A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2007 Some critter is stealing our soap!

Hey everybody.

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.

Linny

I thought raccoon or squirrel at first. Raccoons though are nocturnal.

Squirrels?

I have NO idea what that could be, Thorn says wiping soap suds from his lips and tongue.

What do squirrels or raccoons want with soap?

I vote squirrel, anyway.

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!

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.

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.

I am curious to what is doing this Linny so please keep us posted on this!

Will do plantqueen.

interrogate

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...

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."

Be careful if you see racoons during the day.
We've always been told that if they are out then, they are rabid!

That said, I, too, am interested to find out what is stealing your soap!

Have you mentioned what kind of soap it is?

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.

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.

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.

This whole thing is so funny!

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!

--Linny:

Finally: A real soap opera!!

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.

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..

Ohhhhhhhh!!! I am not letting this thread go

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....

thanks for letting us know the solution!