Raccoons can cause significant damage and require expensive repairs. Even when a single raccoon has moved on, you will have to deal with contaminated surfaces and the mess it made.
It is essential to prevent raccoons from entering. Removing easy sources of food, such as pet food left out overnight and unsecured trash cans, will help, as will closing off access to crawl spaces and wood piles. Contact Rodent Retreat now!
Raccoons are a nuisance when they invade homes, as they can cause messes and property damage. They also carry bacteria and diseases and can pose a risk to pets and people. Raccoons will raid trash cans and bird feeders and eat vegetables or fruit from gardens and backyards. They may also dig in the foundation or chimney of your home to create a den. In addition to these issues, if the raccoons are living under a shed or in an attic they can create a lot of damage and contaminate insulation and wood. The raccoon droppings will also contaminate the area around the den and can cause staining and bad odors.
When you have a raccoon problem you will need to find a wildlife control specialist that can perform humane Raccoon Removal. These experts will use trapping or exclusion techniques to remove the raccoons and prevent them from returning. You should also consider checking your homeowner’s insurance to see if any structural damage has occurred as a result of the animal infestation.
Many homeowners will try to handle a raccoon problem on their own, using a variety of techniques and poisons to kill the raccoons. This is a mistake because it is not humane and can lead to a much bigger problem in the future. The raccoons will not leave your house on their own, so you will need to use deterrents and other techniques to encourage them to move out of the attic or crawl space.
When you hire a professional for New York City raccoon control, you should be sure they are licensed in both pest control and wildlife conflict resolution. Many pest control companies will only be licensed to control insects and will not have the expertise needed to solve wildlife problems. It is a common mistake to call the same company that you have used in the past for bug control, like Terminix or Orkin, when you have a raccoon issue. The companies that specialize in insect control will not know how to deal with a raccoon problem, and the result can be disastrous.
Trapping
Raccoons may carry diseases that can be harmful to humans and other animals. They also often leave behind a mess. This mess, if left untreated, can become airborne and pose a health risk to anyone that comes into contact with it. It can also lead to additional problems, such as mold and the odor of decay. Raccoon feces are known to contain roundworm cysts, which can be dangerous for pets and humans.
It is not unusual for a pet or a person to come into contact with these disease-causing organisms, and as a result, it is recommended that you seek medical attention immediately. These organisms can also be spread by contact with contaminated soil. Raccoon feces can also contain the roundworm Baylisascaris procynis, which is especially harmful to dogs.
In addition to killing or relocating these pests, it is important that the area be thoroughly cleaned up. This will help to prevent raccoons from returning, and it will help to ensure that your family or pets remain safe.
This is where the real cost begins to accumulate. It is a good idea to hire a professional that has the equipment and experience to do this job correctly and safely. They will be able to remove the dead raccoons and clean up any other areas where raccoons might have deposited their droppings.
If the raccoons are living under your shed, in your attic or chewing their way into your home, you will need to repair these areas to make sure that they cannot return. In some cases this can be as simple as strapping your garbage can lids shut, or it could involve a more extensive project such as reinforcing the chimney cap, securing the soffits and putting in a steel door at the entry point into your attic.
A professional will be able to seal the entry points into your attic, and they can even install one-way doors that raccoons can’t open so they cannot return. This is a much more permanent solution than trapping and killing the animal, which can be difficult to do and is frequently ineffective. It is also much more expensive than prevention.
Exclusion
Raccoons can be very agile animals, and they can climb trees, fences, and even enter through chimneys and vents. Because of this, it’s important to thoroughly inspect your property to determine where raccoons can gain access to your home. Once this is done, the exclusion process can begin. This includes covering chimney flues, blocking off attic entry points and repairing holes in walls and roofs.
The most obvious indicator that raccoons have moved in is finding their droppings. Raccoon feces, also known as “skat”, are very similar to those of cats and dogs and can pose serious health hazards if not handled properly. They can cause respiratory issues, intestinal problems, and even gastrointestinal diseases. If you find wild animal feces in your home, garage or other area, contact a wildlife removal company to have the problem addressed immediately.
Other indicators of a raccoon infestation include chewed or ripped shingles, broken vents and rotting wood. In severe cases, raccoons may even tear open roof shingles to build their nests. This can cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. Getting rid of the raccoons before they get too comfortable in your home can save you both time and money.
Oftentimes, raccoons are attracted to garbage cans and bird feeders. These can be blocked or placed well away from the house to prevent raccoons from gaining access. It’s also a good idea to clean up any discarded fruit, vegetables, or other foodstuffs left outside and put them away at night. It’s also a good idea not to leave fish food in the pond at night, as this can attract unwanted wildlife.
The last thing to keep in mind is that raccoons are quite clever and will attempt to find other ways into your house if the above steps are not taken. In addition to opening vents and other hidden areas, raccoons can even dig under foundations. To prevent this, we recommend the use of a one-way door to seal off unused crawl spaces and attics. This can be mounted securely to the house, and it is a great way to prevent future raccoon infestations.
Cleanup
Raccoon poop can cause a lot of damage when it’s left to dry out and turn dusty, especially in attics or crawl spaces. The poop can create a toxic dust that’s harmful to breathe. It can also contain disease spores that are still active, even after the poop has become dry and dusty. These spores can be spread to anyone who comes into contact with them, and they’re known to cause a variety of respiratory conditions.
The amount of cleanup needed will vary based on the extent of the damage. Our technicians are prepared to climb through cramped attics and crawl spaces in order to determine the severity of the problem and propose a solution. They have bags ready to dump the feces into, and they’re well equipped with tools to remove any soiled insulation, damaged wood, chewed wires and more. They’ll also be able to seal any entry points that the raccoons have used, and they can repair any structural damage that was caused.
Most of the time, a raccoon that has entered a structure like an attic or wall will be a mother with a litter of 3-5 young. These young will be starving and looking for a place to live, and they will likely die inside the attic or walls or chimney if they’re not removed. The best way to prevent this is by making sure that any entry point used by the mother raccoon is closed off with professional repairs, such as metal flashing or steel mesh, and that all of the soiled insulation is removed and replaced with new, clean insulation.
Many nuisance wildlife control companies offer a complete range of animal removal services, including attic inspections, professional repairs, attic clean up and deodorization, and re-sealing any entry points that the raccoons have opened up. Varment Guard offers a skunk odor removal service as well, which uses a product that breaks down the odor on a molecular level and eliminates it rather than just covering it up. It’s sprayed in a mist, and can be applied to sheds, decks, houses, sunrooms and more.