How to keep raccoons away from your home?

Raccoons can do a lot of harm, so it is understandable if you don’t want them around. To gain access to your property, raccoons can rip off shingles, fascia boards, or rooftop ventilators in search of a nesting spot. If they make their way inside your home, they can rip up insulation and bring parasites with them.

If you have a potential pest problem, then don’t worry as this article provides you with all the information you need regarding raccoon control and prevention.

Why are raccoons coming to my home?

Raccoons, like humans and most other animals, have three essential survival needs: food, water, and shelter and, unfortunately, your property offers plenty of opportunities to fill these. 

What do racoons eat?

Raccoons in the wild eat by hunting and foraging for food. They prefer to live near water bodies where they can eat crayfish, frogs, fish, snails, and clams. They will, however, consume eggs, insects, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and even dead animals on occasion.

Raccoons are not picky eaters. The scraps of food left by humans are the number one cause of racoon nests emerging in your garden. Raccoons are opportunistic feeders, which means that if they come across a food source that is readily available, they will eat it and look for more. This could be anything from pet food, fallen fruits or vegetables in your garden. Even garbage cans are hot spots for raccoons!

Why do you need to keep raccoons out?

If you don’t address a raccoon infestation quickly, you will be faced with many problems such as:

• Raccoons can build dens in your attic or chimney. ?
• After raccoons eat, they leave a big mess. Raccoons eat food scraps from trash cans, pet food, birdseed, and garden crops – It has all got to go somewhere!?
• Excessive feces in areas of your house.?
• They can rip your insulation apart, matting it down and causing energy loss. They obliterate attic fans, roof vents, gable vents, and other ventilation systems.?
• They can bear a variety of parasites and diseases, including mites, lice, fleas, worms, viruses, rabies, and distemper, all of which can be transmitted to humans and pets.?

How to determine the size of your problem?

Raccoons are nocturnal animals which makes them difficult to spot so it’s important to pay attention to the clues they leave behind. Here are some things to keep an eye out for:

• Tipped garbage cans, damage to your garden or fish pond, a spilled or empty pet food tank, knocked over bird feeders, and a disturbed compost pile are all signs of feeding?
• Footprints or gnaw marks?
• Feces?
• Raccoons have a very foul-smelling urine that can often be smelled from inside the property, not to mention their strong-smelling feces.?

How do I get rid of raccoons?

Secure the trash can

Raccoons are attracted to garbage. Make sure your garbage is in a heavy trash can with a sturdy lid if you leave it outside. You may also use a bungee cord or a piece of wire to hold the lid in place by putting them in a rack or securing them to a stable post.

Dispose of pet food

Pet food should be brought in to ensure raccoons keep away from your pet's bowl. Make sure to bring it in before nightfall!

Dispose of fallen fruit

Raccoons can enter your yard if you have fruit trees or plants to scavenge the fallen fruits. Keeping a tidy garden will make it less appealing to raccoons.

Fence your garden

Raccoons can scour gardens, fish ponds, and compost piles for food. Installing an electric fence is the safest way to keep raccoons out of these areas. Raccoons can dig under, climb over, or chew their way through ordinary fences.

Scents that raccoons hate

Spice

Since it irritates their sense of smell, hot pepper is one of the most potent scents you can use to keep away raccoons. If you use scents like spices, predator urine, and oils on a regular basis, these animals will learn that your property is off-limits to them.

Onion and Pepper

You may want to try a mixture of equal parts onion and pepper boiled in water. This mixture may irritate their sense of smell whilst also emitting an unpleasant odor that can deter raccoons. Since the fragrance fades with time, you will need to use this mix at least twice a week if you want to keep raccoons away for good.

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint oil is a commonly used essential oil that has applications in a variety of industries and is effective at keeping raccoons at bay. Purchasing a peppermint-based wildlife repellent spray is a common suggestion. Whatever you use, you will have to keep reapplying the scent as it fades, which may be daily or weekly depending on the strength of the scent.

Garlic

For those of you who have a garden, planting garlic bulbs will keep them out. It lasts longer than the other approaches, and you don’t have to continuously reapply it.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another excellent spice to use because, in addition to creating a strong odor that raccoons despise. However, it will only irritate a raccoon's sense of smell momentarily. As a result, you should use it on a daily basis and directly on the paths that raccoons use to get to their food.

What do I do if I find a racoon in my home?

Trapping

Before you set up any raccoon traps, make sure you review your local laws on capturing these, or any other small animals. Raccoons may build dens and shelter in a variety of places, including chimneys, attics, walls, and tree hollows in your yard. Place your trap in places where raccoon activity is visible.

Raccoon Removal Services

VExtermination is a professional pest control company that offers different extermination services that are fast, safe and effective. Our team can assist you with raccoon control, wildlife management, and damage repair, both of which will help keep your home pest-free. 

We offer residential, commercial, and agricultural services to ensure your home, business, or farm is free from raccoons! If you have a pest problem, click here to see the different packages we provide or contact us to request a quote!