If you have raccoons invading your property, it’s easy to become frustrated. Your first instinct might be to call the city or your landlord and ask them to handle the situation. That’s not always an effective solution; raccoons can be difficult to get rid of, and they are often protected by local laws that prevent you from killing them. So how do you go about getting rid of these pesky little animals? Here are some tips on how to deal with raccoons at home:
Seal up your house.
In order to seal up your house, you’ll need to find the entry point. Raccoons are very good at squeezing through small holes, so if you can’t find an obvious hole or tear in a wall or fence, check for smaller openings like gaps between windows and doorframes.
If you spot a gap that might be letting in raccoons and other pests (like mice), cover it with steel wool to prevent them from getting through while they’re looking for food. Then use caulk or silicone sealant on any other possible entry points around your home—around windows and doors especially—to prevent them from climbing under doors or into window wells.
Install raccoon traps near the den.
If you want to catch the raccoons yourself, set up a trap near the den site. Raccoons are attracted to food and will investigate any new objects that smell like food. Use a lure like fish or cat food in order to attract them. The size of your trap should be large enough to hold an adult raccoon (unless you’re trapping young ones). When setting up your trap, make sure it is completely secure so that when an animal gets into it, it cannot escape or injure itself trying to get out.
Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, so you will need to check your traps daily during this time frame; otherwise, someone else might find and take away whatever bait you have used while you were sleeping. If you find a raccoon in your trap, then call a professional as quickly as possible—it’s illegal for anyone but professionals with licenses from state wildlife agencies to remove or kill a raccoon.
Avoid contact with the raccoon.
While you may want to help the raccoon, you could worsen its situation if you’re not careful. If a raccoon has become accustomed to humans or is too accustomed to humans in general, it may become aggressive and dangerous. Even if this isn’t the case with your neighbor’s pet raccoons, you don’t want them coming around your own pets at night or harassing your chickens.
It’s best to avoid any contact with these creatures. Don’t feed them—even if they look like they’re starving. And never touch a wild animal unless absolutely necessary (like while rescuing an injured squirrel). Keep pets indoors at night so that they don’t get attacked by these animals. If you have to feed your pets outside, remove any food leftovers after they’re done eating. You never know what might come by for a late-night snack.
Call in a professional if all else fails.
If you’ve tried everything to get rid of raccoons and still haven’t had any luck, consider contacting raccoon removal services. They can help you deal with the problem quickly, efficiently, and humanely. A professional can use non-lethal methods if necessary—and if they need to kill any animals, they’ll do so as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Raccoons are a common problem in many areas. They can cause a lot of damage to your property and be dangerous if they get too comfortable around humans. But with the right information, you can keep them out of your yard and make sure they don’t come back.
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