Raccoons are intelligent, witty, and quirky animals. They can climb, run, jump high meters, and swim quickly. Watching them from afar can be fun and exciting. But you surely would not want a raccoon inside your house.
They break into trash cans, damage your garden and lawn, invade your pet food and even transmit diseases. Female raccoons also tear down fascia boards and ventilators when searching for a place to nest.
Let’s discuss some steps you can take.
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How To Know If You Have A Raccoon Problem
Raccoons are nocturnal animals and do not hibernate, so get ready to see them all year round.
These signs will help detect if you have a raccoon problem
- Trash cans opened, and the garbage tossed about
- Strange sounds at night
- Droppings on the lawn and just about anywhere
- Half-eaten food scattered around
- Empty or broken bird feeders
Raccoons also transmit a specific type of rabies that spreads to humans. More so, they act as a transport for infected fleas, ticks, and lice.
How to Get Rid Of Raccoons In Your Home
Raccoons are not wild animals, so getting rid of them as humanly as possible is highly recommended.
Consider the following steps.
1. Install one-way doors:
If you find out that there are raccoons in your attic, there is a high chance it’s a female nesting there with her babies. In this case, you should allow the raccoons to remain for a few weeks so the babies can grow, as they won’t survive without the mother. After this, install a one-way door out of the attic so that once the raccoons go out, it will be impossible to get back in.
2. Use live traps:
A live trap is a reasonably large trap capable of holding an adult raccoon captive without hurting it. You can get this trap from a wildlife department first. Or you could contact Fox pest control to help you deal with your raccoon problem.
3. Seal openings:
If you find raccoons in your attic or ventilators, they get in through a hole or gap. After getting them out, seal the holes completely to prevent further entrance.
4. Install a motion detection sprinkler:
Imagine how you would feel if you were creeping around and unexpectedly got doused with a blast of water. That’s precisely how those raccoons would scamper away and, after a few times, would ignore your house.
5. Use Ammonia:
Strategically placing ammonia around your home is a sure way to stop raccoons from coming close. Take note that ammonia is simply a deterrent, not a poison. You can place it in a bowl near your trash cans.
6. Safeguard your trash cans:
Raccoons are trash cans terrorists, but this is only because of the leftover food they get from there. Get a pilfer-proof can. Lock the lids in place. When the raccoons go hungry for days, they’ll seek greener pastures.
7. Install bright lights and loud sounds:
While raccoons are quirky, they also get easily spooked and would scamper away at the sound of loud noise. Your neighbors might prefer something else, though.
The above methods work well and are even better when combined with other methods. Some may be strenuous, no wonder many people do not delay calling on a pest control company to get rid of them quickly.
