Suburban Raccoons


Can Raccoons Climb Vinyl Siding

October 10th, 2022 ernie Posted in Damage Raccoons | No Comments »

Raccoons are intelligent and have amazing dexterity in their paws. If they can find something to grab onto, they certainly can Climb vinyl siding and many other vertical surfaces. Brick walls are very easy for raccoons to climb and if you have trees with overhanging limbs on your roof, they will use the tree to access your roof. Pipes carrying rainwater from your roof are another favorite way for raccoons to gain access to your roof.

Once on the roof, the raccoons can access your attic vis the soffit, especially if one portion of the roof of your home hangs over another part of the roof leaving the perfect access point. once inside they set up a den and will give birth to their pups, urinate on the insulation and leave feces everywhere. It can be quite a mess and the damage they cause can be very expensive.

Raccoons Climb Vinyl Siding to Get Into Your Attic

The best approach is to install one-way trap doors so they can get out but not back in. make sure the pups are old enough to get out by themselves, otherwise the parents will literally tear your roof apart to gain access to their young pups, causing even more damage.

Once they are out of the attic, replace the oneway trap door with heavy gauge wire mesh to keep them from reentering the attic. some folks suggest trapping the raccoons and moving them a long distance away. This is a waste of time. Other raccoons in the area will find the now vacant den and move right in.

homeowners should proactively install heavy gauge wire mesh across any areas on your roof or soffits where raccoons could gain access to the attic. This is the best permanent solution to keep raccoons out of the attic along with squirrels and birds.

Take action immediately before they can cause a great deal of damage.

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Raccoon Behaviour

September 22nd, 2022 ernie Posted in Deterrants, Raccoon Removal $, Raccoons in the Attic, Removing Raccoons | No Comments »

Raccoons exist in virtually every city across North America and these pesky animals have adapated to living in dense urban environments as well as in suburbia. There is generally abundant food for them available in our yards and especially on garbage day. most people believe they are friendly and cute and should be protected. However once consumers have to deal with a family living in the attic of their home, it is another story. undrestanding raccoon behaviour can help a great deal in preventing problems with these resourceful animals.

Raccoons can climb walls, trees and even downspouts to reach the roof of your home. They know how to puch up the soffit to gain access to your attic where it is warm and protected from the cold weather, rain and snow. Your attic is a great place for them to have their babies and raise them until they are old enough to travel outside the den.

Raccoons can do a great deal of damage. The insulation will be soaked in urine, there are feces everywhere and there is an entrance to the attic which can allow other rodents, birds, and rain to penetrate potentially causing further damage. Raccoons will have at least four dens and travel back and forth depending on food sources and the stage of their pups.

How to Avoid Raccoons In your Attic

Once they are in the attic, the best way to remove them is to install a one-way trap door which lets them out but not back in. after they have left, remove the one-way trap door, make repairs to the entrance and cover the spot with heavy gauge wire mesh to prevent their return. Trapping is a waste of time. Other raccoons will smell the den, check it out, and move in at a later time.

Be proactive and have all potential openings to your attic covered in wire mesh before they move in, especially if you are aware of raccoons in the neighborhood.

Do not leave dog or cat food outside where they can get at it. Place all of your garbage in raccoon-proof containers to avoid providing them with a food source and also spilling the contents of your garbage all over your driveway.

Raccoons love grubs on your lawn and will dig up the grubs which make a mess of the lawn. Treat your lawn to remove all of the grubs, which will improve your lawn as well.

 

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Can Raccoons Climb Brick Walls

November 25th, 2018 ernie Posted in Raccoons in the Attic | No Comments »

can raccoons climb brick wallsRaccoons can easily climb brick walls. Raccoons climb brick walls as easily as you and I walk up a steep set of stairs. It takes some effort but you get it done and so does the raccoon. They have a great deal of dexterity in their claws and can cling to just about anything. A brick wall provides lots of claw holds for them to grab onto. As this picture shows they also use the downspout to get onto the roof. They will also push the soffit up and can get into your attic via this opening. There are lots of pictures and videos available on the net that amply demonstrate their ability. This picture answers the question clearly and shows them up on the roof as well.

Can Raccoons Climb Brick Walls

In fact, they can climb vinyl siding as long as they can find something to grab onto. But back to the main question and what to do about it. Once they are in your attic you need to deal with the situation quickly before they do too much damage to your roof and attic.

The best approach is to install heavy gauge chicken wire over all entry points to the attic. If they are inside you will need a one-way trap door to let them out but not back in. Remove all potential food sources from around your property.

You can try to trap them, but unless you install the wire mesh another family will come along in a few weeks and reoccupy the vacated den. The best approach is just to keep them out in the first place. While you are at it, the wire mesh will keep out most rodents such as squirrels as well as birds. Mice can enter almost anywhere.

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Raccoon Scat on the Roof

October 30th, 2018 ernie Posted in Raccoon Scat | No Comments »

raccoon scat on the roofThis homeowner has a huge problem. Not only have raccoons invaded his attic. They have made a hole into his attic and distributed insulation and other material all over the roof. There will also be a raccoon scat on the roof. Raccoon scat or raccoon poop is messy and dangerous to other animals and humans. If you have this problem you need to be careful and avoid touching or inhaling the dust from the attic and the roof. We will explain why later in this post. The first step is to remove the raccoons and prevent them from entering your attic.

This can be accomplished by installing a one-way trap door over the entrance to their den, inside your home. This way the raccoons can get out but not back inside. Use heavy gauge wire mesh when constructing the trap door. Also, install the wire mesh over all other potential openings into your den. If they already have babies, you will need to wait until they are old enough to travel on their own. If they are left inside the parents will tear your roof apart trying to get back in. Once they are out you can begin repairs.

Dealing with Raccoon Scat on the Roof

raccoon feces or scat has millions of roundworm eggs in it. These eggs can survive harsh conditions. If the feces dry out, the eggs will still survive and will float in the air where they can be breathed into your lungs. Roundworms in humans can cause blindness and even death. If you are dealing with raccoon scat on the roof, take precautions when you remove it. Wear a breathing mask and dispose of the scat in a tightly sealed bag.

Keep your pets away from the feces. also throughout any house material such as insulation using the same kind of protection. This is really an environmental hazard to humans. Depending on how long the raccoons resided inside your attic, you may have to have all of your insulation removed and replaced. Hire a professional team to remove everything inside your attic. They will employ proper protective measures to keep themselves and your family safe.

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Downspout Roundworms

October 15th, 2018 ernie Posted in Health Risks | No Comments »

Raccoon Roundworm SymptomsIf you have raccoons living in your area or worse in your home, you need to be careful. Raccoons hanging around your home can be a source of several diseases such as rabies and roundworms. Downspout roundworms can be a source of this particular disease, especially if they defecate on your roof. Roundworms are found in the scat of raccoons and rain washes this material to the eaves trough and down the downspout. Deal with the main problem quickly. Take the necessary steps to get rid of the raccoons living in your home’s attic to avoid having these diseased animals living in your home. More on this later.

Downspout Roundworms

The number of reported cases of rabies in raccoons has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Raccoons are the main group of animals for rabies in the northeastern US, next to other animals.

Raccoon roundworm in humans (Baylisasacris procyonis) can cause blindness, brain damage, and death. Raccoons are not the only carrier of this disease, but they are the definitive host. Roundworms are very hardy and can live in a harsh environment for a long time. Avoid disturbing raccoon feces, and soil or other items contaminated by feces. Use proper protective gear or hire professionals to remove the material.

If you suspect raccoons are in your attic, deal with the problem immediately before they have babies in your attic. The best way to remove them is to install a one-way trap door over the entrance. They will be able to get out but not back into your attic. Cover all other possible entrances with heavy gauge wire mesh to stop them from entering.

If there are babies, you either must either wait until they are old enough to travel themselves or physically remove them. Take precautions as mentioned above. Blocking the adults from thier babies will cause them to tear your roof apart to rescue them.

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Raccoon Droppings on My Roof

April 21st, 2018 ernie Posted in Raccoon Scat | No Comments »

Raccoon Droppings on My Roof If you have raccoon droppings on my roof that look like this, chances are you have raccoons living around your home or even in your attic. They leave their droppings in the attic as well and they urinate on your insulation. They really can do a lot of damage to your home and we strongly suggest that the homeowner take action immediately. Note that most insurance companies will not deal with or cover damage from animals to your home and attic. Deal with the situation quickly or risk serious damage costing thousands of dollars to your home.

Raccoon Droppings on My Roof

The worst thing you can do is to try to block the entrance into the attic or poison them or trap them. Blocking the entrance could mean you are trapping babies inside or an adult parent inside. The parent will try to rescue the babies and even tear another hole in your roof or siding to rescue them.

Poisoning them could mean that one dies inside your home and really cause a mess and a bad smell as the body gradually disintegrates. Trapping raccoons works but then you have an angry snarling dangerous raccoon inside a trap. You might be lucky and trap one, but they are smart and you will never trap another.

Once the raccoons are gone, other raccoons in the area can smell a vacant den (your house’s attic) and they will come visiting even if you block the old entrance up. Unless you take special precautions, another family is just going to move in.

The best approach by far is to install heavy gauge wire mesh over all possible entrances. Next install a one-way trap door over the entrance they have been using. This way they can get our but not back in. Make sure the babies are out or at least old enough to travel on their own. After they are all out, remove the trap door and install the wire mesh over the entrance. Seal it so that snow and rain cannot enter.

You may have raccoons visiting your home, getting up on the roof. If you have sealed and covered all of the potential entrances with heavy gauge wire mesh properly, no more raccoons will be able to get into your home.

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Raccoon Feces Hazards

March 21st, 2018 ernie Posted in Health Risks | No Comments »

raccoon feces hazardsAside from the yuk factor associated with this picture, there are several other problems that consumers should be aware of when faced with the problem of raccoons living in their attic. In the writer’s opinion, raccoon feces hazards are at the top of the list, but there are others as well.

These include damage to the home at the entrance area to the attic; damage to the insulation; if it goes long enough, the urine-soaked urine can seep through to the ceiling underneath; and raccoons living in your home will begin to damage other items around your home and yard. If you do not do anything, it is likely your neighbors will be upset as well. Then there is the smell. You may get used to it, but anyone visiting your home will notice. But let’s get back to the main topic and what to do about the problem.

Raccoon Feces Hazards

Raccoons are typically infected with roundworms. These tiny worms live in the raccoon’s intestines and are expelled in their feces. The exciting thing about these worms is that their eggs can live in severely dry conditions, like an attic, for many months or longer. They are tiny microscopic eggs that can float in the air if disturbed.

Someone in the attic and not aware of raccoon feces hazards like this can disturb the feces causing the dried feces dust, including the eggs, to float in the air, which is then breathed into the lungs of the person in the attic unless they are wearing protective breathing apparatus.

The eggs hatch inside you and make their way to their host’s eyes and brain. This sounds gruesome, but it can lead to blindness or death if not treated.

If you suspect raccoons live in your attic, hire professionals to solve the problem. Install a one-way trap door so they can get out of the attic but not back inside. Have the insulation replaced by professionals who are wearing the appropriate safety equipment and will dispose of the old insulation appropriately.

While you are at it, seal all potential entry points with heavy gauge wire so no more animals can enter. Also, increase the insulation in your attic to levels that meet today’s standards for new home construction to save energy heating your home.

For more posts about health risks associated with raccoons, click here.

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How can I Get Rid of Raccoons in My Attic

February 21st, 2018 ernie Posted in Raccoons in the Attic | 1 Comment »

Preventing Racoons from Climbing Brick WallsIf you are a homeowner and notice that raccoons are hanging around your home, chances are they live in someone’s attic. They could be in yours or your neighbors. The first step is to check for signs of scat or poop around on your roof. Next, check for entry points. You may notice that the soffit is pushed up somewhere near the roof line, and they are entering your attic. In horrible situations, they have torn a hole in your roof near a wall or somewhere easy to gain entry. Once you have established that they are actually in your attic, you want to find out how to get rid of raccoons in your attic as quickly as possible.

This post will give you the basics, but most people will want to hire an expert to eliminate the raccoons. Forget trapping them or killing them. Once a den is in your attic, other families will come and take up residence unless you employ the right long-term solution.

How Can I Get Rid of Raccoons in My Attic?

The best solution to get rid of raccoons in my attic is to install a one-way trap door over the entrance to your attic used by the raccoons. They will be able to leave your attic easily but not re-enter. Raccoons are nocturnal and will usually leave sometime over the next few days, unable to get back inside. They generally have up to five dens in the area so that they will go to another somewhere in the neighborhood. You may want to let your neighbors know about the problem.

If you reacted quickly and they have been in your attic only for a few days, you should be ok. The installer can replace the trap door with a permeant heavy gauge wire mesh so they cannot return to your attic. While he is on your roof, have him cover all other possible entry points with wire mesh.

Young Baby Raccoons

If you did not notice them in your attic, you may have several other problems. They could have young pups in your attic. If so, you have to wait until they are old enough to travel on their own before installing the one-way trap door. Or you need to go into the attic and physically remove them. Leaving them in the attic to die is not an option. The decomposing bodies will smell and the parents may literally tear your roof apart to rescue them.

If you do go inside the attic, make sure that you wear protective breathing apparatus. Avoid breathing dust and microscopic worms that can be floating in the air. These worms can live for a long time in your attic. They cause irreparable damage to humans if ingested into the longs. They are carried by raccoons and excreted in their poop which you may also find in your attic.

Use an expert to help get rid of the raccoons in your attic and do it in a safe manner with a permanent solution like a one-way trap door. For more information on getting rid of raccoons or medical information, click here.

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Raccoon Defecating on My Roof

January 21st, 2018 ernie Posted in Raccoon Scat | No Comments »

If you see a raccoon defecating on your roof, then it probably means they are living in your attic. A raccoon defecating on your deck also could mean they are in your home or living under the deck as well. They are in the general area and you need to take steps to protect your home before they do too much damage. Whatever you do do not wait. Deal with the problem immediately to avoid more damage and also to avoid baby raccoons from being raised inside your attic.

Many consumer’s first inclinations, when faced with this kind of problem, is that they must be killed. Not only does this offend many animal rights groups, but it is also actually the wrong strategy. Killing a family of raccoons will just open the door for another family to take their place. They can tell when a raccoon den is vacant and they will just move in. You get to deal with the problem all over again.

The solution to a Raccoon defecating on My Roof

The best approach by far is to block all possible entrances with heavy gauge wire mesh to stop them from getting into your home. If you block one area, they will just find another so examine your entire home for possible entry points and place the wire mesh over them. Use strong screws screw nailed into the wood and seal around the entry point with caulking.

If it is possible that the raccoons are actually inside your attic, for example, you need to make sure they can get out. Most experts will agree that the best way is to install a one-way baffle door so they can get out but not back into the attic. After a few weeks when your sure they are out you can replace the baffle with a more permanent covering.

If they have babies inside your attic, you have one of two choices available. Install the baffle as mentioned above and then once the parents are out, go in the attic and remove the babies. If you do not do this the parents may literally tear your roof apart to rescue them. Be sure to wear a mask when in the attic to avoid breathing the dust and dry feces which could be floating in the air.

The other approach is to wait until the babies can travel, install the baffle, and make sure they are all able to get out of the den in your attic. It means more damage, but these are really the only two choices you have.

For more posts about removing raccoons, click here.

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What is that scratching noise under floorboards

December 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Raccoon Baffle | No Comments »

tsccoons under floorboardsIf you hear a scratching noise under floorboards in your home, it could be any number of animals. Skunks, mice, squirrels, rats or raccoons are just some of the animals that might be living under your home in the crawl space as shown in this picture. In this case a raccoon has entered the crawl space and is in the process of setting up residence. The scratching is probably the raccoon looking for a warmer spot to spend the days especially if it is in the winter time. They may also be getting ready to have their pups as well. Get rid of these raccoons as quickly as you can before they have young pups. They are very protective and will do a lot of damage if the entrance is blocked and they cannot get to their young.

Scratching noise under Floorboards

Contrary to popular opinion homeowners should not shoot them or poison them. These solutions work for the current tenants, however other families of raccoons will be able to smell that this area was once a den for raccoons and that it is now vacant. It is only a matter of time before others invade your home.

The best long term solution to dealing with raccoons is to install heavy gauge wire mesh over all possible entrances. This will prevent them and other small animals from entering the crawl space or any other area of your home.

If the raccoons are still in your home, you will need to install a one-way trap door where they have been entering the home. The one-way trap door will allow them to leave, but will not let them back in. They will just have to find a new home and not in your house.

As we mentioned earlier if they have babies in your homes crawl space, and the adults are out, you may have to go in and get the babies out yourself. Otherwise, you will just have to wait until they can travel on their own. Then use the one-way trap door to remove them.

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Raccoon Damage to Homes

December 7th, 2017 ernie Posted in Damage Raccoons | No Comments »

homeowners insurance raccoon damageRaccoon damage to homes can get very expensive if you do not fix the problem immediately when they are in your home in the attic or one of the buildings attached to your home. They can make a hole in the roof or in the siding to get in. This allows rain and wind to do more damage. Some homeowners will have major water damage to ceilings and walls if there is a lot of rain or snow that gets into the attic.

In addition to the environmental damage, the raccoons may leave their scat or poop along with urine-soaked insulation in the attic. This only happens if you ignore the problem and let them live in your attic for some time. Perhaps you think that your homeowner’s insurance will cover all of the damages, remove the raccoons, and repair the damage they caused.

Raccoon Damage to Homes – Insurance Coverage

It comes as a surprise to most homeowners that their insurance company does not cover damage from animals. This is often one of the exclusions in the fine print that many homeowners never read until they are told their insurance does not cover this area. Of course, whoever expects to have thousands of dollars of damage from raccoons.

Act immediately as soon as you suspect that there are raccoons in the attic. Install a one-way trap door at the entry point so they can get out but not back in. Once you are sure they are out, replace the trap door with a permanent covering of heavy gauge wire mesh. The mesh will prevent them from getting back in.

If they have been in your attic for a few weeks, there is a chance that they will have had baby raccoons in your attic. You will have to either go into the attic and remove them yourself or wait until they are old enough to travel on their own before installing the one-way trap door. Failing to do this may cause the parents to tear another hole in your roof or siding to rescue their babies.

And yes, the homeowner’s insurance you pay for each month will not cover this expense either. For more information on damage by raccoons to your home, how they get in, etc., click here.

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Do Raccoons Swim in Water

November 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Deterrants | No Comments »

The answer to the question, do raccoons swim in water, is definitely yes. Do they swim in backyard pools? Do they defecate on the steps or wash their food in your pool. The answer is yes to both questions. We have seen them swimming on our pool. We have seen the results of them washing grubs on the steps of our pool and we have seen poop left on the steps of our pool. It is all pretty gross and turns you off in terms of ever swimming in the pool again. That’s whey you need to discourage them and also apply lots of chlorine.

In fact my family and friends were sitting in the backyard one sunny afternoon having a few drinks when a raccoon came from behind our hedge. He stopped and looked at us and I guess decided that we were no danger to him. He slowly walked over to the steps and took a drink of water before heading back into the hedge.

We were all so shocked that we did not do anything at the time. Probably a good thing since they can be quite vicious if attacked.  Now the question for us was, what could we do about this problem and how to stop them from using our pool to wash their food.

Do Raccoons Swim in Water – Prevention

If there are raccoons living in your area there are two main reasons. There is a food source and there is shelter. In our case we had both. There were lots of grubs in our lawn which on their own almost destroyed the lawn. The raccoons liked to dig up the grubs, wash them in the pool and then eat them. They dug up our lawn in the process.

We sprayed our lawn and killed all of the grubs so they stopped coming to our yard for a feast. They were still in the area, living in someones attic. Once our neighbors dealt with the problem by using one way trap doors to keep them from entering their attic, they left for other home in the area.

For more information on raccoon deterrents, click here.

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Raccoon Proofing House

September 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Deterrants | No Comments »

raccoon proofing houseIf you have raccoons in your attic already or, as in this case, in the crawl space under your home, it is too late for raccoon-proofing house activity. You will need to install a one-way trap door, as this consumer has done, to get them out and keep them out. Once the raccoons come out of the space, this one-way trap door will keep them from going back in. Make sure that there are no babies left inside, otherwise the mother raccoon will do everything she can to rescue them. She can do a lot of damage in a situation like this.

Raccoon-proof your house now before they get locked out and begin looking for a new den in your home; if there are raccoons in your neighborhood or in someone else’s home, 

Raccoon Proofing House Steps to Take

Use heavy gauge chicken wire like that shown in the picture. Cover all potential entrance points to block entry to your home. Make sure to use self-sealing screws or dab with caulking to avoid water leaks when screw nailing into your roof. Here are some of the areas that you need to check and install chicken wire to prevent raccoons from getting inside your attic or under your home:

  • Walk around your home and identify any entrance point at ground level
  • Cover all points of entry with chicken wire
  • Block all roof vents with chicken wire
  • Cover chimney vents with chicken wire
  • Wherever one roof overhangs another, install chicken wire over the soffits
  • If in doubt, install chicken wire; raccoons are very smart and have a lot of experience breaking into people’s homes.

It is better to take these precautions now vs. waiting until they have broken into your home. If the neighbors have them, your going to get them in your home too. For more information on raccoon proofing house deterrents, click here.

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How do You Get Rid of Raccoons

August 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in How To | 2 Comments »

get rid of raccoonsA family of raccoons living in your attic or around your home can be a real problem. They can destroy a home by tearing the siding away to get inside. This damage can let in snow, rain, and even other animals. They will leave their urine and scat on your insulation. It is not only a stinking mess, but it also lowers the insulation value and is a health hazard. If you think there are raccoons living in your attic, act quickly. Focus on getting rid of raccoons before they do a great deal of damage that could cost you thousands of dollars.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons

Many experts, neighbors, and friends will tell you that you need to trap them. Then, take them away to a forest somewhere. This is the wrong thing to do on several levels. There could be babies inside your attic. They will die inside your attic and make the situation worse. Some communities have bylaws in place that prevent trapped animals from being removed from their immediate surroundings. If the babies are still inside and the parents are released nearby, they will literally tear your roof apart, trying to rescue them. Finally, if the den in your attic is vacant, another family of raccoons will just move in.

The right way to deal with this problem is to build a one-way trap door so that the raccoons can get out but not back in. If there are babies still inside, you either have to get them out and release them to the parents or wait until they are old enough to travel on their own. Once they leave through the trap door, you can place a heavy gauge wire mesh over the opening and all other potential entrances to keep them out.

Now they are out, and they never will be able to get back in. No other roving families of raccoons can get in either. They will try but will be foiled by the wire mesh. While you are doing all of this, remove all potential food sources from around your home so that there is nothing to attract them to your area.

 

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Raccoons in Suburbia

July 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Raccoon Baffle | No Comments »

raccoons in suburbiaBelieve it or not, Raccoons are everywhere in nature. They are in the wild and there are lots of raccoons in suburbia. In a few situations, you can even find them in downtown core areas where there is lots of food available for them.

We recently viewed a video showing a group of concerned citizens who were out on nightly patrol. They would visit all the local dumpsters in the area and bang on the sides of the dumpsters. It was amazing how many raccoons and sometimes rats as well would jump out of the dumpster.

They of course had dogs with them who trained to attack the raccoons and the rats. They would sometimes kill as many as 100 animals in a night. Now some people might think this is a terrible thing to do. Consider the disease possibilities. Also the damage they do to people’s homes and property before you take sides. These animals cannot continue growing in numbers.

Raccoons in Suburbia

There are as many raccoons in suburbia. They have more places to hide and live. Whether it is under a deck or in someone’s attic, they can be safe during the day and head out in search of food at night.

They do spread disease. Be careful around them especially if they have left poop in your attic or around the outside of your home. They can do a great deal of damage to your attic and roof. Tearing a hole in the side of your home or in your roof is bad enough. Leaving feces and urine all over your attic is gross.

Make arrangements to have them removed using a one-way trap door. This is the best way to get them out and keep them out forever. Block all other potential entrances to avoid the raccoons getting back in. Hire an expert if you are uncomfortable getting up on the roof. You can purchase humane animal traps on Amazon and have them shipped to you for a small fee or even for free. Click on this link – raccoon traps

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Preventing Raccoons from Climbing Brick Walls

June 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Raccoon Deterrent | No Comments »

Preventing Raccoons from Climbing Brick WallsIf raccoons are on your roof or worse in your attic, you need to do several things. This is in addition to preventing raccoons from climbing brick walls. First, block the entrance to your attic with heavy gauge chicken wire. If they are inside you also need to add a one-way trap door to let them out and not back in. You do not want them to die inside your attic or tearing it apart trying to get out.

Preventing Raccoons from Climbing Brick Walls

Next, you want to focus on preventing them from climbing the brick walls and getting on your roof. If there are overhanging tree branches, trim your trees. They can easily climb brick walls too. Install wire guards that will act as a barrier if they are climbing the wall. This could also stop squirrels as long as the trees are not too close.

Remove all potential food sources around your property. This includes garbage bins, pet food, and even grubs in the lawn. Anything they can eat should be removed. You want to make your place unfriendly to raccoons! If you have skunks in the area, removing the food sources will also help deal with them.

Never handle raccoon poop by hand. Use plastic gloves, avoid breathing dust in the attic where there is poop from any animal including raccoons. Humans can easily become infected by microscopic worms that attack the eyes and the brain.

If there are young raccoons in the attic that are not old enough to travel on their own, you have two alternatives. Wait until they are old enough to travel on their own and get out the one-way trap door. Or you can install the one-way trap door and them go into the attic and remove the babies. Make sure the parents are not in the attic. They will attack to defend their young.

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How to discourage raccoon latrines

May 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Raccoon Deterrent | No Comments »

Raccoon latrines can be found in many different locations around your home, in your attic, on your roof, in your garden, etc. They are a place where raccoons leave their poop along with other animals. It is disgusting especially if you find them in your attic let alone in your garden. There is also a safety hazard associated with raccoon latrines. The scat can be infected with roundworms. They are very hardy. Roundworm eggs can exist in many different environments for months and years. Infection in humans from wound worms can cause blindness and even death. Wear a mask, use gloves, and never handle raccoon scat with your bare hands. Keep children and pets away from the area. Hire specialists to remove it from your attic or roof.

Discourage Raccoon Latrines – Attic

Install heavy gauge wire mesh across all entrances to your attic to keep them out. If you suspect the raccoons are inside your attic, install a one-way trap door across the opening so they can get out but not back in. Arrange to have your attic insulation removed and new insulation installed.

Discourage Raccoon Latrines – Roof

If there is raccoon scat on your roof, chances are that they are also inside your attic. Once you apply the solution mentioned above they will look for another home and stop using the latrine on your roof. Carefully remove the scat as mentioned above to avoid infection.

Discourage Raccoon Latrines – Yards

You may find the raccoon latrine at the base of a tree, alongside your foundation, and in other locations around your yard. Start by removing all potential food sources from your yard. This includes your garbage, fruits from fruit trees, grubs in your lawn, etc. Consumers have used a number of approaches with varying success.

  • Auto motion-sensitive water sprayers
  • Wire mesh over the area
  • Food sources laced with jalapeno
  • Mothballs
  • Bright lights that turn on based on motion

 

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Health Risks from Raccoon Excrement

April 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Health Risks | No Comments »

Health Risks from Raccoon ExcrementAside from the yuk factor, raccoon excrement has some severe health risks. Excrement from raccoons carries the eggs from the roundworm. These eggs can survive for years in all kinds of situations, including hot, dry attics. When the feces are disturbed after drying out, particles float into the air. This includes these eggs, which are easily ingested by breathing if you are in the attic without proper protection. Once ingested, they can incubate within your body and travel to various parts of your system.

Health Risks from Raccoon Excrement – Eyes and Brain

These roundworms have been known to prefer the eyes and brain mucus. There is no cure, and they can cause blindness, mental issues, and even death. If you or anyone you know is entering the attic, always take special precautions to protect yourself.

Wear protective clothing and air breathers, and properly dispose of the clothing, etc, once you are finished. You may decide to remove the insulation and raccoon excrement. Utilize a company that specializes in environmental removal and disposal techniques. You do not want this stuff getting into the living areas of your home.

Although it will cost a lot of money, replacing the insulation with new material will give you peace of mind and better insulation in your home. Once this is completed, you must also ensure that the raccoons and other animals cannot enter your attic. Cover all possible openings and entrances to your attic with heavy gauge wire mesh to stop them in the future. If they are still in your attic, have a one-way trap door installed so they can get out but not back in. Make sure that any babies are old enough to travel on their own. Otherwise, you will have a very excited and angry parent trying to rescue their babies, which could cause even more damage than they have already accomplished.

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Best Way to Poison Raccoons

March 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Poison For Raccoons | No Comments »

one way trap doors for raccoonsThe bottom line, you should not poison raccoons! The best way to poison raccoons is to install a one-way trap door like the one shown in this picture. They will be able to get out but not back in. Sure, you might poison the current family of raccoons. But what about the next family and the next one after that. Raccoons know when a den is vacant. They will come visiting unless you install a permanent solution. Once they are out, you can remove the trap door and cover the area with heavy gauge wire mesh!

Best Way to Poison Raccoons – Animal Rights

Frankly, we are not motivated by animal rights, although our solution helps to meet their goals. We are recommending a long term solution that works and keeps them out of your home or other buildings.

Even if you trap them, you still need to get rid of them. Take them several miles away and drop the off! Sure, they are another family of raccoons who will just come back.

By far, the best solution is to cover the entrance with wire mesh after you have them out of the building. While you’re at it cover all other potential entrances with wire mesh as well, make sure the babies are out, otherwise you’re going to have a very upset mother raccoon who will tear your roof apart to rescue them.

 

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Can Raccoons Climb Downspouts

February 21st, 2017 ernie Posted in Removing Raccoons | No Comments »

can raccoons climb downspoutsIf it is a stand alone aluminum pipe, probably not. However if there is brick close by raccoons can definitely climb the brick and use the pipe as a bridge to gain access to your attic. The picture in this post amply demonstrates how raccoons climb downspouts. You can see the paw prints on the pipe and the access to the attic. When we were researching this post we watched many videos showing raccoons climbing brick walls, pipes, fences and much more. They are smart and can problem solve which helps them find their way into many places.

Can Raccoons Climb Downspouts

Once they are in the attic, even if you block the entrance or the climbing area, they will find another way. If they have babies in the attic, they will literally tear your roof apart to rescue them.

Homeowners either have to wait until they can travel on their own or somehow get them out without being attacked by the mother. They will do a lot of damage if you do not get them out quickly. Install a one way trap door so they can leave the den but not get back in. There are many companies that will install the trap door and also install heavy gauge chicken wire on all other possible entry points. This is by far the best method to get rid of raccoons in your attic.

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