12 Expert Tips for Effective Raccoon Control Services

Raccoons can be a real headache for homeowners. These clever animals often cause trouble in our yards and homes, creating mess and potential health risks. But don’t worry! A3 Superior Pest Control offers top-notch raccoon control services to help you deal with these masked critters effectively and kindly. Let’s learn about raccoons, how they act, and the best ways to keep them away from your home.

1. Know Your Enemy: Raccoon Basics

Raccoons are smart, adaptable animals with some unique features that make them tricky to control:

They’re about 2 to 3 feet long, with males usually bigger than females. They usually weigh between 12 to 36 pounds, but some can grow even larger. Raccoons have a black “mask” around their eyes, which helps them see better at night. Their tails have 5-7 black rings, which help them balance and communicate. They have very skilled front paws, allowing them to open complex locks and handle objects easily.

Understanding raccoons helps us control them better. They’re mostly active at night and during twilight. These smart eaters can eat almost anything and love to explore our neighborhoods for food and cozy spots to live, making cities and suburbs very attractive to them.

2. Spot the Signs: How to Tell If You Have Raccoons

Raccoons leave clues when they’ve moved into your area. Knowing these signs early can help you fix the problem before it gets big. Here’s what to look for:

Tipped-over trash cans with garbage spread around, raccoon footprints in mud or snow, scratches on trees or fences, raccoon poop in your yard or on your roof, strange noises in your attic or chimney at night, damage to your garden, and pet food disappearing if left outside overnight.

If you see these signs, it’s time to call for help. Acting fast can stop bigger problems later, like lots of damage to your home or a raccoon family moving in.

3. Health Risks: Why Raccoons Are More Than Just Annoying

Raccoons aren’t just annoying – they can make people and pets sick. These animals can carry and spread various diseases, including:

Rabies: A virus that affects the brain and can be deadly if not treated. Raccoon roundworm: A parasite that can cause serious brain damage in humans. Leptospirosis: A bacteria that can hurt your liver and kidneys. Canine distemper: A virus that can kill dogs that haven’t had their shots. Salmonella: Bacteria that can cause food poisoning in humans.

You can get these diseases by touching raccoons, their poop, or areas they’ve been. That’s why it’s so important to get professional help to deal with raccoons safely. Trained experts know how to handle raccoon problems without putting your family at risk.

4. Home Sweet Home: Where Raccoons Like to Live

Raccoons are always looking for cozy, safe spots to call home. Knowing where they like to live can help you find problem areas on your property. They often choose:

Attics: Warm, dry, and usually quiet, attics make great raccoon homes. Chimneys: The tall space and protection from weather make chimneys attractive to raccoons. Under decks or porches: These areas give shelter and easy access to food. In hollow trees: Natural holes in trees offer great protection and are loved by mother raccoons for raising their babies. Crawl spaces: These offer protection and are often forgotten by homeowners. Abandoned cars or big appliances: In rural areas, these can become makeshift raccoon homes.

Protecting these areas can help keep raccoons out of your home. A3 Superior Pest Control can help you raccoon-proof these spots, using special techniques and materials to seal entry points and make your property less appealing to these clever creatures.

5. Raccoon Buffet: What Attracts Them to Your Yard

Raccoons eat many different things, which helps them adapt to various food sources. Understanding what attracts them can help you make your property less inviting. They love:

Fruits and berries, nuts and seeds (including those in bird feeders), insects and worms, pet food left outside, garbage, fish and other water creatures, small animals, and compost piles.

Removing these food sources is key to keeping raccoons away. Make sure to secure your trash in animal-proof containers, don’t leave pet food outside overnight, and think about using closed compost bins. A3 Superior Pest Control can give expert advice on making your property less attractive to raccoons while keeping it nice for good wildlife.

6. Baby Boom: Understanding Raccoon Families

Knowing when raccoons have babies can help with control efforts and ensure kind treatment of these animals. Here’s what you need to know about raccoon families:

They usually mate in late winter, typically January to March. Baby raccoons, called kits, are born in spring, usually April to May. A mother raccoon usually has 3 to 5 babies, but can have 2 to 8. Kits are born blind and helpless, staying in the den for about 8 weeks. Young raccoons typically stay with their mother for about a year. Raccoons usually have one litter per year, but can have two in areas with long warm seasons.

It’s important to be extra careful with raccoon control during baby season. We don’t want to separate mothers from their babies, as this can lead to orphaned kits and upset mother raccoons trying to reach their young. A3 Superior Pest Control uses kind methods that consider the raccoon’s family life, making sure that families are moved together when needed.

7. Damage Control: How Raccoons Can Hurt Your Property

Raccoons can cause big and expensive damage to your home and yard. Their smarts and skilled paws make them particularly destructive pests. Here’s how raccoons can harm your property:

Tearing up roofs and siding, destroying gardens, messing up insulation in attics, chewing on wires (which can start fires), damaging heating and cooling systems, making areas dirty with pee and poop, tipping and damaging trash cans, and digging up lawns.

Quick action can prevent costly repairs. A3 Superior Pest Control can help protect your property from raccoon damage by using effective control methods and giving expert advice on raccoon-proofing your home and yard.

8. Legal Matters: The Right Way to Handle Raccoons

Dealing with raccoons isn’t just about getting rid of them. There are important legal and ethical things to keep in mind. Wildlife laws are different in different places, but generally, it’s important to:

Use kind methods: Cruel traps or poisons are often illegal and always wrong. Follow local wildlife laws: Some areas have specific rules about trapping and moving raccoons. Get proper permits if needed: In some places, you may need a permit to remove raccoons. Respect protected species: In some areas, raccoons may have special protections during breeding seasons. Follow rules about where to release raccoons: There may be limits on where raccoons can be let go. Think about animal welfare: Separating mothers from babies or releasing animals in bad habitats is harmful.

A3 Superior Pest Control knows all the rules and will handle raccoons the right way. Our team stays up-to-date on local wildlife laws and uses only legal, kind methods to control raccoon populations. We care about the well-being of both humans and animals in all our pest control work.

9. DIY Don’ts: Why Professional Help is Best

While it might be tempting to try to get rid of raccoons yourself, it’s not a good idea. Trying to remove raccoons on your own can be dangerous, not work well, and maybe even be against the law. Here’s why professional help is always the best choice:

Raccoons can be dangerous if cornered: They might get aggressive, especially if protecting young. DIY methods often don’t work long-term: Raccoons are smart and can quickly learn to overcome simple tricks. You might accidentally break wildlife laws: Improper handling or moving can result in fines. Risk of getting sick: Without proper safety gear, you could get raccoon diseases. Potential for property damage: Inexperienced handling can lead to raccoons causing more damage as they try to escape. Orphaned babies: Improper removal of adult raccoons can leave helpless kits behind. Ineffective exclusion: Professionals know all the tricks to properly seal entry points.

Professional raccoon control is safer and more effective. A3 Superior Pest Control has the right tools, knowledge, and experience to handle raccoons properly. We use kind methods, follow all relevant laws, and can provide long-term solutions to keep raccoons away.

10. Exclusion Tactics: Keeping Raccoons Out

The best way to deal with raccoons is to keep them out in the first place. Effective exclusion methods create a barrier between raccoons and your property. Some good exclusion tactics include:

Sealing entry points to your home: Use strong materials like metal flashing or heavy wire mesh. Installing chimney caps: Prevent raccoons from entering through the chimney. Using strong, locking trash cans: Get raccoon-proof containers with secure lids. Fencing off gardens: Use sturdy fencing with an outward-facing overhang to stop climbing. Removing tree limbs near the house: Trim branches that provide easy access to your roof. Installing motion-activated lights: Raccoons prefer dark areas and may be scared by sudden light. Using repellents: Some scent-based repellents can discourage raccoons from entering your property. Securing pet doors: Keep them closed at night or use models that only open for your pets.

A3 Superior Pest Control can help you raccoon-proof your property. We know all the tricks to keep these clever critters out and can provide a complete exclusion plan tailored to your specific property and situation.

11. Safe Removal: Kind Ways to Get Rid of Raccoons

When raccoons do get in, it’s important to remove them safely and kindly. Kind removal protects both the animals and the people involved. Some kind removal methods include:

Live trapping and relocation: Using cage traps to safely capture and move raccoons. One-way doors: Special devices that let raccoons out but not back in. Bright lights and loud noises: Making the area less appealing can encourage raccoons to leave on their own. Repellents: Using safe substances that raccoons find unpleasant. Habitat modification: Changing the environment to make it less attractive to raccoons. Exclusion after eviction: Sealing entry points once raccoons have left. Humane harassment: Using things like lights, sounds, or sprinklers to encourage raccoons to move on.

A3 Superior Pest Control uses kind methods to remove raccoons from your property. We care about the well-being of the animals while making sure they’re removed effectively. Our team is trained in the latest kind wildlife control techniques and always follows local rules about wildlife relocation.

12. Long-Term Solutions: Preventing Future Raccoon Problems

Once the raccoons are gone, you’ll want to keep them away. Long-term raccoon prevention involves ongoing effort and watchfulness. Here are some effective long-term solutions:

Regular property checks: Look for new entry points or signs of raccoon activity. Maintaining repairs: Quickly fix any damage to your home’s exterior. Educating neighbors: Work with your community to prevent raccoon problems. Keeping your yard clean: Remove fallen fruit, secure compost, and clean up pet food. Using wildlife-resistant plants: Choose plants that don’t attract raccoons. Installing fencing: A properly installed fence can stop raccoons from entering your property. Maintaining garbage areas: Keep trash storage areas clean and use raccoon-proof containers. Considering long-term repellents: Some repellents can work well when used consistently.

A3 Superior Pest Control offers ongoing support to keep raccoons away for good. We can provide regular inspections, maintenance services, and updated advice to ensure your property remains raccoon-free. Our complete approach addresses not just the immediate problem, but also prevents future raccoon issues.

Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Raccoon Problem

Dealing with raccoons can be tricky, but you don’t have to do it alone. A3 Superior Pest Control has the knowledge, tools, and experience to handle your raccoon problems safely and effectively. From prevention to removal to long-term control, we’ve got you covered. Our expert team understands raccoon behavior, local wildlife laws, and the most effective, kind control methods. We’ll work with you to develop a custom plan that addresses your specific raccoon issues while respecting the environment and animal welfare. Don’t let raccoons take over your property – call us today for expert raccoon control services and reclaim your space from these clever but troublesome creatures!