I just got back from a frenzied shopping trip where I bought 1 very large plastic garbage can, 2 critter traps, mosquito plunks, marshmallows and here we go! 
I had either a raccoon or an opossum last night get into EVERY large fig pot and do their damndest to uproot them. I was spittin' mad this morning and decided it's time to quit thinking about it and do it.
I am putting the garbage can next to the squirrels favorite tree and filling it with water and adding mosquito plunks. Here little mosquito, a nice place to lay your eggs mwahahaha, little squirrel, how about a drink? MWAHAHAHA Want some nice melted marshmallow mr raccoon?? It comes with a free swim MWAHAHAHA

I've gone completely insane!

i need to do something about those mosquitos. with so much rain, there are ton of them. my legs are covered with bites after this weekend's yardwork.

Tami,

May I suggest a Winchester or Marlin 45/70 lever action?

We can't ever water unless we're wearing Texas perfume AKA Deep Woods Off.

Rafed,
Never fear, we have almost every caliber available but use them primarily on snakes. I think we're going to cook the others :) ala Duck Dynasty!

This is all I pictured while reading your post...
:)

Tami, Good luck. I'm rooting for you. I've used Havahart traps with good success.

Rafed,
Good lord -- a 45/70 for little critters? Ouch. I guess you don't intend on having squirrel stew or for that matter even finding the bodies.

Fine Michael,

I'll down grade to a 444

We've been having coon problems recently. It's not the figs they're after, it's our young turkeys. Hopefully, they'll be going for a swim soon...

Cat food works pretty good for possums and raccoons, broccoli is my bait of choice for groundhogs and squirrels go for peanuts or walnuts, good luck  

FRANK....I told you those pictures were just for us...hehe

I will keep you updated on my success or failure. Any good opossum or squirrel receipes are welcome, no, I'm not kidding.

Tami, I put bricks around the fig"s trunk in every large pot. So far the coons have not managed to succeed in their nasty business, the squirrels are smaller and cannot move them either.

Greenfig,
Can you show us pictures please? That is an interesting idea but at the moment it would cost me a fortune to do all of them, would love to see it though.

I caught groundhog and opossum using banana and mango skin (basically fruit with strong sweet smell works). The trap is under sun, so once they are trapped, they are killed by sun in a few hours. They becomes fertilizer under fig tree. 

Coon hounds will keep them out, maybe someone will loan you theirs?  If they catch them it won't be a pretty sight.

Armadillos dig, bait traps with earthworms.

We haven't had any armadillo's just the tree rats, raccoons and opossum. GRRRRR
I'm setting the traps tonight, wish me luck please.

For what it's worth, I have been keeping a groundhog at bay with a solution made from Irish Spring soap, spraying every night. He hasn't touched anything since I started this, save a tomato I missed last week.

Tami hi
i would do the same
in my balcony i kill each ant i see .
if the birds come attacking my pots i will get crAzy....

just today i heard a bout a fruit tree collector that nets the whole orchard, i dont know if it is very esthetic but probably it makes its job and also conserves water from evaporating ...

Tami,
Good luck with your hunt!
I can post a pic in two days, travelling now.

Tami,
Any luck?

No, and I'm a little pissed about it. I'm not going to stop trying though!

Stick to it and eventually you'll win.

Whoo Hooooooo....doin the happy dance. Got the raccoon last night!!!!!
I'll put the trap back out just in case he's got family or the opossum wants a room for the night.

Now if I could just get the squirrels. It seems like as soon as I set up the barrell and the trap our hawks came back and the tree rats are making themselves scarce. I will get you my little pretties...cackle madly.

That's great Tami!  One less threat to the figs!

Way to go Tami !