pet food containment woes

[farmbif]

ive been plagued by losing dog and cat food this summer like no other year. for years now ive stored pet food in big plastic totes with no problem. but earlier this year some critter figured out how to open the lid snaps and busted up the cover and dont you know right after they got into the bin holding 50 lbs of dog food it rained. a nasty mess that was quickly over run with maggots. had to bag up the mess and take it to the dump. so I got some of those screw on lids for 5 gallon buckets. 3 buckets will hold the largest size bags of dog food. no critters have figured out how to unscrew those things. but they leak like a sieve if left in the rain. I just opened one up that got rained on and its a nasty moldy mess of dog food sludge. then to top it all off the locking tote that holds the cats food disappeared. something dragged the whole tote off the back porch and its gone. ive been mowing the past couple days out in the front and back pastures and still cant find it.
I started thinking. what can drag off a 25lb tote? a black bear? feral dog? Ive searched area and still cant find it. after the leaves fall maybe I can find it.
I'm going to have to build a secure covered structure to house the pet food. just another costly adventure living out in the wilderness I guess

[JimB..]

Gamma seals shouldn’t leak.

Nevertheless, you could set a piece of plywood and a cinder block on top to deter anything smaller than a large coon. Can also store the buckets upside down.

Add a game cam to your shopping list.

[contender1]

In our area,, and by what you've described,, I suspect a black bear. They can open all kinds of containers,, plus,, they can & will carry off entire containers.

In our area,, and especially Buncombe County NC,, we have a LOT of bear issues. Metal & lockable containers that can't be moved are the best methods used by many.
It may be too big,, but a 55 gal steel drum with a removable lid, that has a locking ring works,, IF,,,, IF,,, you add a welded on padlock on (2) sides. A chain around the drum, or a steel band that attaches to a chain will prevent drab offs. If a 55 gal drum is too big,, (deep) you can put something inside the drum to elevate the bag of dog food for easy access by you.

Raccoons can tear into plastic containers & cause issues. A 35 gal steel trash can with the (2) padlock hasps & just simple snap hooks to lock it.

To add additional waterproofing,, line the drum or can with a large trash bag, and fold it over or tie it where rain & such can't get to it.

[curdog]

I have used a metal truck tool box, you could run a chain and padlock. i elevated it, with concrete blocks and drove a couple of t posts to secure it.....................Curdog

[Bmi48219]

A steel contractor’s tool box (Job box) of appropriate size, sitting on blocks, with a hot wire transformer, should do the trick.

[poppy42]

Well, I don’t have a lot of experience with black bears. I suspect if they want something bad enough, they will get it! As far as any other critters, I always stored my feed in galvanized garbage cans! A spring goes from handle to handle to hold lid closed! Never had any problems. Water tight too. I spent about $2,000.00 a month for feed, last thing I needed was for vermin to get in it!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

SNIP>>>
so I got some of those screw on lids for 5 gallon buckets. 3 buckets will hold the largest size bags of dog food. no critters have figured out how to unscrew those things. but they leak like a sieve if left in the rain. I just opened one up that got rained on and its a nasty moldy mess of dog food sludge.

Leak?
or maybe condensation.

I agree with you about needing a structure [maybe an outhouse sized small shed]. Keeps your containers out of the weather besides a added level of secureness from wild animals. One of my Farmer buddys uses a old car.

[JimB..]

Leak?
or maybe condensation.

I agree with you about needing a structure [maybe an outhouse sized small shed]. Keeps your containers out of the weather besides a added level of secureness from wild animals. One of my Farmer buddys uses a old car.

Old chest freezer would be good, put a couple latches on it and maybe a battery operated alarm tht goes off if it gets pulled away from the wall. The tripwire ones with a blank 12ga would probbly do the trick.

[elmacgyver0]

I store my dog's food in a closet inside my house, no problem with critters that way.
It takes a whole lot of force to seal a gamma seal, the problem is leverage.
I made a case tumbler that uses a gamma seal on a plastic bucket, it leaked like a sieve until I made a wrench to tighten the lid.
If a critter wants to get in anything plastic bad enough, they will.

[Bmi48219]

This would work. Shouldn’t be too difficult to hook up. I think you just have to make sure the container is insulated from the ground. And of course remember to turn it off before you go to get food out. Anyone who has ever touched the hot wire on a cattle fence will understand the deterrent value.

https://www.amazon.com/ENDMAN-Electr...%2C139&sr=8-25

[Handloader109]

Dang, I'm sorry, but you don't have room inside the back door for a 5 gallon bucket? I've got several gamma lids on buckets but I'd never intentionally put out in the weather. BtW, most of the dog food has enough moisture to mold even if totally sealed in that bucket if you have in outside MS

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[georgerkahn]

ive been plagued by losing dog and cat food this summer like no other year. for years now ive stored pet food in big plastic totes with no problem. but earlier this year some critter figured out how to open the lid snaps and busted up the cover and dont you know right after they got into the bin holding 50 lbs of dog food it rained. a nasty mess that was quickly over run with maggots. had to bag up the mess and take it to the dump. so I got some of those screw on lids for 5 gallon buckets. 3 buckets will hold the largest size bags of dog food. no critters have figured out how to unscrew those things. but they leak like a sieve if left in the rain. I just opened one up that got rained on and its a nasty moldy mess of dog food sludge. then to top it all off the locking tote that holds the cats food disappeared. something dragged the whole tote off the back porch and its gone. ive been mowing the past couple days out in the front and back pastures and still cant find it.
I started thinking. what can drag off a 25lb tote? a black bear? feral dog? Ive searched area and still cant find it. after the leaves fall maybe I can find it.
I'm going to have to build a secure covered structure to house the pet food. just another costly adventure living out in the wilderness I guess

My (recently deceased) best friend, Richard, had a similar challenge -- bears pulled the wooden door off his shed to get into food for his two dogs! As a "get-by" he bought two steel 30-gallon garbage cans and we rigged some 3/16" wire-rope with loopa at top to enable it being pad-locked. Bion, on one occasion the can was knocked over and pretty dented -- but, maybe he was just lucky -- but this most inexpensive setup worked!

[MrWolf]

I have a few of those gamma 2 sealable containers. I keep one next to the chicken coup for my bird seed (my girls love it). I had a similar issue with the insides getting wet after a heavy rain. I just put a kitchen garbage bag over it and something to just weigh it down. Works great so far. When it gets to ripped, just put on a new bag. Good luck.
Ron

[MaryB]

Gamma seal lids ARE water tight IF the ring is put on correctly. When putting the ring on the bucket use a rubber mallet and keep working around the ring until it seats solid to the bucket. Pushing it on by hand will NOT work. That makes it have high spots and then gaps when you screw the lid on.

[elmacgyver0]

Dang, I'm sorry, but you don't have room inside the back door for a 5 gallon bucket? I've got several gamma lids on buckets but I'd never intentionally put out in the weather. BtW, most of the dog food has enough moisture to mold even if totally sealed in that bucket if you have in outside MS

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Kind of what I thought, but maybe he has a LOT of dogs!

[elmacgyver0]

Gamma seal lids ARE water tight IF the ring is put on correctly. When putting the ring on the bucket use a rubber mallet and keep working around the ring until it seats solid to the bucket. Pushing it on by hand will NOT work. That makes it have high spots and then gaps when you screw the lid on.

That's the way I put mine on, but the air expands a bit when the solution inside is hot and with the detergent it takes a little more force to get a seal that won't force out a bit of water in a tumbler situation.
Normal use it would probably seal just fine.

[firefly1957]

Thankfully I have not had those troubles however with dogfood bag in the house I have gotten a new 40 pound bag full of very small ants!

I dumped the bag under a apple tree thinking the deer would eat it however it was found by the local bear and ate up in a night.

[Mk42gunner]

I use a thirty gallon galvanized trash can. It isn't water tight, but it is rodent tight (I keep it inside). Best option I have found.

In the past I have used old refrigerators or chest type deep freezes, and left the pet food in the bag. It mostly works, until it gets wet.

I don't live in a bear area though so I don't have to worry about something carrying the whole thing off.

Robert