it will absorb moisture and turn gummy, although it doesn’t really lock it into place like some of the other materials on our list.

Despite this, it is a cheap, completely safe, and expedient option.

I’ve used cornstarch myself to keep a toolbox full of tools stored in an outdoor shed from getting all rusty. Kept in a waterproof plastic or glass bowl with a lid, it can do an okay job in a confined space.

But take a tip from me and stay on top of changing it out regularly or you’ll have a mess to deal with.

jar of activated charcoal

Activated Charcoal

Another famously effective odor absorber, and a material that is known for its purifying and detoxifying properties, activated charcoal is basically charcoal that has been processed in a way to maximize its surface area, meaning it can hold more of anything it comes into contact with and lock it down.

This stuff works superbly for dealing with musty, nasty odors and it’s also surprisingly good at taming moisture and dampness. Still, this is one of the most expensive items on our list and something you cannot get in bulk from just anywhere.

If you’re going to go this route, you might as well get genuine desiccant packs unless you already have lots of it on hand. If you do, try to put it in a wide, low-covered container to maximize the surface area exposed to the surrounding atmosphere.

Leaving it open or putting it in a cloth container is just going to make a huge mess in time because of its dustiness.

Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride is a fantastically effective material for combating moisture and even lowering ambient humidity levels significantly. For use inside a damp room, closet, garage, or other structure, it works very well.

But, you have to use it cautiously and carefully. For starters, it will readily and rapidly suck moisture out of your skin and can cause burns. It’s also really rough on mucous membranes.

Once it is overloaded, it will readily release the absorbed moisture which might aggravate the problem you’re trying to solve. It also has a tendency to corrode metals that it is in contact with, meaning proper containment is more important than other materials we’ve talked about so far.

If you have a serious moisture problem that’s endangering enough of your gear or materials, it can be a good tool as long as you take appropriate precautions…

Cement

A good one-and-done improvised solution for moisture control is just to use a powdered cement mix. In high-humidity areas or damp locations, it will steadily absorb moisture and start to harden in the process.

The obvious downside is that once it hardens it is no good as a DIY desiccant anymore and you’ll have to replace it. I hope it’s also obvious that cement can be very destructive to whatever it is in contact with when it hardens.

Keep it securely contained if you are using it for this purpose or don’t even try!

Diatomaceous Earth

A prepper’s best friend, diatomaceous earth or DE has many uses around the home, garden, and barnyard. It works wonderfully as a natural insecticide, de-lousing agent, soil amendment, and more, and it also happens to be very absorbent.

Made from the crushed and powdered shells of ancient, tiny aquatic creatures called diatoms, it is similar to activated charcoal in how it works: the craggy individual particles have an extremely high surface area that can lock away moisture.

All in all, it works pretty well, but it tends to be dusty and so you need to contain it properly. I prefer to keep it in a glass jar with holes poked in the lid.

Also, make sure you get food-grade DE! You don’t want the pool-grade stuff: pool-grade DE contains silica which can be a serious inhalation hazard, so you don’t want to risk it.

Quicklime

Quicklime, also known as calcium oxide, is phenomenally water-absorbent and great at taming both humidity and latent moisture.

Sadly, it’s kind of a deal with the devil: this stuff is unbelievably reactive and it generates heat as it absorbs moisture. It generates enough heat to potentially ignite flammable materials or burst closed containers.

Worse, it is highly caustic and can easily burn your skin. Proper handling and protective equipment are a must if you’re going to work with this stuff, and because of these risks, it’s just not worth it for anything but the most severe moisture problems.

Even then, if you can’t control against the risk of a possible fire, you’ll be trading out one disaster for another.

I’ll leave the decision up to you, but if you decide to give it a try you must account for all eventualities when handling and placing it!

Montmorillonite Clay

An extremely porous type of natural clay found in France, once dried and calcinated this material can absorb up to 25% of its total weight in water. Not bad at all!

Best of all, you can reuse Montmorillonite clay by gently heating it to dry it out, but once it is heated too much or at too high a temperature, it will harden and stop absorbing water. It’s effective, natural, and safe to handle but expensive for this purpose.

Bentonite Clay

If you have a cat, bentonite clay might be ringing a bell right now. If you ever read the ingredients list on a bag of kitty litter, you probably noticed it!

Bentonite clay is a naturally occurring type of clay mined from Wyoming, and as expected, is renowned for its absorptive qualities. Aside from kitty litter, it is used in many other industries as a dedicated moisture control agent.

This is one of the best options to use in a sock or other cloth container because it locks moisture in tightly and won’t leak. This can make it a versatile option for storing in closed containers or other small spaces.

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9 Things That Can Make a Functioning Faraday Cage

Ask any prepper these days what sort of mega-disaster they are worried about these days, and they’ll probably tell you it’s an EMP.

Three Faraday cages protecting your most vital electronics: a metal trash can, an ammo can, and a cardboard box wrapped in aluminum foil.

A powerful EMP can disable, damage, or even completely destroy electronics, appliances, and anything else plugged into the power grid. It’s also highly likely to destroy the power grid itself!

Plenty of folks worry about nuclear EMPs, but there are other natural sources, like powerful solar storms or coronal mass ejections.

As huge and seemingly unavoidable as these events seem, you don’t have to just sit there and pray. It’s possible to prepare for them by protecting your electronics and gear using Faraday cages.

A Faraday cage is just a conductive enclosure that will block the destructive energy of the EMP. Several related industries make fortunes selling specialized Faraday cage kits and complete units, but you can save a bundle by making your own.

Keep reading, and I’ll tell you about the items that can serve as fully functional Faraday cages.

The materials to make several faraday cages: garbage can, tinfoil, foil tape, ammo can, mylar bag

Metal Trash Can with Lid

This is one trick that pretty much all preppers know about already, and it’s a good one…

You can take a galvanized metal trash can, one with a snug-fitting lid, and use that as a ready-made Faraday cage for protecting gear like large electronics, tools, chargers, and the like.

Now, obviously, you’d be wise to use a clean trash can, and you also can’t just toss your stuff in there and forget about it. You’ll need to insulate the interior or at least set your sensitive gear on something insulating so it’s not in contact with any of the exposed metal.

I like to use foam for this purpose, but I know folks who have used wood, cardboard, molded plastic, and other materials.

And make sure that the lid fits tightly. If there is slop, it can let some of the destructive energies leak inside and damage your stuff anyway. Build up the fit to the rim using aluminum foil if you have to.

Metal Paint Bucket

A paint bucket is another great option for a ready-made cage, and it works on the same principle as the metal trash can above, just on a slightly smaller scale for smaller gear. They’re compact, cheap, stackable, and can be a good portable solution if you are on the road and worried about an imminent EMP threat.

Paint buckets can be repurposed from actual, used paint buckets or purchased clean for the purpose.

I prefer spending a couple of bucks to save over an hour’s worth of time versus cleaning up a used one, and used buckets also have a drawback: if they are dented, punctured, or if the lid no longer fits tightly, the protection could be compromised.

As with the trash can above, you need to insulate the interior to keep vulnerable items out of contact with the metal walls, bottom, and top. Foam, wadded packing paper, and other sturdy but light and thin materials work pretty well.

Don’t forget to put some on the top too, and keep in mind that this will eat up your internal volume somewhat, which will affect how much you can store.

Holiday Popcorn and Cookie Tins

This is one of my favorite repurposed Faraday cages, and one that I see preppers constantly forget about.

Well, maybe they don’t forget about them, and their grandmas just get them first for their sewing and knitting supplies… I’m kidding, but make sure Grandma’s got what she needs before you take one of these for your project.

Basically, these tins work very much like the trash cans above, just in a different shape and scale. Most of them are still stackable, and they have the added benefit o having tightly fitting lids as a rule.

I use these particularly for storing flat, vulnerable electronics like data drives, phones, and things like that. Same as before, insulate the interior and ensure that none of your gear is touching any exposed metal on the inside or this will all be for naught!

Any original packing box (carboard) can be foil wrapped and turned into a faraday cage

Cardboard Box and Foil

Believe it or not, you don’t even have to start out with a metal container to make a Faraday cage from common supplies. A sturdy cardboard box that’s carefully lined with a thick layer of aluminum foil on the outside might well be all you need.

Aluminum foil is, after all, a solid sheet and it is made out of conductive material that should easily be able to defeat all but the most powerful and nearby EMPs.

The cardboard itself is also a fair insulator, but you’ll still want to insulate the interior of whatever box you choose as detailed above.

I recommend you attach the foil using a spray-on or roll-on glue that’s good for the purpose, and take care to keep it as flat and uniform as possible.

Tears will ruin the protective value, and as you might imagine, you’ll have to treat this container with kid gloves because aluminum foil is so easy to tear.

That’s a downside, but if you need Faraday cage protection quickly and very cheaply, you can do a lot worse than this.

The rubber lid gasket that must be removed before this can become an effective faraday cage

Metal Ammo Can

Something that I just know a lot of preppers reading this already have on hand in abundance, the metal, military ammo cans that we all know and love can be a perfect small and portable Faraday cage.

You’re probably starting to get the picture by now. It’s just a metal container of a different kind and shape. Accordingly, subjected to the same scrutiny that we’ve already used on the other container types.

Make sure the lid fits very tightly, and that there are no punctures or holes, and insulate that interior so your electronics aren’t touching bare metal.

Something to keep in mind is that many of these ammo cans, particularly US and NATO ones, have a heavy gasket between the lid and the rest of the can.

You might want to put a layer of aluminum foil around the joint where the lid meets the can just in case it’s possible for some of the energy from the pulse to sneak in that way.

Metal Storage Cabinet / Locker

A large metal storage cabinet or locker is a workable Faraday cage, but one that will need some attention from you before it’s ready to use…

Most of these units have holes or gaps. Holes might be left over from the manufacturing process or slots used to adjust shelves on the inside. Doors typically have a fairly substantial gap at the top and bottom.

Deal with holes by welding over them or tightly covering them with aluminum foil or other sheet metal products. The door gap can be shored up like everything else on this list by using a layer of aluminum foil to increase positive contact.

Then all you have to do is put down a layer of foam, cardboard, or something else on the shelves inside to set your gear on. Once you have it set up right, this is a highly convenient option that you can leave in place.

Galvanized Metal Piping

If you don’t mind the extra weight and it being unable to effectively stack, galvanized metal piping of various sizes can be used to good effect.

It has a major advantage in that threaded caps tend to fit very snugly with precious little room for EMP energy to find its way inside, and the pipes themselves tend to be quite durable. You can improve protection even better by using thin foil or metal thread tape on the threads before screwing on the cap.

One drawback to galvanized piping is the fact that the volume inside is pretty low, and gets even lower when you insulate the items that you’re storing. Large diameter pipes that can hold more stuff get quite heavy and pricey quickly.

Metal Mesh

Fine metal mesh, of the type used to cover windows and screen doors, or sometimes used as a sieve for water tanks, can be repurposed to make small or large-scale Faraday cages.

You can line a box with it as you would with aluminum foil, or make a frame with wood and then make a screened enclosure. This is a great way to protect larger items like vehicles, generators, and more. Just make sure you have protection on the bottom, too!

This mesh material tends to be pretty tough, but it is easily damaged and gets worse quickly once it has taken damage.

Of more concern is the fact that this stuff has not been tested against real deal and very powerful EMPs. Some experts suggest that EMP energy could squirt through the tiny gaps in the mesh, but others claim that it is small enough to prevent this.

Time will tell, so if you are in doubt, use a double layer for extra insurance.

RFID Blocker Bags

When you visit an external link on this page and then make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Read my full advertising disclosure here.

If you have any of that specialty travel luggage that is designed to protect your phone, credit cards, and more from skimmers and other electronic subterfuge, rest easy because these things work wonderfully as Faraday cages. And that’s because they are!

Anything that will completely block cell and radio signals from getting out or in should stop the energy from an EMP cold.

These bags and other containers are great because you know they are purpose-designed to do exactly this.

And, assuming your gear is inside, and the luggage is closed, then you should be good to go. No fuss, no muss. Best of all, these are highly portable by design and very durable for what they are.

The downside is that they’re expensive, and you’re not going to be protecting larger gear with this travel-on-style luggage. Still, if you’re only worried about some small stuff and the cost is no object, I wouldn’t hesitate to get a few just for this purpose.

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