Wild Kingdom

When we had a sailboat, because of the wood on it I had a boat cover made up that really helped the brightwork. *Unfortunately, the otters thought the idea of spending time in the cockpit under the boat cover was as good as a night at the Ritz. *Of course if the Ritz did allow otters to rent a room, they would only do it once since the critters poop the most ungodly effusion know to science wherever they decide is home. *I found that rat traps laid out on the deck worked ok, as did little containers of dog poo to keep them away.

Now I have a related problem with Delfin. *If I leave the companionway open, they come on board, and while there is no boat cover, their GI tract still seems to work the same as they poop all over the place. *

So, I leave the deck access closed, but here's my problem. *In revenge they poop all over the flemised mooring lines, including the cleats. *I am told this is not uncommon, but I do think it reveals a particularly perverse frame of mind in these beasties. *My question is, has anyone ever found a solution to this problem? *I have wondered if I poured a small amount of dog or people urine on the lines, it might have an effect, but then the question becomes do I want to wash off otter poop or wee-wee? *Life is so complicated...

Any solutions from the wise ones on this site? *My 12 gauge is handy, but I believe they are protected, so my first inclination is out of bounds.

A few years ago I was having a problem with racoons eating lots of oranges out of my trees, I bought a "pet safe" electric fencer for about $40.00 and set a strand of wire about 6" above the ground around the trees, after the first night*they didn't come back, after a few nights I unplugged the unit and about a week after I removed all the the wires. In my situation the soil under the wire worked as the ground I guess you would have to run a ground wire under the hot wire. If they board over the swim platform you might only have to do that area. If they are as smart as racoons they will learn quick. Be sure to check the legality, labeling, safety etc you don't wan't PETA or some other group hounding you.
The pet Friendly units are safe for dogs and cats although they will get a jolt if they touch the wire, (like my Father in Law did one day while picking oranges out of my tree)
Steve W.


-- Edited by Steve on Thursday 29th of December 2011 08:30:09 PM

Moth balls, worked wonderfully in my boathouse and on my buddies dock!

Not sure if this will help or just amuse....but a sailboat in our previous marina has a motion sensored lawn sprinkler set up to keep the seagulls and ducks off of their boat. (otters are there too)* You know the kind that swings side to side squirting water in streams...impact rotar sprinkler is what google says their called.* Works like a charm!

Otters in Anacortes?* Who knew?* I had a seal come up and beg for food today, but I've never seen an otter......Arctic Traveller

Arctic Traveller wrote:
Otters in Anacortes?* Who knew?* I had a seal come up and beg for food today, but I've never seen an otter......Arctic Traveller

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They are thick as fleas. *I'll refer a deputation of them to you whenever you like, Jeff. *

The mothball idea is interesting....Electric fences, not so much, although I think that would work, too. *It's just not practical on the Cap Sante docks.*

In our waters it is the Mink that we deal with. A family got into my BIL's boat and what a smell / mess they made. He had to close up any opening that posed an entrance for them. Then it was the rock throwing ( when people weren't looking ) which gave us some exercise but that was about it. Luckly they didn't seek revenge on our lines/cleats but several fellows use the Moth Balls too and that seems to help some. Not sure if Life Traps would work but if allowed it may help get them quartined but just be careful with an Otter in a trap ( just keep your fingers clear ).*

Elwin*

Wildlife is resurging.* "Sharing" the environment is going to be more common.* Not sure how we're going to cope.* We may need to take courses from animal behavioralists.

A Sears 12v -20 mile electric fence unit will keep 2 legged creatures at bay from NYC to Trinidad, and beyond.

I have used mothballs to successfully keep*mice, chipmunks*and skunks from setting up shop under my porch.

Wife can't stand the smell (and would rather have the critters). So there is a downside.

jleonard wrote:
I have used mothballs to successfully keep*mice, chipmunks*and skunks from setting up shop under my porch.

Wife can't stand the smell (and would rather have the critters). So there is a downside.

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*What's the down side?

Whenever the ducks try to move in on the docks here, I pour sudsy ammonia around wherever they want to hang out and that gets rid of them.

Delfin wrote:
*they poop all over the flemised mooring lines, including the cleats. *I am told this is not uncommon, but I do think it reveals a particularly perverse frame of mind in these beasties. *My question is, has anyone ever found a solution to this problem?

Is this at your "home" slip?* I leave my lines attached to the cleats at my home slip and have cut them to length so there are no coils of extra line.

Something that comes to mind - Get some plastic buckets large enough to cover your cleats and lines when inverted.* Cut slots for the lines where the go to the boat, then invert them over the cleats and fasten them in place.* Velcro, bungie cord, whatever is convenient.

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*

Are these River otters? or*sea otters.

If they are the*river variety I feel your pain. a friend had them set up house in his 36' bay liner. He had to re-do the entire interior.

We have a lot of sea otters up here in Alaska. They haul out in the harbor and sleep on the fingers to the slips. they don't seem to go on land at all.

Also have you ever seen the poop from a sea otter? it is mostly broken up shells.

I looked at that and the first reaction was WOW!! That poor thing.

They must have some kind of protective coating on the poop shoot.

SD

*

And then there is San Francisco's*Pier 39 and its sea lions.

http://www.pier39restaurants.com/cam.htm

jleonard wrote:
I have used mothballs to successfully keep*mice, chipmunks*and skunks from setting up shop................

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*J, how did you get them to open their little legs?

skipperdude wrote:
Are these River otters? or*sea otters.

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There are no sea otters in Puget Sound and precious few out in the Pacific.* Sea otters are actually different animals altogether.* River otters are what we have in the marinas here.

River otters are as at home in salt water as in fresh.* They are common all through Puget Sound and up the BC inside coast.* We had a family of them living under our dock for years (this dock is now removed for replacement so they have obviously moved on to othre quarters).* They would come up into boats that were accessble to them and make a mess but for the most part they did their own things and didn't mess on the boats or docks.* The places we visit reguarly up here like Westsound, Sucia, Center Island, Prevost Harbor on Stuart, Telegrah Cove, Telegraph Harbor, Silva Bay and others all have a fair number of otters. From what we have seen they don't seem to be a nusiance other than the remains of their meals can get a little rank in hot weather under the docks.

We like having them around.* They are an "indicator" animal, much like a canary in a coal mine.* If there are otters around and doing well it means the water is clean (or pretty clean) and the food chain is in decent shape.* If there are no otters in an otter-friendly environment it indicates there is a problem, either with water quality or the food chain (or both), usually as a result of polution or oxygen starvation as is occuring in Hood Canal.* Learned this from a marine biologist at the UW many years ago.

I terms of protecting things from the mess otters can make, the two best solutions are don't provde them easy access onto the boat (keep transom doors closed, if there are cockpit covers keep them snugged down, etc.) and physically block access to things on the dock.* The bucket-over-the-cleat idea is a good one I think.* Using chemicals to try to deter them might work but where do the chemicals go when it rains?

I believe in taking whatever non-damaging steps can be taken to deter things like otters (or bears) and then learning to live with whatver you were unable to deter.* A) They were here first, B) They have as much right as we do to live out their lives, and C) They are not f*cking up the planet like we are.


-- Edited by Marin on Friday 30th of December 2011 01:12:12 PM

And then there is San Francisco's Pier 39 and its sea lions.

http://www.pier39restaurants.com/cam.htm
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I used to live in the bay area in the eighties and had a friend who bought a slip at Pier 39 with the idea he would eventually buy a boat. The slip was always empty as he never bought his boat and I could use it whenever I wanted to. I kept my boat in the estuary and used to enjoy spending a weekend in that borrowed slip. After I left the bay area I read about the sea lions taking over the docks at Pier 39 and the city officials decided to not disturb the sea lions. I assume they confiscated the private property at Pier 39 and gave it to the sea lions. Do you know if this is the case? I'm really surprised that this situation still exists.

Ron

Took this at pier 39*around 2005.* Strange there were several empty floats nearby they must like to be close to each other

Steve W


-- Edited by Steve on Friday 30th of December 2011 01:47:43 PM

windmist wrote:
And then there is San Francisco's Pier 39 and its sea lions.

http://www.pier39restaurants.com/cam.htm
___________________________________________________________

... I assume they confiscated the private property at Pier 39 and gave it to the sea lions. Do you know if this is the case? I'm really surprised that this situation still exists.

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*Don't know if property owners were compensated, but the Pier 39 sea lions are a significant tourist attraction, so the city, local business owners, and animal lovers*have a vested interest to keep*a portion of the*marina closed to boats.* In recent years, the sea lions all but disappeared from the pier, but they are coming back now, apparently tiring of Oregon.


-- Edited by markpierce on Friday 30th of December 2011 02:12:12 PM

skipperdude wrote:
Are these River otters? or*sea otters.

If they are the*river variety I feel your pain. a friend had them set up house in his 36' bay liner. He had to re-do the entire interior.

We have a lot of sea otters up here in Alaska. They haul out in the harbor and sleep on the fingers to the slips. they don't seem to go on land at all.

Also have you ever seen the poop from a sea otter? it is mostly broken up shells.

I looked at that and the first reaction was WOW!! That poor thing.

They must have some kind of protective coating on the poop shoot.

SD

*

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*Not only have I seen Otter poop, I have stepped in it. *And yes, it is a miracle of gastro intestinal fortitude, if not efficiency. *

I like the idea of ammonia as well. *I think I am going to sew up some bags of Gortex to put moth balls in. *That should help them last awhile in the rain and still be smelly to the otters. *Buckets over the cleats would be a bit of a nuisance, but maybe a good fall back plan. *

Thanks everyone! *Great ideas.

River Otter, in comfort.

koliver wrote:
River Otter, in comfort.

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*Taken just before he took a dump the size of a basketball.

There was an article in the December 2011 Pacific Yachting on page 106 about otters.

The article confirmed the mothball solution.

This is Thomas Basin in Ketchikan and these people have a big problem w river otters. None in Thorne Bay though.*

Eric