Whether you hear a team of raccoons playing around like bandits to make entry into your trash cans at night – or perhaps you didn’t hear them at all in the evening and come morning you see trash bags and any discards from last night’s family dinner laying all around your yard – something becomes obvious, something has to be done about it. Let us dig into ways we can safely get rid of raccoons in our yard without actually harming the masked creatures.
I remember when I was younger, my parents had a similar problem with raccoons. Every morning before work it seemed as though my father would have to pick up the trash that was thrown all over the backyard and in the nearby back woods. The trash was thrown about, compliments of the resident raccoons doing some late night scavenging the evening before. My father would try numerous ways to deter the creatures, from placing heavy rocks on the trash barrels to locking them shut with bicycle locks. I actually remember my neighbor dealing with his raccoon problem by firing tennis balls at the raccoons as they dug through his garbage at night. He would have a flashlight shining in the area of the trash cans and you would hear the slam sound of yet another tennis ball hitting the barrels. I am sure he didn’t hit any raccoons, if he was that accurate, maybe the Yankees or Dodgers would sign him up for a minor league contract. Most likely he just had to ice his shoulder down afterwards and collect his tennis balls come morning time, while also cleaning up the garbage thrown all over his lawn.
What Are Raccoons?
Raccoons are moderately sized mammals that are approximately 16 to 28 inches long. They possess a grayish coat that largely is comprised of dense underfur which insulates them against harsher, colder weather conditions. While raccoons are mainly nighttime animals, it is not completely uncommon to discover them wandering along during daytime hours. The two most common physical characteristics of raccoons are (1) their bushy, ringed tails and (2) their masked markings around their eyes. They are known to eat almost anything, from water dwelling creatures like crayfish, frogs and snails, to bird eggs, fruits and vegetables. Around my neighborhood (and I am sure around most neighborhoods) they seem to rather enjoy dining on garbage. Hey, perhaps that seafood dish you cooked that evening was delicious after all, despite what your children thought of it. Look at those raccoons having at it.
What Harm Can Raccoons Cause?
Although raccoons may look sweet and cuddly, and have little issue with making their homes quite close to areas occupied by humans, they have the tendency to be fairly vicious when confronted by humans or pets. They possess sharp teeth and claws and can carry diseases such as rabies. In fact, along with bats, skunks and foxes, raccoons are well-known carriers of the rabies virus.
Raccoons can also be fairly annoying. After all, I am sure we can all do more productive things with our time than to clean through the thrown about garbage left on our property. And yes, they can be quite destructive to your property as well.
Raccoons may try to take residence in the attic of your home. They oftentimes will choose to reside within the comforts of your home’s attic because the attic may provide warmer and much dryer living conditions. Females will oftentimes look to raise their little ones within the enclosed area of your attic, away from predators and closer to food sources. When this occurs a homeowner will oftentimes need to contact a professional to remove the creatures from the attic, if not done soon, the damage to your home may be fairly expensive to swallow.
In order to gain access to the attic of your home, a raccoon will oftentimes scratch and chew their way inside, climbing up on your rooftop and finding a good target to exploit and gain access. Once inside, raccoons will oftentimes rip apart your home’s installation and also leave behind fairly harmful and malodorous urine and feces.
Trapping a Raccoon
If you have an issue with raccoons living in your home (whether that be your attic or chimney), it is strongly recommended to remove them with the help of a professional service. There are many around that can get rid of raccoons for an affordable price. Simply type “raccoon removal near me” into your favorite search engine, and you should be suggested a few different options.
Traps, however, are available on the market today – specifically live traps. As with chipmunks, live traps are considered to be the best option to get rid of raccoons around your home. Set the traps near your garbage cans, next to or within your outdoor garden, or wherever you may have noticed them previously. To bait the traps, many use cooked bacon, cat food, vegetables, or fish and chicken parts. It is often recommended to set multiple traps in different locations and to check the traps regularly. Because raccoons are generally more active during evening hours, it is recommended that you check the traps first thing in the morning.
Release the trapped raccoon far enough away from human population. It is also recommended to check with your local wildlife department before trapping them to verify that there are no regulations on doing so.
Some good catch and release traps on the market today are as follows (all links to Amazon.com):
| Two Door Raccoon Trap – By: Havahart | Heavy Duty Large Cage Trap – By: Duke |
| Live Animal Trap – By: OxGord |
Secure Your Home After the Racoons Are Removed
If the issue occurred inside your home, two of the more common areas used by raccoons to enter your residence are rooftops and chimneys. It is recommended that you keep these areas of your home and also any means to gain access to these areas properly maintained. Invest in a solid chimney cap. HY-C offers some reliable products for both single flue and multi flue chimneys. Links to Amazon.com.
Single Flue Chimney Covers |
Multi-Flue Chimney Covers |
You may also wish to address the possible ways the raccoons access your rooftop. Some preventive measures may include:
- Trim any trees or shrubs that may be used as an access point.
- Since raccoons can climb the downspouts of our home and access your rooftop in this fashion, try applying protective collars around the downspouts.
- Do you have any vines or any climbing plants around your home? While they are very decorative, they may also provide raccoons a means to access you’re your rooftop.
- Do you have any loose shingles or small gaps near the eaves of your roof, these should be repaired.
How to Get Rid Raccoons From Your Yard
If your issue with raccoons are outside your home – in your yard – there are also a number of preventative measures to take.
Secure Trash Containers
Easy access to the trash bags full of food waste will attract raccoons. Make sure to use trash cans that are secure and have a solid lid. You may also attempt to weigh down the lid or attach the barrel to a nearby post to keep it upright. There are a few bungy cord type of products available to help secure the lid on your trash can. Below are a few. Links to Amazon.com.
| Doggy Dare Trash Can Lock – By: Doggy Dare | Trash Can Lock – By: Encased |
| Secure Strap Universal Lid Lock – By: Blazer Brand |
Consider Installing an Electric Fence Around Your Garden
Your garden may provide tasty treats for raccoons searching for food. Keep them out of your garden by installing and electric fence. Regular fences may not be enough to keep raccoons away, as they are very proficient climbers and my also dig underneath the fence to gain access.
Remove Pet Food and Bird Seed From Outdoor Spaces
Yes, you may wish to keep cat food outside for your cat or have bird feeders full of seed in order to keep your local birds smiling, however, this may also attract raccoons. Perhaps trade out your bird feeder with one that proves hard for raccoons to access and bring in your pet’s food before dark.
Repellent Sprays To Get Rid of Raccoons
Products like Colton’s Small Animal Repellent Spray and Rodent Sheriff’s Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray (links to Amazon.com), have been developed to repel small creatures like mice, rats and raccoons. Spray near trash cans, near gardens and any specific places these creatures frequent. Re-applying will be necessary, however, as the spray’s effectiveness will be reduced with time and rain.
| Colton’s Small Animal Repellent Spray – By: Colton’s Naturals | Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray – By: Rodent Sheriff |
Motion Activated Repellents To Get Rid of Raccoons
Deterrent lights, sprays and ultrasonic repellents can be utilized to turn nocturnal pests such as raccoons away. Below are some effective motion activated lights, sprays and ultrasonic repellents available today to get rid of raccoons (links to Amazon.com).
|
Motion-Activated Animal Repellent & Sprinkler – By: Havahart |
Solar Predator Control Lights and Raccoon Deterrent – By: Univerayo |
| Ultrasonic Animal Repellent with Motion Sensor and Flashing Lights – By: Clever Sprouts |
In Conclusion
Whether you need to contact a professional to remove a raccoon or a family of raccoons from indoor spaces or wish to drive them away from your trash, gardens and outdoor living areas, there are options available in order to get rid of raccoons and, yes, your goal can be achieved. It may take time. It may take patience. However, with solid methods that have worked for many in the past, your goal can be achieved.
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