Raccoons can be a real pain! These clever critters can wreak havoc by overturning your trash cans and digging up your garden. Also, the masked menaces can cause considerable damage by breaking into your attic, climbing down your chimney, or even squeezing between the walls of your home to create a den and raise a family. To deal with this problem it is highly advisable to hire a professional wildlife control service in Hamilton.
So how can you raccoon-proof your home?
Why do raccoons visit your home?
Raccoons are opportunistic scavengers that are primarily interested in finding food or shelter. So, any food smells will act as a magnet for these creatures. Also, in the springtime, female raccoons seek a safe, sheltered place to establish a den and build a nest.
How to deter raccoons
The best way to raccoon-proof your home is to remove the sources of attraction.
- Keep trash cans inside your garage or lock them in a purpose-built store. Secure your garbage bin lids with a bungee cord or use raccoon-proof trash cans that are specially designed to resist unwanted raiders.
- Get into the habit of putting your garbage out on the morning of pick-up day rather than the night before so that raccoons don’t overturn your bins during the night.
- Double-bag your trash so that the smell of food leftovers doesn’t attract raccoons.
- Wash out trash cans thoroughly and use disinfectant to remove spills and get rid of any lingering food smells.
- Remove other potential food sources at night, including bird feeders, animal food bowls, etc.
- If you have a cat flap or doggy door fitted into your kitchen door, make sure that you lock it at night, especially if you want to leave food down for your pet inside your home. Raccoons will use a pet door to get inside your house, especially if there’s a tempting smell to entice them.
Physical barriers
As well as deterrents, you should take steps to prevent raccoons from getting into your home. Start by fencing your property with sturdy, robust fencing that will not be vulnerable to attack by the raccoons’ sharp teeth and claws.
Next, check for likely entrance points, such as loose soffits and roof tiles, uncapped chimneys, and holes in decking, sheds, etc. If you find any potential den entrance sites, be sure to have them properly secured.
If you have trees whose branches overhang your home, cut them back so that raccoons can’t use the branches as a bridge to your roof, leaving your chimney and attic at risk of invasion.
Light ‘em up!
Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, only venturing out to search for food once the sun has set. The animals will avoid brightly lit areas where they feel exposed to potential predators, so installing motion-activated security lights around areas that could be attractive to raccoons is often effective.
Final thoughts
If you notice a lot of raccoon activity in your area, take steps to raccoon-proof your house and garden against the masked marauders.
For more advice about how to keep raccoons and other wildlife away from your property, or to deal with an existing nuisance raccoon, contact your local specialist wildlife removal service.