Raccoon Removal: How to Prevent and Remove Raccoons on Your Property

Raccoon Removal: How to Prevent and Remove Raccoons on Your Property

We take a look at Raccoon removal including how to prevent Raccoons returning to your property. Check out our guide for practical tips you can use today.

Raccoons are typically seen as adorable little animals but they have a downside to them. Having them around your house can cause a lot of damage to your property.

Taking care of a home isn’t cheap nowadays and oftentimes, the repairs can take a lot out of your wallet.

Not only that but wild raccoons can carry infectious diseases. These illnesses can range from roundworms to rabies, hantavirus, and salmonella. Not only will it cost you a lot of money to treat, but it can also be fatal.

For all their trouble, it’s still best to trap & remove raccoons in a humane way. Raccoon removal should be done by experts. However, there are ways you can prevent these animals from wreaking more havoc on your property & in your home.

This small guide will show you a few tips on how to prevent and remove raccoons from your property.

Signs that You Need a Raccoon Removal

Raccoons can easily adapt to almost every type of habitat. Human-populated areas like neighborhoods or business districts attract them frequently.

Pet food left outside and easily accessible trash cans are what raccoons tend to look for during their foraging.

If you want to check around your home or business for raccoons, here are a few signs that they’re present.

Noises at Night

Raccoons are nocturnal animals, meaning they only come out at night. Since most people are asleep during the night, they usually miss any actual raccoons.

Sometimes, it may be too dark out to see a raccoon.

All you have to do is listen. Rummaging, scratching or garbage cans being pushed around are always good signs of raccoons. These animals also make growling noises. When they move, you can usually hear them skittering or running across the roof.

Signs of Feeding

In the morning, you can usually see indications that raccoons have been on the property.

Raccoons can and will knock garbage cans to the ground. They will also tamper with pet food and bird feeders. That creates a mess and can destroy your property.

Additionally, raccoons also tend to dig holes in the ground to get to food sources like earthworms & grubs, or to gain access to certain locations. Raccoons have also been known to enter attics or crawlspaces looking for small rodents (ie: rats, squirrels, etc.) to feast on, after all they are technically predators.

Raccoon Presence

You don’t have to be a professional to identify a raccoon problem.

Raccoon tracks are shaped like hands, with five toes and claws at the ends. These are usually 2-3 inches long depending on the size of the raccoon.

Depending on what the raccoons have eaten, their droppings may differ. However, they are usually 3 inches long and shaped like cylinders.

Take care not to come into contact with these as they are the source of exposure to roundworm eggs. Additionally breathing in the particulates of their droppings can cause other health issues such as respiratory infections.

Scratch Marks

Another sign of a raccoon’s presence is finding scratch marks on trees, walls and porches. Raccoons will also use gutter downspouts to climb up on to roofs so they can gain access into attics. With their claws, they are sure to make marks on anything they can climb.

How to Prevent Raccoons on Your Property

There is only so much you can do as a homeowner for raccoon prevention. With these raccoon removal tips, you won’t have to worry about seeing these animals on your property. Of course, this is all done without hurting these critters.

Seal Entrances

Inspect your home for any cracks or gaps in your walls, floors, attics and basements. Raccoons like enclosed spaces to breed their young as it is safe and warm. Additionally, they can use these gaps as ways to enter your home.

To prevent them from entering your yard, you can do the same thing with your fences and gates. You can also remove anything that they can use as a bridge to get into your property. Long branches, tall plants and poles that are near your fence can be used to climb into your yard. Although removing these access areas will not necessarily prevent the raccoons from getting over your fence, it may deter them from doing so.

If you have a chimney, make sure to seal it properly. Raccoons tend to use dark spaces as nests, so you would need to inspect them first. You can prevent them from creating a nest by installing a mesh spark arrestor, or custom chimney cap.

While effective, this method requires maintenance. To prevent ash from clogging up your chimney, it’s best to keep it clean regularly.

Secure Food Sources

When you take out your trash, you have to make sure that they’re sealed tightly. In addition to that, you can ensure that your trash cans are sturdy enough so that they can’t be knocked over.

You can get locks for the lids of your trash cans or simply place heavy objects on top of it. Keep your bins inside a shed or garage until they need to be out.

Also, make sure that any biodegradable waste such as meat is sealed tight before you throw it away. You can also use trash bags designed to keep wildlife away. These bags are usually scented with smells that racoons can’t stand. These smells won’t harm you but will deter the raccoons from wanting to access your trash.

Make sure to never leave pet food out in the open during the night. If you have bird feeders, either do the same or ensure that the pole holding the bird feeder cannot be climbed on.

Protect your Garden

If you have a garden you can place a net over your plants to protect them from pesky raccoons. If you want something with a little more kick, you can make a weak electric fence around your garden.

The shock will be enough to scare them away but not enough to hurt them. Just be careful that your pets and children won’t get hurt if they get near the fence.

Additionally, you can also treat your soil to remove any bugs, grubs, and worms. Racoons tend to dig up the dirt to get some grubs so by treating your soil, you remove a reason for them to enter your property.

Use of Scent Repellants

Raccoons have very sensitive noses so you can use scent repellants to prevent them from entering your yard. Although this method is in no way permanent, it could provide some relief for a few days.

At the store, you can purchase some repellants designed to repel wildlife. These are usually liquid sprays which you can spread around your yard and home.

There are also things at home that you can use to repel raccoons. Vinegar, Epsom salt,  garlic, cayenne pepper and Irish spring soap are such examples.

You can turn vinegar and garlic into sprays. The rest, you can spread around dry. Again, these “home remedies” are in no way shape or form a permanent solution to a raccoon removal situation. If the raccoons truly want to be on your property, they will grow tolerant of the products used and will continue to frequent your property.

Timed Lights and Sprinklers

Placing motion lights and sprinklers in the places you suspect raccoons to be present can sometimes deter them from these areas. You can buy most of these products cheaply at the store.

Raccoons are smart and can figure out when you have your sprinklers off. Be prepared to keep them on and expect a raise in your water bills. To prevent this issue from happening, you can buy a motion-activated sprinkler to repel raccoons.

How Professionals Remove Raccoons on Your Property

What if you already have a raccoon infestation? Removing these animals can be tricky. After all, some racoons may have decided to call a portion of your property their home.

Even if you remove one raccoon, it might still have its babies living on your property. You may even have an entire family of raccoons taking up residence in your attic.

Of course, it is possible for you to remove them yourself, but it’s still best to call professionals for help. They have the most experience and skill in trapping and removing wildlife pests.

Attempting to do the job yourself can result in either an injury or a possible infection. When provoked or trapped in a cage, raccoons can get very aggressive.

We at Perimeter Wildlife Control have what it takes to inspect your home for further signs of a raccoon infestation. That way, you know that the raccoons are gone for good.

Why choose a Professional Raccoon Removal Company like Perimeter Wildlife Control

A proper pest / wildlife control company will have the qualifications for safe removal, ensuring that the raccoons are relocated to another place where they can thrive. If you have dead animals on your property, do not try to remove them yourself, Perimeter Wildlife Control can handle that for you too!

Dead animals can carry a lot more diseases and attract even more wildlife to enter your property. Leaving them alone is not an option and you should call a qualified pest removal company.

There are important steps to take after the removal of the raccoons.

You need to decontaminate and sanitize areas where these critters were active, as raccoon feces can be very dangerous. By crawling around your home or yard, these raccoons can also bring in any type of harmful substances

Additionally, you wouldn’t want to be stuck with the repairs of their damages. Hiring another contractor to do them can be another long process, especially if you’re looking for a reliable repairman.

Instead of looking for another contractor, you can ask if your pest removal or wildlife control company have repair services available. This is a more effective method as they know what damages to look for and will repair them accordingly and can provide you with a warranty to give you additional peace of mind.

Additionally, licensed wildlife control companies like Perimeter Wildlife Control are prepared and equipped to clean up & sanitize the horrible mess left behind by the raccoons in attics, as well as crawlspaces.

Call in the Professionals for Raccoon Removal

You don’t have to suffer from a raccoon infestation. Raccoon removal is something that can be done quickly and efficiently when you inform the pest or wildlife removal company immediately.

By calling in the experts, you ensure that the job is done properly. You get peace of mind knowing that your garden, pets and children are safe from any diseases or harm.

By following the prevention tips mentioned above and calling the pros when needed, raccoons will never have to bother you again.

Ready for raccoon removal in Atlanta, Georgia or do you have questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact us.