Getting Rid of Raccoons In and Around Your Property

Raccoons are forest creatures that prefer living near wooded areas with lots of trees. When new construction begins (i.e. new homes, commercial complexes, etc.), raccoons are often pushed out of their natural habitat and forced to find alternative food and shelter sources. This is when raccoons are spotted on our porches, roofs, lawns, gardens, and more. Homeowners are always asking how to get rid of nuisance raccoons on their property. Read on to learn more ways to avoid raccoon invasion in your home or on your property.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons

Do not ever feed raccoons. A common mistake that many people make is leaving food sources out and available for raccoons to eat, either unintentionally or on purpose. Families who intentionally feed raccoons may think they are helping, or having fun with a nightly source of entertainment (i.e. watching the raccoons come and eat the food through their patio doors); however, these people are teaching raccoons that residential properties are bountiful sources of easy-to-get food. This creates an on-going problem for other property owners that do not want raccoons entering their yards, or their homes.

There are also people who unintentionally leave food sources outside that will always attract raccoons. For example, many families own outdoor pets, and leave food bowls outside for them. This is a common mistake property owners make. Raccoons are omnivores, and eat about everything. Dog and cat food are tasty treats for them, not to mention an easy meal too. It is advised to bring the pet bowls inside before night fall to avoid attracting more raccoons to your house. Raccoons are clever and will remember which areas are food sources and which are not. If they fail to find food on your property, they will remember and not come back.

Secure your home from the outside. Raccoons want to find shelter from the cold fall and winter seasons, and also find cooler shelter in the hotter seasons. When raccoon colonies are pushed out of their natural environments, they are desperate to find alternative shelter in the area. In most cases, raccoons desire our homes for that kind of shelter because they are nearby and accessible. If there are vulnerable spots on the outside of your home, raccoons will find these spots and enter the premises quickly. They are clever and have dexterous paws that allow them to grip and clasp very well. This allows them to open doors, push and pull at siding and shingles, and more. Have your home inspected annually to be sure there aren’t any holes in your roof, attic, crawl space, porch, and garage. Also, lock any open pet doors because raccoons will use them to enter your home just as your pet does.

For more information about how to get rid of raccoons in residential areas, call Louisville Raccoon Removal right away! We are expert raccoon control technicians with over 20 years of experience in the industry. We are professionals in our field and are happy to offer advice, answer questions, give free estimates, and more! Call us at 502-553-7622 to learn more about getting rid of raccoons in Louisville, KY today!

Raccoon Information and Facts

Raccoons are an intelligent species of mammal that generally live near wooded areas and forests in North America.  They are also commonly seen in residential and commercial areas of our cities due to housing developments and new construction.  Raccoons, in these areas, have acquired a bad reputation for trouble-making because they thieve our garbage and hide-out in our attics and roofs.  Read on to learn more about raccoons, and perhaps, take in a better understanding of these misrepresented animals of nature.

General Description

A raccoon is a medium-sized animal.  They can weigh anywhere from ten to twenty pounds.  Raccoons are covered in a dense fur with multiple layers.  This fur keeps them warm in the colder seasons and cool in the warmer ones.  The fur coat is grayish brown and black; but they are most identifiable by their black and gray striped tail. Another known trait all raccoons have is the black mask-like stripe across their eyes.   This is one reason they got the nickname little-bandits.  They have very dexterous paws that look almost human-like, with long claws for grasping and climbing.  They have a slight snout and whiskers as well.

Lifestyle

As far as reproduction goes, female raccoons give birth to litters called kits.  A mother raccoon can birth as many as 5 kits per litter.  Their gestation period is much shorter than humans, only lasting around 65 days.  Once the kits are about 16 weeks, they are completely weaned from their mother and can experience life on their own.  They eat almost everything because raccoons are omnivores.  This means they eat fruits, vegetables, frogs, fish, insects, and more.  The diet must be good to them because raccoons can live up to twenty years!  Although they can live a longtime, raccoons are commonly hit by cars and even preyed upon in the wild.

Associated Dangers

The stereotype is that raccoons have rabies and will attack humans and pass it on.  The truth is, ANY mammal can have rabies and pass it on to humans.  Raccoons are no more susceptible to rabies and diseases as your pet dog and all other animals.  Also, raccoons are more scared of us than we are of them, making it less likely for them to attack.  The best advice is to stay away from all wild animals no matter what.

For more information on raccoons in Louisville, KY, contact a professional.  We have been removing raccoons from residential and commercial properties for over ten years.  We offer a wide variety of related services as well.  We are available 24 hours to discuss raccoons, raccoon control, and more.  Call us at 502-553-7622 or visit our Louisville KY Raccoon Control website anytime!

Raccoon Damage Solutions

Raccoons can cause an alarming amount of damage inside and around residential and commercial properties.  Their nesting, breeding, and feeding all cause structural damages to attics, crawl spaces, porches, garages, roofs, and more.  The accumulation of their urine and droppings saturate and destroy insulation, sheet-rock, dry wall, and any stored items in the area.  This can also cause noticeably unpleasant odors. 

Also, raccoons are known to chew through electrical wiring, cables, and other items they intend to use for nesting and burrowing.  Raccoons can be quite a nuisance and their damages can devalue your property.  It is no question that raccoons are not intended to live among us in our homes, barns, garages, sheds, or anywhere else that we value. The question is:  Who takes care of the mess, debris, and damage once they are removed from the property?

A Licensed Raccoon Removal Company

There will certainly be structural damages to any space raccoons nest in; and the degree of damage depends on the length of time spent nesting.  As far as the structural damage goes, you can easily call any self-employed contractor, or even a general home repair and restoration company to restore your damaged property; however, the key to getting the best deal all-around is hiring an industry specific company.  A full-service licensed raccoon removal company can provide all these services, and more, at a more affordable cost than general contractors or home repair companies.

Their knowledge is raccoon specific, they have years of experience specifically repairing damages caused by raccoons, and a true  professional raccoon removal company can work side-by-side with your home owners’ insurance company to get everything covered before starting the project.  A professional raccoon control company can go in and clean up the raccoon mess, then sanitize the area and prepare it for restorations.  They can then repair and replace all the soiled sheet-rock and drywall, torn insulation, chewed electrical wiring and foul odors.  A licensed raccoon removal company is the solution to raccoon damage.

For more information on raccoon damage and restorations, call our professional Kentucky raccoon control specialists at 502-553-7622.  We are fully licensed and insured with over 15 years of experience repairing damages caused by raccoons.  To learn more about raccoon control, visit our Louisville Raccoon Removal website anytime.