I'm new here and really happy to find this forum. We live in North Central Florida. My husband has a shop outside. The front is open, and inside is a sink for him to wash up. For the last couple of weeks something is taking the bar of hand soap every night. When it first started happening, the soap was just gone, then a few days ago we found a bar of soap on the shop floor. It had claw, or teeth marks in it. The marks were about an inch long and pretty deep.
Yesterday morning the soap was missing once again. He replaced it around 9am, went to town, came back around noon, and that bar of soap was gone, so we know that whatever is taking the soap is not just nocturnal. There are trees touching the roof of the shop, so whatever is taking the soap could have come from the trees down into the shop or from the ground. We live in a remote location with pine, oak, and cypress trees surrounding us.
We have tried looking up on the internet what kind of animal might do this, but no info so far. I suspect a raccoon, but cannot find anything to support this. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
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Raccoons are nocturnal but have seen them out during the day many of times raiding my bird feeders! So, I would not rule that out but I have no clue what could be doing this and why they would want the soap!
* * * * All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Plants: 5156 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 64.136.49.228
posted
We set a live trap out with a bar of soap in it. No takers last night. We'll see about tonight. I will be sure to let you know if and what we trap! Thanks for responding.
quote:Originally posted by GonetotheBirds: What will you do with whatever you trap?
Ah...well...Good question Jane....
We had not given that much thought. We were just curious as to what animal would be doing this. I guess we could interrogate it until it tell us where all the soap is. If it talks, we will release it, if not, we will force it to work around the place until it has worked off the debt of 8 bars of soap
No, we will just release it and have the answer to our mystery. We will also put the soap in a safer location! Have a good one.
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I am curious to what is doing this Linny so please keep us posted on this!
* * * * All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Plants: 5156 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 64.136.26.226
posted
Okay, no critters trapped yet. Tonight, we are placing the soap back in the location where it has been stolen from, and removing the live trap. Then we are speading powder all around the sink area to see if we can get some tracks! I know a raccoon track when I see one, and I think I will recognize a squirrel track.
But again, it's like my husband said. What ever is taking the soap probably has all it can use for a while. We may have to wait until it runs out! Will keep you posted...
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Linny, This is too funny. Your hubby might be right - how much soap can a critter use! Raccoons are certainly not completely nocturnal... so we'll see who you get.
The powder idea is very clever. I hope it works. Maybe you'll be able to follow the powder tracks out and find out what he is doing with soap!
I tried to find out about animals and soap eating. I googled my heart out and all the hits to "soap" all read "use soap and wash your hands immdediately."
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posted
This is a new one on me But I would vote for coon. They are such curious creatures. I like to hunt and have seen them out during the day. If you want to go back to the trap idea, try canned dog food--if it's a coon, they LOVE the stuff! And if you have a local Animal Control group, they might relocate it for you. Coons can get to be a very big pain if they start getting too familiar with your property. A friend of mine had one years ago that learned to get into her trash can. NOTHING she did kept it out of it! She finally had Animal Control come and set a trap. They caught it (a very big coon!) and relocated it.
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I worked animal control in Seaside California (back in 1982) I relocated many a coon on that job. They scare the crap out of me! Never ever corner a a raccoon.
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Funny Jane! Raccoons can be vicious. My nephew trapped one that was getting into his horse feed. Every time you walked close to the cage it would hiss and paw at you. He took it down the road and released it to be someone elses problem! Sorry! So you've gone from California to Maryland. Coast to coast huh? You've seen all types of weather I'll bet. (And people!)
Nature Lover- After spreading powder around the other night, we still have no idea! No tracks except for my husbands from walking in and out to check the soap, and he swears he's not a soap stealer. I guess I have to trust him! You are so right about raccoons being curious creatures. I so hope if this is the culprit, it does not find the garbage. Good idea on the dog food. Who knew?! We will try that tonight.
The soap is just a cheap soap my husband had from running a shop back in Kentucky. It say's "Lisa" on it. It's just real cheap. The reason the critter has stopped stealing it may be that it is holding out for something more expensive. Some nice smelling soap or something! Who knows? I enjoy reading all your comments. I will let you know if we find anything out. I hate that as soon as I ask this question, the activity seemed to stop. Darn critters.
Maybe the critter is a cleanliness freak?! Maybe they washed up enough and haven't gotten dirty again yet?! Maybe they washed themselves to death?! Maybe they enjoy making soap bubbles for their babies?! Maybe...uhh...?
Hope we all find out soon!
* * * * Some hearts, like evening primroses, open more beautifully in the shadows of life. Shirley's Secret Room Plants: 9518 | From: Cincinnati Ohio | Registered: Nov 2006
| Seeded: 71.72.204.28
To funny. But intriguing. At least your husband and you have a good sense of humor about the situation. My fave line is your husband's observation that the critter might have all the soap it needs for now. I pictured 7 baby squirrels washing under mom's watchful eye. You might watch for any critter blowing bubbles.
Could the critter be attracted to the soaps scent and be using it to line a nest? Is nest building going on in your area? Do you have crows? They will steal anything they can fly away with.
This is one "soap" I'll be staying tuned to. The children's garden club I volunteer with is going to love this topic.
Plants: 29 | From: Macomb MI | Registered: Feb 2007
| Seeded: 172.146.99.245
GonetotheBirds
guest
posted
A soap opera
Herb - I wonder if you are onto the motive. lining the nest is an interesting idea... of course momma bathing her little ones is a better mental image!!
Wow Linny... Now the pressure is really on now! You better get that critter back. You best leave out some fine treats -- steak and eggs or something super yummy! The raccoon has not been back since you started the thread and you still got it getting hits..
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GonetotheBirds
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Ohhhhhhhh!!! I am not letting this thread go
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Okay everyone....Are you all ready? After the trap, powder, dog food and all other ideas, we finally know! (At least we are pretty sure.) Drum roll please....
Herbalyn, you are the winner. Yesterday morning my husband walked into the shop and about the time he saw "it" on the sink, at the soap, "it" heard him and flew out past him almost flying into him! "It", of course was a crow. I guess it finally ran out of soap. I've always heard that crows were very intelligent. It sure got past us for a while. I loved all the comments and responses from you guys. The squirrel babies bathing and bubble blowing comments were really cute. It was fun. I hope we have another mystery soon. Take care all and thanks for your help....
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
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GonetotheBirds
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posted
Linny, Cool Beans!!! Good to know you have clean crows in Florida!!! It's been fun...
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This has been a fun story to follow. Hate to see it end, but glad there was a solution.
* * * * Some hearts, like evening primroses, open more beautifully in the shadows of life. Shirley's Secret Room Plants: 9518 | From: Cincinnati Ohio | Registered: Nov 2006
| Seeded: 71.72.204.28
posted
Oh those wacky crows. When I was a baby we had a pet crow, Mr. Caw-Caw, who would fly down and steal the pacifier right out of my mouth! From the very start I was always involved with birds and crows are one of my favorites!
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.203.196
posted
Thornius, what a great mental image I get from that story of the pacifer and the crow. I wish it could have been video taped. Was it by any chance? Since I found out it was a crow, I looked up information on them. I had no idea you could actually tame them, but they truly are intelligent creatures. Who knew?
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A good portion of a tree on our property came down during a thunderstorm several years ago. It happened to be the highest tree on the property and the one used by crows as a roost.
One cannot imagine the treasure in that fallen tree cavity. The knob to our lawnmower that kept the handle locked in place that we had looked for over two seasons, key, coins, fork, seed package, tinsel, marbles, foil. Now, whenever something is missing outside, we run in the yard, look up and yell (with mouth covered of course) "drop it crows".
On a sad note crows are now few in our area as they are dying off from a bird disease. The same one killing blue jays. Bird info states crows keep an area clean of debris. Guess we'll find out first hand if that is true.
Plants: 29 | From: Macomb MI | Registered: Feb 2007
| Seeded: 172.151.130.165
posted
Dang it herbalyn. Your story made me laugh, then it made me sad. Great sense of humor there with the "Drop it crows"! That made me laugh. It saddens me to hear they are dying off along with the Blue jays. I guess you sure will find out first hand if the debris is being "policed" by the crows. I'm sure that you, as well as I, would rather be missing things than to know things are not missing because the crows are dying. It's another one of those bitter-sweet things in life huh? Thanks for the story though. I loved it.
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Hi all Thorny.. the crow taking your pacifier explains a lot
herbalyn... You write just great. I was rolling with laughter (until the illness) and your style is tops.
What are they doing about the dead birds. Is Cornell or somebody on the job? What bird disease?? Are they doing something to identify and isolate it? We don't want the crow and jay disease killing disease in Maryland... got more info?
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posted
So glad you found the solution Linny! Thoroughly enjoyed this thread!
* * * * All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Plants: 5156 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 64.136.49.228
quote: Since I found out it was a crow, I looked up information on them. I had no idea you could actually tame them, but they truly are intelligent creatures. Who knew?
I know there are some people that don't like crows... .....but I am a crow lover.
Here's my crow... He is a sweetheart...he has never stolen my soap!
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So, I would not rule that out but I have no clue what could be doing this and why they would want the soap! 
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Yesterday morning my husband walked into the shop and about the time he saw "it" on the sink, at the soap, "it" heard him and flew out past him almost flying into him! "It", of course was a crow. I guess it finally ran out of soap. I've always heard that crows were very intelligent. It sure got past us for a while. I loved all the comments and responses from you guys. The squirrel babies bathing and bubble blowing comments were really cute. It was fun. I hope we have another mystery soon. Take care all and thanks for your help....
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