HOW TO GET RID OF RACCOONS
HOW TO GET RID OF RACCOONS
Here in the Southeast, raccoons are a problem that many homeowners have to deal with. When they’re hanging around outside, they may destroy plants and gardens, disturb your trash, or even spread disease to your pets. If they manage to get inside, they can make homes in chimneys, attics, crawlspaces, and even garages, putting the cleanliness of your home and the safety of your family at risk. If you’ve noticed signs of raccoons or suspect one may be lurking on your property, be sure to act fast using these methods.
SIGNS OF RACCOONS IN AND AROUND YOUR HOME
Raccoons are often drawn to trash, but there may be other items around your property making it more raccoon-friendly. Common things that draw raccoons include:
- Bird feeders
- Vegetable gardens
- Trashcans
- Trees by the roof leading into the attic
- Fallen fruit
- Leftover pet food
If you have any of these items around the exterior of your home and notice that they’ve been disturbed, it’s highly likely that it could be damage from a raccoon. More importantly, a raccoon on the outside of your home is the first step to a raccoon finding it’s way in. Be sure to act quickly if you notice signs of disruption or damage to any of the items listed above.
ARE RACCOONS DANGEROUS?
With their masked faces and fluffy bodies, raccoons may seem cute and cuddly, but these are wild animals and with that comes wild behavior. Raccoons are also extremely aggressive and will attack both pets and people if cornered. The best move is to quickly get rid of raccoons and to keep a close eye on your pets if you expect one is lurking around your yard.
Besides the risk of violent encounters, raccoons are a threat to the health of both you and your pets. The presence of raccoons often goes hand in hand with fleas, ticks, or mites. Raccoons can also spread rabies, roundworms, and bacterial diseases to both humans and pets. This is most often spread through their feces and urine, so you may not even realize you’re putting yourself or your family at risk by just playing in your yard. The best move is to deter raccoons as much as possible and act quickly to remove one if you suspect it’s on your property.
HOW TO GET RID OF RACCOONS
If you’ve determined a raccoon has taken up residence in or around your home, start with deterrents. If you make your yard unwelcoming, it’s likely that a raccoon may not return. Start with these steps to scare raccoons away:
Eliminate Food Sources
- Tightly seal trashcans with cinderblocks and bungee cords
- Move pet food inside
- Rake up any fallen fruit from fruit trees
- Get rid of bird feeders
Make Them Feel Unwelcome
- Clear away old debris, brush, and logs
- Use scare tactics such as motion-activated radio, floodlights, sprinklers, and noisemakers
Trap and Remove the Raccoon
- This is the most effective method but can be extremely dangerous if not handled by a professional wildlife removal expert.
- Set and monitor traps to catch any raccoons hanging around
- Remove the raccoon and release in another location
STAY SAFE, CALL AN EXPERT
While trapping and removal is by far the most effective method for eliminating raccoons, it involves up close and personal interactions, expert knowledge of how to handle a wild animal, and, in many states, a license to perform trapping and removal. Here at 24/7 Local Pest Control, we are certified experts in the humane trapping and removal of raccoons and have more than 80 years of experience in raccoon control services.
