4. You can also put vinegar in a place they have previously denned to keep them from coming back to the den again. If you have a raccoon problem, one of the worst things you can do is leave food outside. Mammals of . Are you one of those people who think raccoons are cute and harmless? If you have raccoons in your garden or yard, consider adding a motion-activated sprinkler. They will help you get the raccoon out safely and humanely for everyone involved. Raccoons can look cute, and they can be convincing beggars, but you should never place food out for raccoons. Epsom salt is an excellent deterrent for raccoons and is also an effective fertilizer for your garden. Using these scents properly will create an invisible shield around your house to keep them away. Thats why it can be tough to keep them off your house without proper planning and execution. They cause damage when they get into your attic. And when these clever critters take advantage of the food and shelter we (usually unintentionally) provide, they often get into trouble. Dont try to trap and relocate the family yourself. Take a deep breath and make sure you leave space between yourself and the raccoon before moving on to step two. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. When Im not out roaming around 50+ acres of pastures, woods, and a freshwater bass pond, Im at my computer writing on Pest Pointers. Raccoons love chimneys, they will make it their home quickly. Text STOP to 77879 to opt out, HELP for info. These intriguing plants are a unique addition to any succulent lover's collection. We check all areas for signs of raccoon poop. Raccoon Pest Control. Here are some of the most potent scents that you can use as a deterrent for these critters: Brown, C. R. (1997). We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. In closing, it is important to remember to stay calm, make yourself big and get out of there when you see a raccoon in your home! Run electrified wires at the top and bottom of your fence to deter intrusions. The two good methods of killing a trapped raccoon are a carbon dioxide chamber or a lethal injection, either of which will give the animal a quick and painless death. Look at the raccoon and see if it has nipples. These critters may look adorable, but they can be quite aggressive and destructive. Motion-activated floodlights can also serve to deter raccoons. Check out our article on using epsom salt to repel raccoons to learn more about other natural raccoon repelling methods! Some examples of this could be compost bins, rotting fruit and any kind of scraps. Raccoons are mammals, and if you want to talk about them scientifically you can call them Procyon Lotor. Check out our nationwide pest control finder, Rodent Sheriff Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray, Visit The Cooler Kitchen Oversized Compost Bin, Hot pepper to irritate their olfactory receptors, Ground black pepper in specific locations, Use raccoon eviction fluids against females. Aside from scents that irritate them, another deterrent that you can use against raccoons is predator urine. After you've calmed down, the next step is to make yourself big. This solution directly applies to squirrels too as they are notorious tree climbers / attic jumpers! Peppermint essential oil, bright lights, coffee grounds, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, epsom salt, predator urine, ammonia, vinegar, loud noises and fragrant soaps all can repel raccoons. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. 2023 The Humane Society of the United States Privacy policy and terms. I don't have a trap to trap him. Remember, these scents need to be close to the raccoons, and you need to use it in multiple locations around your house. As, Read More Will Lights Keep Coyotes Away?Continue, Coyotes can become a huge nuisance if left to roam free around your property. If you have outdoor pets, perhaps put their food somewhere it can be closed up at night or take it inside at night. They also have long, non retractable claws on their front feet that will leave a distinct mark in those paw prints. I hope I can pass along some of the knowledge I learned over the years on this blog. Ethics aside, this may not be the wisest course to take, because if the poison works and the animal dies, youll be left with a noxious odor and a mess you surely wont enjoy cleaning upassuming you can even find the dead raccoon and that its in an accessible location. When a predator finds a new territory, the first thing itll do is to mark the area by urinating around the perimeter. So make sure you trim the trees around your house and put metal flashing on the trunks of trees to help prevent raccoons from climbing them. Terms and conditions. To get rid of a raccoon in the attic, follow these steps: Again, a raccoon living under the house or deck is usually a mother with babies. The spacing should be small with openings not greater than 24 inches. Raccoons make a lot of noise, especially at night, and their noises are pretty distinctive. For immediate removal, call a pest professional. If you have raccoons living under your house, get rid of them as soon as possible. Maybe there was concern that other people would pick them up or maybe she put the baby back in with the litter after its trip to the bar and no one could tell which one it was. Feeding raccoons may seem like a fun way to interact with them, but its a bad idea for a number of reasons. Average costs for removing these furry pests vary and can range between $175 to $300. The scent diminishes over time, so if you want to keep raccoons out of your property for good, you need to use this combination at least twice a week. From a raccoons point of view, humans make excellent neighbors. It takes a LOT of time and effort to use these scents to drive raccoons away from your property. If you have a raccoon problem, here are a few steps you can use to manage the raccoon population on your property: If you have a raccoon in the attic, its likely a female with babies. 1. Before you do anything to remove a raccoon, its important to know your state laws because, in some states, raccoons are protected furbearers. Did it look frightened (like it probably should be) and was it moving quickly or trying to move quickly? A note about raccoon waste: In places where raccoons have lived for a long time, feces may have accumulated. Terms and conditions. Add a motion-activated sprinkler If you have raccoons in your garden or yard, consider adding a motion-activated sprinkler. Some emit predator hunting sounds, while others emit frequencies only raccoons can hear. Figure out the predator prey relationship and be tactiful. Before evicting raccoons from your house, you need to figure out how they're entering (that is, if you don't want them coming right back in). Raccoons are good with their hands at getting things open, so making sure your coop is secured well is a big deal. Remember raccoons can carry rabies. If you are faced with a situation where you need it to go away from you right away, you can throw a few objects in its direction and it will scurry away. West, V., Hunter, A., & Minter, B. Aside from this, you also need to fix the broken windows and vents on your walls that they can squeeze through to get inside. If you dont have a fruit tree nearby, youll be more than fine in this field. It might feel silly, but it could really save you! But first things first, lets try to keep them out of your property for now, shall we? Once the professional pest management company has removed the raccoons from your wall, you can work to. attentiveness vs attention absolutely never do this when dealing with raccoons. Use ultrasound deterrent devices Its one of the reasons why it can be challenging to get rid of them. Raccoons may also leave body hair and a smelly oil where they have rubbed their bodies, so be on the lookout for gray and black hair with a smelly, oily residue. Make sure you arent leaving things out that the raccoons might like to munch on. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Zack DeAngelis, the creator of Pest Pointers. See My Chemical Romance Live. Best of luck next time you encounter a raccoon! So, its most likely that youre experiencing an issue related to these reasons. Never leave pet food near the opening. Here at Smiths Pest Management, we specialize in providingraccoon control services to residential and commercial property owners in Californias San Francisco Bay Area. She challenges reader's expectations by openly dealing with mental health issues, often exploring tough-to-handle topics and 'taboos' and books with a whole . (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=2ba02a33-c319-4410-bba7-f8321a13bed3&cid=877050e7-52c9-4c33-a20b-d8301a08f96d'; cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: "2ba02a33-c319-4410-bba7-f8321a13bed3" }).render("00499ba9282e4d1b985fa8af14d29c2b"); }); Are annoying bugs and outdoor critters invading your home? If raccoons are still getting into your trash, despite your best efforts, consider buying some rodent-repelling trash bags. If the fruit is a dud, dispose of it away from your house or put it in a composting bin! Was it moving slowly? Try bright lights, loud noises (set a loud battery-operated radio in the attic or in the fireplace), and unpleasant smells (try a bowl of cider vinegar at the base of the chimney). Our approach to dealing with raccoons in Texas is unmatched and complies with local and state laws. Instead, give it plenty of space and let it move on its own. Once the animals have left, they're unable to get back inside. In this post, we will explain how to remove pesky raccoons from your property without hiring an exterminator. Remember, they are wild animals and not pets. Raccoons are very, very intelligent mammals. Raccoons scavenging for grubs, for example, will rip up grass, flowers, and landscaping to expose their favorite food sources. This site is owned and operated by Pest Pointers LLC | pestpointers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Contributions to the HSUS are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Theyve really learned to adapt to their environment its one of the reasons why theyre becoming more common in cities than in forests. Check outPredatorPee Original Wolf Urine, as it comes with a spray bottle and tags as well. Luckily for me, Vito isnt the biggest pest in my life. Recalling that canines are highly territorial, their natural reaction will be to run after the intruder and chase it away. Raccoons are intelligent rodents that can wreak havoc on your property. They are very delicate and particular when it comes to how they eat. Petunias are lovely annuals that bloom from spring until frost. Heres how to get rid of raccoons. This website primarily references personal learning experiences. Although they can be cute in the wild, raccoons arent so cute when they are in your house. If you must feed your pets outdoors, feed them only at certain times of day, and remove anything uneaten. To get rid of raccoons in your chimney, follow these tips: Raccoons are voracious chicken predators and will do anything they can to access a vulnerable chicken coop. Aside from that, raccoons are agile, strong, and their nimble hands make them harder to keep in check than any critter you may encounter. In future weeks and months, periodically walk your homes perimeter to check for signs of a pest presence. Sure, raccoons are sort of cute, but know this: If it feels threatened, a raccoon can be dangerous, particularly if its carrying a disease (e.g., rabies). There are plenty of humane ways for how to get rid of raccoons. Children should be taught not to approach any wildlife, as serious bites and scratches may result from an encounter with a raccoon. Raccoons can adapt to almost any environment, as long as it provides them with easy access to food. All you have to do is scatter them around your garden, and it should work as a deterrent that can help keep raccoons out. Also, different states have different trapping and relocating laws, so you really need to be aware of those before doing anything but a pest professional should know these laws. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. . If you use hot pepper regularly, it may teach these critters that your property is off-limits for them. This should go without saying, but you should never try to pet a raccoon. Spray the mixture anywhere youve noticed raccoon activity. You want to intimidate the raccoon so it knows not to mess with you. They will stuff your chimney so that they can live in it without falling through, which is not only a bother but can cause some fire issues.If you notice anything funky on your roof, its safe to say you should probably go check it out!