Question by Lovesfish: Pond building??????????
I am building a pond in my backyard. I have one question will the raccons and outdoor animals eat the pond life such as small fish, tadpoles and frogs? thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by saaanen
Yes
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I am sorry to say your outdoor pond will attract raccoons, opossums and even other wildlife, possibly even muskrats and coyotes, but definitely ‘coons and ‘possums.
You can help protect your pond residents by making sure there are hiding spots in the pond — like little caves or small “docks” which the fish and frogs can hide in/under should marauders come around. I’ve got a few large clay pots tucked in corners (and weighted down) for the fish to hide in. If your pond is small enough, you can cover it at night with deer netting, or set it so its a few inches down in the water so the marauders are foiled (although you do need some space for the frogs to get in an out. Protecting it with deer netting also helps prevent the raccoons from splashing around in your pond, which is important because those sharp claws of theirs can rip the plastic liner easily enough.
There are certain repellents you can get at your local garden center, but I honestly don’t know how effective they are against raccoons. I have a spot in the yard where I throw leftover foodstuffs for the raccoons, and this does help as the little beggars are actually lazy and prefer an easy meal over working for one, and they get used to this being their dining hall. The best deterrent for marauding beasties is a dog that is allowed to stay outdoors all night, but then dogs often like to splash around in the pond to play with the frogs.
I would urge you to get inexpensive “feeder” goldfish. You will have a lot of die-off of fish until the pond is established. Once established, the fish will lay eggs and each spring you will have a new batch of baby fish to enjoy. These fish can grow as large as koi (depending upon the size of your pond), and just as colorful if you stock it with a variety of colored fish — right now I have one 13-year old who has survived several raids and is a foot in length, so with some planning and care, you can have long-lived fish in a long-lived pond. The frogs will move in on their own, probably a couple of months after your pond is running.
Best of luck.
They will try but a well built pond will have a ledge so the fish can swim under and won’t be easy to catch.
Raccoons will eat just about anything that fits in their mouth, including seafood. Birds such as herons,egrets etc.thrive on fish. Cats will also find them irresistable. The smaller the fish is, the more vulnerable it is. A shallow pond with no hiding places built in would probably be a waste of time. Home improvement stores usually have books for Do-It-Yourself pond building. Perhaps the internet could supply the Information you need. Good luck!
Here’s how to build a pond with step by step instructions and photos:
http://www.pondlady.com/resource/pondbuild.html
Unfortunately, there are no ways to repel raccoons in those directions. I usually recommend Hav-a-heart traps. When you catch one, call your local SPCA to remove and relocate it.
You are building a resort for wildlife, complete with sushi bar and it’s hard to tell them they can’t visit.