Most homeowners, at one time or another, will have to deal with raccoons prowling around their property. They are known to get into attics and chimneys, knock over garbage cans, steal pet food, destroy landscaping and burrow under decks. Raccoons have a reputation for their incredibly destructive habits and mischievous curiosity making them one of biggest residential wildlife nuisances.

 Diagnosing a Raccoon Problem

    In nature, raccoons prefer to dwell in hardwood forests adjacent to wetlands or some otherbody of water. Creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and swamps are all home to potentialy large populations of raccoons. In residential areas, den locations include hollow trees, abandoned ground burrows, abondoned buildings, attics, crawl spaces, and sewers. It is not uncommon for raccoons to get into homes. Commonly breached areas include the underside of an eave or soffit, roof vents, gable vents, attic fans, chewed soffit boards, soft roof boards (roof sheeting), utility lines, and just about any area that can be manipulated to allow them to squeeze in. Keep in mind raccoons have narrow hips and flexible rib cages that allow them to enter holes only 4.5 inches in diameter. They are active mainly in the warmer months; they do not hibernate, but will become dormant in the winter, remaining in their dens and surviving off of fat stored up in the fall.

    Though raccoons are scientifically classified as carnivores because of their teeth, in practice the raccoon diet is omnivorous and extremely diverse. Raccoons prefer fish, crustaceans and mollusks, but will also eat corn, grapes, berries, apples sweet grasses, nuts, seeds, road kill and insects. In areas populated by humans they will often steal dog or cat food, raid garbage cans, dumpsters, grain storage areas, bird feeders and even grab fish out of backyard ponds; they occasionally  contaminate swimming pools by defacating and urinating in them. Like skunks, raccoons are capable of destroying lawns and landscaping as they turn up the earth in search of grubs. They possess an incredible ability to adapt to various environments and will take up residence in all sorts of structures. A few indicators of the presence of raccoons are "walking" noises on the roof or in the attic, smudge marks and footprints on downspouts, pillars, trees, gutters or any other vertical structure that may serve as entry points, and, of course, tipped over and scattered trash cans. Their thin, nimble hands enable them to manipulate a great variety of items, including turning handles, opening cans, untying knots and unwrapping objects.

    If you suspect you have a problem with raccoons but are not sure, give the staff at Creature Control a call at 1-800-441-1519.

Creature Control's Raccoon Removal and Prevention

    Homeowners should not try to approach or trap raccoons without educating themselves on the potential risks. Raccoons may be carriers of Baylisascariasis procyonis, a roundworm nematode that lays its eggs in raccoon feces. It is very rare for humans to be infected by a raccoon host (only 13 cases have been reported since 1980), but it is extremely dangerous can cause death or brain damage if contracted. More common are rabies and leptospirosis, a bacterial disease contracted through contact with water, food, or soil containing urine from these infected animals. Even if a particular raccoon is not carrying any of these diseases, there is always the possibility of getting scratched or bitten. When it comes to raccoons, it is best to leave it to the professionals.

    Here at Creature Control we use a combination of humane removal and prevention to solve your raccoon troubles. We have all the tools and experiance to humanely remove raccoons and keep them out. The procedure for dealing with raccoons will vary depending on where the raccoons are getting into and whether or not they have established a "den" in your home. If the raccoon has gotten into an attic or crawl space through a certain entry point, a one-way trap can be set up at this entry point that will allow the raccoon to come out into the trap but not get back in to his den. After the raccoon is removed, we will provide a quote for repairing the entry point permanently.

    
    For situations with no one entry point - such as a raccon burrowing under deck or prowling around the garbage at night - our technicians will set traps for the raccoon and provide recommendations for services for changing environment to discourage raccoon activity in the future.  

Raccoon Fun Facts

• The word "raccoon" comes from the Native American Algonquian word arahkun, from arahkunem, meaning "he scratches with the hands." The word entered the English language in 1612 when Captain John Smith (the same one from the Pocahontas story)  recorded an encounter with the creature, which he referred to as a raugroughcum.  
   
• People are often unsure whether the correct spelling is "raccoon" or "racoon." Although "raccoon" is the more common spelling, both are acceptable. 
   
• The raccoon's scientific name, Procyon Iotor, means "washer dog" (though it is more closely related to the bear than the dog).
   
• The largest raccoon ever recorded weighed 62 pounds.
   
• Though there are many theories as to why raccoons apparently  "wash" their food, the real purpose behind this behavior remains a mystery.
  
   

CALL CREATURE CONTROL FOR HUMANE SOLUTIONS TO YOUR RACCOON PROBLEM!

  1-800-441-1519