Raccoon chewed through my fiber drop at 3am in Bellingham

I was out on a install last Tuesday in that new development off Lakeway and everything was going smooth. Ran the fiber from the ped to the house, terminated, got good light levels. Left the spool in the truck and came back the next morning to find the drop gnawed clean through and muddy little paw prints everywhere. Now I wrap all my exterior connections with that metal mesh tape before I even think about calling it done. Has anyone else had wildlife mess up their work after you left the job site?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_spencer1mo ago

Why are you treating the raccoon like the problem instead of your own setup? That animal was just doing what raccoons do, and you are the one who left exposed fiber sitting out overnight like bait. I wrap everything too, but not because I blame the critters, I blame the lazy install that makes it easy for them to chew in the first place. If you ran the line properly, tucked it tight against the house, and buried or covered any slack, a raccoon would have nothing to grab onto. You are basically complaining that a bear ate your food when you left it on the porch, of course it did. Maybe stop crying about nature and start doing better work so your drops survive more than one night.

charles5081mo ago

You're right about leaving exposed fiber out like bait. Same thing happened to me near Fairhaven, squirrel chewed through a fresh termination I'd just tested. Now I never leave any slack dangling, always tuck it tight and cover it up before I drive off.