Raccoons can be a nuisance to homeowners due to the damage they can cause to property and gardens, as well as the potential health risks they pose. Here are some tips for removing raccoons from your property.
Secure Your Trash
Sometimes you don't have to do anything to remove raccoons other than take away whatever it is that's attracting them to your property. The attractant is most often trash — raccoons are attracted to the smell of food even if it's going bad.
Secure your outside trash bins with tight-fitting lids, making sure that the lids are tight enough to stay on even when wildlife tips the bins over. If you have especially persistent raccoons, you may actually have to lock the lids on your trash can. Sometimes raccoons can even get latched lids undone.
Remove Sources of Food
Other sources of food around your property can also attract raccoons, as they aren't picky eaters. Remove any food sources that are on the property. You may need to:
- Pick ripe fruits and vegetables from your garden
- Not feed pets outdoors
- Find a birdseed feeder that doesn't spill seeds
- Trim vegetation that's being actively eaten
If you're unsure of what food sources might be attracting raccoons to your property, check for potential food near where you find their tracks.
Seal Off Entry Points
If you have raccoons actually living inside your house or other building, you'll need to seal off their entryway to the building. Even if you remove them with a trap, wildlife will find its way back into your house unless the entry point is blockaded.
Raccoons can enter your home through an attic, chimney, or crawlspace, and they only need small openings. Look for gaps or holes in your roof, eaves, or walls and seal them with caulking or metal flashing.
Trap Humanely
You can try to relocate raccoons by trapping them using a humane trap. These traps are designed to catch the raccoon without harming it, and the raccoon can then be released into the wild.
It is important to remember that while raccoons can be a nuisance, they are also wild animals and should be treated with respect — even if you're trapping them. It is illegal to harm or kill raccoons in many areas. Humane traps are best for the animals and are sometimes the only type of trap you can use.
Hire a Professional
If you are unable to trap the raccoon or seal off the entry points, consider hiring a wildlife removal professional. These experts are trained in humane raccoon removal and can also help to identify and fix any potential entry points.
For more information, contact a local company, like Wild Life Control Services CT.
