When it comes to animal control, you can’t be too careful. In populated areas, raccoons can be especially dangerous and certainly make quite a mess if you let them roam free in your area. get rid of raccoons it can be difficult, but there are a few things you can do to help mitigate the problem. If you think you have raccoon problems in your area, follow these steps.
» Contact an animal control expert – Remember that animal control goes beyond pest control, so it’s best to have a company that handles both issues. They will take into account all aspects of the problem. An animal control expert will also survey your area to let you know which specific areas on the rest of this list you need to be concerned about. You can also have an animal control expert remove the raccoon that is causing the problem. Just don’t forget to follow the additional steps on this list to avoid future raccoon problems.
» Clean your area – Go through your entire house and be sure to clean up any debris you see floating around, be it food, paper, or even berries that may have fallen from nearby bushes or trees. All of these things can attract raccoons, so be sure to keep your house clean on the outside.
» Check your trash cans – Make sure your outdoor trash cans are in good repair and have tight-fitting lids. After all, if raccoons can get inside trash cans, they’ll stay because they have a constant source of food. Raccoons love trash! If you need to buy a device to secure the lid to the can, buy that too to make sure raccoons aren’t attracted to your trash cans.
» Additional security – Anytime you have food, trash, or water inside your trash cans, you may also want to consider placing heavy weights on top of the lids as an added layer of security.
» Wash your trash cans – It may seem a bit strange, but you should wash your trash cans regularly by spraying them down with the hose several times a year. This will help reduce some of the odors that tend to attract raccoons. Drain the water from the cans so the raccoons have no water supply.
» The smell of garbage – If you have trash that might be especially tempting to raccoons, consider double-bagging it to better mask the smell. If raccoons don’t smell your trash, then they won’t bother it.
» Entry points – When dealing with raccoons inside your attic or basement, be sure to find their points of entry. An animal control specialist will help you do this. Entry points include any hole that is three inches wide or greater. Be sure to first work with an animal control specialist before sealing these areas because you don’t want to seal them while the raccoon is inside. Ask the animal control expert to help you remove the raccoon and seal the area. A half inch metal mesh sealed with a foam gun should work just fine.