How to get rid of raccoons

How to get rid of raccoons

Ultimate guide on how to get rid of raccoons and keep them away from your property for good.

While raccoons are fascinating to watch from afar, most people agree that they are unpleasant to be around or share space with.

Raccoons can cause extensive damage to your yard and garden, dig through your waste, and even gnaw through your home’s siding. Each raccoon’s front paws have five dexterous toes that serve the same purpose as the fingers on a human hand. They can transmit diseases that can harm humans and domestic pets, and they have the skills to grab things, scavenge for food, and open trash cans.

In this article, we will look at

Raccoons are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. Because of this, it’s not always easy to spot their presence.

If you pay attention to the signs raccoons leave behind, you can determine if you have a raccoon infestation.

What are these clues?

Noises:

You might hear some peculiar noises on or near your property at night. Raccoons are known for their extensive repertoire of sounds. Research has shown that these creatures can produce over 51 distinct sounds that serve as means of communication. They hiss, purr, and snarl to one another as they fight over scraps. Younger raccoons often chirp and squeal and raccoons with rabies often exhibit extremely high-pitched squeals.

Tracks

Raccoon and Possum tracks share a lot of similarities. Raccoons, like humans, have entirely flat feet, but they also have claws on each toe. Raccoon tracks, similar to deer tracks, travel diagonally. Their front footprints are about 2 to 3 inches broad, while their back footprints are about 3 to 4 inches in length.

Their Droppings

Raccoon poop has a characteristic tubular shape and a pungent stench. Trees can serve as restrooms, especially those with raised horizontal surfaces like logs, stumps, woodpiles, or large rocks.

Feeding

Raccoons are notoriously messy eaters, often leaving behind a greasy or bloody mess wherever they’ve dined. Damage to lawns and gardens, emptied or spilled pet food bowls, shifted compost piles, and shattered bird feeders are some of the frequent evidence of their feeding route.

How to get rid of raccoons

Raccoons favor or typically inhabit wet forests. They populate rural areas, suburban neighborhoods, and even metropolitan centers. They have no problem settling close to us. Raccoons often use tree cavities for their dens but also woodchuck tunnels, caverns, mines, abandoned structures, barns, garages, rain sewers, and even houses.

How, therefore, do you manage to get rid of them from your property?

By Setting raccoon traps

Check your local regulations before setting up a trap for capturing raccoons. Once you know what the rules are, set your live trap where the raccoons seem to be active. You can also install multiple traps in various locations or routes to maximize your chances of capturing them.

Fill in all the cracks and crevices that raccoons can enter through.

If raccoons have entered your attic, you’ll want to investigate how they arrived. With that in mind, a complete home inspection is in order. Seal off all of their entry points with a galvanized hardwire mesh.

Take away all food sources.

Raccoons will break into your home if they smell food or water, or find a place they can use as shelter on your property. Take away their water source, food supplies, and any places they could use as shelter.

Types of raccoons

Procyon Lotor

The Procyon lotor, sometimes known as the common raccoon or the North American raccoon, is the most widespread species of raccoon in North America. These are the kind of raccoons that frequently invade people’s homes.

They stand out thanks to the black mask over their eyes and the black rings on their bushy tail. The fur is typically between 40 and 70 cm long, and it is either gray or brown. Their weight ranges from between 5 to 26 kg.

Eastern Raccoon

This kind of raccoon lives in the eastern part of the U.S, as its name implies. Some researchers have hypothesized that their habitat extends from northern Canada to the northeastern and central United States. Most people who keep raccoons as pets want to have Eastern Raccoons.

One of the most defining characteristics of this species is the black mask that covers its eyes. Their gray or brown fur, which may reach lengths of 70 cm, covers their entire bodies. Since they are nocturnal, you are more likely to encounter them after dark.

Saint Simon Islands raccoon (Procyon lotor litoreus)

Raccoons of the Saint Simon Islands species are endemic to those islands off the coast of Georgia.

They resemble the Eastern raccoon and share some of its characteristics, although their skulls are noticeably smaller. Their fur is more extended and denser, growing to an average of around 10 cm in length.

Crabs are a favorite prey of these animals because of their specialized dentition. Their jaw structure and teeth are ideally suited for tearing through the hard shells.

Dangers of raccoons

Rabies, salmonella, leptospirosis, and raccoon roundworm are some diseases that may be present in a raccoon’s feces and urine. These infections are risky to children and pets because they spend more time in yards.

In addition to the diseases they carry, these creatures can harm people, especially while protecting their young.

Before launching an attack, a raccoon will likely make threats. If threatened, they raise their tail, curve their back, and stick out their fur to make themselves look more prominent. They would start making repetitive jumps, bare their fangs, and angrily scratch the air. Raccoons also make various other noises, including growling, screeching, screaming, barking, and hissing. These raccoon mannerisms all point to an impending attack.

Protective

Raccoons are robust and stocky animals that can grow to about the size of a house cat. If a raccoon feels threatened or thinks its young are in danger, it will defend its territory by attacking any intruders. They will use their sharp claws and fangs to fight when cornered or threatened.

Raccoons have been known to kill domestic pets like small cats and dogs. During the time of giving birth, these animals can be very deadly. Mothers tend to be quite protective of their young.

Never leave your dog or cat outside unsupervised if you live where raccoons are known to frequent. If a raccoon attack and bites you, get medical help right away.

Disease Carriers

Raccoons are a threat because they carry and spread various diseases to humans. Research has found that raccoons are among the animal species most frequently affected by rabies. Cleaning up raccoon poop without precautions might also expose you to harmful bacteria and viruses.

Property Damage

Raccoons may be a significant nuisance in the yard and garden. They are notorious for raiding home gardens in search of tasty treats, and will roll up new sod to get at the grubs underneath.

Raccoons typically make their homes in the attic or the chimney. These critters also make nests in basements, under porches, and crawl spaces. You could be in danger if you happened upon a raccoon den or tried to remove the animals without the help of a nearby wildlife removal company.

The entrances to these places are often difficult to access. They can rip off soffits, tear up gable vents, and tear up shingles. These fixes often include using long ladders or getting on the roof which could be risky to try by yourself.

Reasons why raccoons hang around human dwellings and yards

Due to their intelligence, flexibility, and adaptability, these critters are widespread in the U.S. They are known for scavenging in places like garbage cans, chicken coops, and gardens and can travel to city alleyways from forest areas. So, why are they in your backyard?

They swarm into your yard, looking for a place to eat and sleep, and can clinch under porches and decks, compost piles, chicken coops, trees, and gardens. These places are attractive to raccoons because they provide easy access to food

They are also attracted to unsealed garbage cans and unattended pet food or bird seed.

Garbage cans without lids

The smell of food that come out of gabbage cans that are not covered will definitely attract raccoons.

Unsecured compost piles

You will quickly learn that raccoons enjoy a wide variety of trash, even the compost mixture you make from leftovers. If you leave your compost unsealed, they can use their nimble paws to open the container.

Unbarred chicken coops

Thirdly, raccoons pose a significant danger to your chicken coop. They can easily break in and harm your poultry if you don’t take the proper safety measures.

Fruit and vegetable gardens

Raccoons significantly threaten your home garden, especially if you grow fruit or vegetables. If you don’t take the necessary precautions, they might wreck all your work in the yard.

Home remedies for raccoons

While traps can be effective, they at times leave a mess challenging to clean. However, using poison threatens your pets, chickens, and other small animals that might be on your property. Therefore, preventing raccoons from entering your property in the first place is preferable

The question is, how?

Don’t give them a reason to visit your property

One of the best ways to keep raccoons away from your house is to remove any potential food sources. Since raccoons spend much of their time foraging for food, removing potential sources of nourishment is the first step in deterring them.

don’t leave out pet food

A common practice is leaving pet food on the porch for neighborhood cats and dogs. So, you’re telling them to help themselves to your dog or cat food. Never leave a dish of food where raccoons can get to it if you can help it. If you must feed the pets on the porch, do it around lunchtime, when raccoons are typically napping, and get them back inside as quickly as possible. Raccoons will consume anything from bird seed and other goodies to the birds that visit your feeders. If this happens, you should bring the feeders inside for the night.

Bring in trash cans

Raccoons have a strong sense of smell and can smell food in trash cans. Therefore, using a trash can with a locking cover is best. Put empty meat cans and any other trash that might be appealing to them into sealed plastic bags before putting them in the trash can. You might want to store your trash cans inside your garage or a shed for the night.

Install repellent lights

Finally, it would be best to consider putting up lights that drive away raccoons. A colored beam, typically red, flashes from a repellent light over your yard, scaring the raccoons away. The flashing is enough to annoy and scare away many nocturnal animals, and not just raccoons. The most effective lights are portable, rechargeable, and battery-operated so that it may be placed near the garden, garbage cans, or chicken coop, depending on the raccoons’ specific areas of interest.

What to do if you come across a raccoon

If a raccoon comes near you, it’s best not to make eye contact and gently back away, preferably into a building, until the animal leaves the area. Make yourself look bigger than you are, but refrain from attacking the raccoon unless it strikes first.

Raccoon facts

  • Raccoons Have More Than Fifty Unique Calls
  • Raccoons Have High IQ Levels
  • Raccoons Are Nocturnal
  • Raccoons Can Move At High Speeds
  • Raccoons Do Not Have Life-Partners
  • Raccoons Love The Cities

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