On the Hunt for a Racoon Den

As the forested areas have gone on dwindling, raccoons have invented a funny way of survival. As you walk through the streets at night, once in awhile you might see these small mammals scurrying across the street or down an alleyway. They are omnivorous and will eat almost everything particularly smaller animals found in the water such as crayfish and snails. In addition, raccoons are solitary in nature in terms of feeding and will eat alone except when there is plenty. They are very interesting animals to study and this aroused my desire to want to know more about them. I was able to learn fascinating things worth sharing.

Popular places for a raccoon den

Raccoons don’t have a specific place they can call home. They migrate to different dens after a few days though females who have young ones can stay in one den a little longer. The only time you find several raccoons in the same den is during winter. Although they migrate they have popular places they like to den. These hide outs include hollow logs, tree holes, abandoned cars, attics and chimneys. In towns, they use these dens to hide during the day while in the forest they rest in trees.

Signs you may have raccoons living on your property

It’s mainly during the winter and spring seasons that raccoons can inhabit your homestead. This is because attics are an excellent location for protecting and raising babies. The signs of their presence in your house may include scratching, crying and thumping sounds in your attic, damaged insulation and strange odours.

Humane Raccoon Removal techniques

A closer look at these simple animals will help you understand that protecting your home against their intrusions is the best course of action. Therefore, as we look for ways to remove them from our houses, we need to consider how to prevent them from coming back. There are several techniques we can use depending on where the animal is.

• House-First you need to know how they entered. If the mother has young ones you’ll need to remove them by hand first. Baby raccoons aren’t mobile until several weeks after birth so you can’t trap or scare them out. Once the babies have been removed they can be used to lure the mother out. The entry point will need to be secured immediately afterward.
• Chimney – Don’t put the chimney into use until you are certain that you have removed all the raccoons. Once the raccoons have left, you will need to clean the chimney and cap the opening at the top.
• Ponds – If they are interfering with your fishpond, create hiding places for fish by using cinder blocks
• Garden – Use a radio turned on with higher volume for few nights. The noise will create disturbance that will drive raccoons away.

If all the above-mentioned ways don’t work, call a raccoon removal company. The technicians will help you learn how these animals got into your house and other weak points they could use to get into the house. They will then provide you with options on how to remove them depending on the nature and structure of your property. Once the animals are removed the technicians will block the entrance hence ensuring they won’t re-enter.

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DIY Tips to Prevent Wildlife from Invading your Home

Wildlife infestation is a common problem for many homeowners and commercial establishments as well. Infestation brings a lot of destruction, whether it’s caused by skunks, raccoons, squirrels, mice or rats, bats and birds.

While wildlife infestation can be troublesome to property owners, we need to understand what drives their behaviour in order to stop them. It is, therefore, important as a homeowner to recognize that urban wildlife need shelter to survive so taking proper measures to make your property seem less habitable and accessible for them is the place to start.

It is better and easier to keep animals away than dealing with an infestation. The process of sealing your house against these infestations is called exclusion.

The main objective of exclusion is to prevent these wildlife from entering or gaining access to your home, be it your roof, foundation, or walls. Here are some things you may want to check and do to perform an effective exclusion:

1. Trees and other plants can be used to gain access onto your roof, these branches should be cut back to make it more difficult and impossible for these innovative creatures.
2. Cover window wells with wire mesh that have openings small enough to prevent skunks from falling into them. Commercial grates and plastic covers are also great options.
3. Cover your chimneys as well, or make sure they have a cap. A cheaper alternative to commercial caps would be mesh hardware cloth.
4. Check your house for possible entryways. Seal these away with a sturdy and hard material secured tightly so they cannot be used to enter your home.
5. With your fences, you can bury a wire mesh under it about a foot under because wildlife that are experts in digging will have a lesser chance of entering your yard.
6. Check your roof for soft spots or holes. Repair these and make sure to check it regularly as these are the most common means of access to your attic.
7. Avoid attractants as much as possible. Try not to feed your pets outside and make sure your garbage bins are secured and aren’t easily toppled over. One of the most destructive urban wildlife species are raccoons, which are experts in opening your garbage cans. Raccoon removal can be quite a pain, so it’s better to prevent them from seeing your property as a source of food and a place to have their young.

A protected home feels a lot safer to live in. Don’t wait for the first infestation before you make a move. Whether it’s a bird, bat, skunk, rat or raccoon removal, it requires a lot of knowledge and effort to do, not to mention the risks you may be getting into. Prevention is important so don’t hesitate to get started. Sometimes you just need extra help and don’t have the time or resources to do the job and that’s what the professionals from Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control can provide.

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Safely Remove Raccoons from your Property

Raccoons are little furry masked bandits that run about in the night, foraging. They are nocturnal animals, so they naturally go scavenging for food at night. Raccoons are intelligent creatures and have very manipulative paws, which make them a destructive force when inside your property.

Being infested with raccoons can be quite frustrating. Many homeowners lose their temper when they discover the damage they do everyday and resort to DIY raccoon removal. Before you do that, think twice. You should consider how to remove them without causing them harm, making things worse or violating laws that protect them.

One of the biggest problems of raccoon removal is associated with mother and offspring. This is the trickiest part of removing wild animals from your home, since you don't want to kill any of them in the process, especially their babies.

Raccoons usually give birth in early summer, and the offspring are called kits or cubs. A litter usually contains one to seven kits, and the mother is very protective of her offspring. A mother will to ensure the safety of her babies, and that is why removing raccoons becomes a hard job.

Removing a raccoon from your home is never easy but here are some steps you can do. First, locate the entry points, which are probably found in your roof or walls. You will need a ladder to check thoroughly. Before you seal them off, you will have to find where the raccoons live. If there is indeed a litter, you will have to remove them by hand.

Never remove a raccoon before locating its hideout, as you may unintentionally and inhumanely kill the babies in the litter left behind.  If there are none, seal and repair all entry points after the raccoon goes out to forage at night. Be sure there’s just one! Next, animal proof the roof, using screens or wire meshes, and better if you can cover the holes. Make sure the chimney and vents are covered with caps.

Taking care of a pest infestation is hard work and requires a lot of patience and know-how. If you have never had any experience and don't know what to do, don't risk it! You can always rely on wildlife professionals to do a good, clean and thorough job. Trained experts will surely do all the hard work for you, and you no longer have to worry about dangerous encounters. Humane wildlife control professionals like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control can remove all raccoon, including babies, seal up your home and repair all damaged materials so you can start anew, pest-free and worry-free.

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Potential Property Damage Caused by Raccoons

A raccoon infestation creates possible health problems for property owners as they bring all sorts of insects, bacteria and waste wherever they go. Once they infest your home, your health is not the only problem you have to deal with. Raccoons also cause physical property damage when they try to and successfully enter your house.

Raccoon removal is the first thing that you must do when you see the signs of infestation. They leave behind a trail of damage because they are looking for an ideal den inside your house. These are some of the things they do when they break into your property:

Insulation Damage

Proper attic insulation is critical to maintaining a comfortable temperature inside your home and preventing mould growth. Raccoons damage insulation by compacting it under their weight, pushing it out of place and soaking it with urine and feces.

Roof Damage

Raccoons have the strength to tear through different kinds of roofing to enter the attic. Damaged shingles, soffit and siding expose your home to rain and snow that can cost you thousands.

Wiring, Drywall and Ductwork

Many different types of utilities and electrical are run inside attics. As part of their normal behaviour raccoons damage these important functions. Raccoons are naturally curious animals and will chew and tear at anything they find inside your attic.

Delaying raccoon removal leads to more property damage; hire an expert immediately once you see damage caused by these animals.

Dealing with a Raccoon Infestation

A typical reaction upon seeing this animal is to scare it away or even kill it. However, one of the best ways to get rid of them is to hire an animal remover that implements humane animal control Oakville. This approach keeps the animals safe while the expert lures them out.

With help from a raccoon removal expert, you remove these animals from your property quickly before they do more damage. A remover will get rid of the animals humanely and help you implement ways to prevent them from re-infesting. Animal removers will also deodorize and clean the den to prevent the spread of bacteria and waste left behind by the raccoons.

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What You Need to Do When You See a Raccoon in Your Attic

Raccoons are troublesome creatures that may spread diseases, insects and bacteria in and around your property. They also inflict damage to walls, air ducts, roof and insulation as they search for an ideal den in your house.

When a homeowner sees a raccoon in their home, their initial reaction might be shock, which often turns into an automatic reaction to get rid of it by either trapping or killing it. These are not effective raccoon removal methods because they harm the animals and do not root out the main cause of the infestation.

If you see a raccoon in your attic, here are some of the things you need to keep in mind.

Stay Cool and Calm

Panicking will make things worse as you will startle the raccoon in your den. The mother will unleash her aggression at any sign of a threat to her young. You might get hurt when the animal bites or scratches to defends her children. When you see the raccoon stay calm and just leave the attic to get help from a humane wildlife control Oakville expert.

Avoid Trapping or Killing

The first thing that comes to most homeowners’ minds when they see a raccoon is to kill or trap it. Doing so will not solve your problem because you have to look for and get rid of any young raccoons that might be present. An attempt to kill the animal or remove it from the trap will make them aggressive. They might bite or scratch you; the wounds may get an infection that will lead to disease or rabies.

Determine the Exact Location of the Den

Once you see a raccoon in your attic, find the exact location of the den. When you find it do not do anything first. Seek help from a raccoon removal expert and let them handle and remove the animals properly. Determining the place of the den will help you know how many raccoons are in your attic. It also helps you find the young that still cannot move on their own. The remover will use them as bait to lure the mother out of your property.

Hire an Animal Remover

A raccoon removal expert will make sure that your property is raccoon-free. They execute proven and humane methods to remove the animals properly. They have the gear and skills to handle the creatures, even if they struggle, bite and scratch.

Experts will also deodorize the den to prevent other raccoons from re-infesting your attic. This is an important step as it removes the scent cues that animals use to communicate.

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Are Raccoons Smart?

Raccoons have learned to survive and adapt to an urban environment, which makes them crafty animals that have the ability to infest a home. It is important to know the behaviour of these creatures think to avoid an infestation.

Are raccoons clever creatures?

Raccoons are a challenge to catch, because of their clever ways of avoiding detection and capture.

When chased by hounds looking for their scent, a raccoon will enter a stream to wash off its scent. Wade in the water for a distance and then return to dry land to escape. Raccoons may also climb a tree and then return to the ground after breaking the trail of its scent. These creatures may also climb a fence top where a predator cannot follow it.

Despite these clever ways to avoid predators, raccoons display certain behavioural patterns that do not make them as smart as people think they are.

If you suddenly find a raccoon rummaging through your garbage bin and flash a light on them, they will not scamper away afraid of a potential threat to them. However, if you make a noise, these animals will quickly dash away.

These contrasting behavioural patterns may be more instinct rather than actual intelligence. A raccoon’s survival instinct in the presence of something that wants to eat it, will make them respond in the way they are made to.

In 1907, raccoons were put on the spotlight of psychology as psychologists Lawrence W. Cole and Herbert Burnham Davis made them subjects of a study. The study revealed that these animals had a “tolerable basis” of reaching the phylogenetic scale of development after testing using the puzzle-box methodology.

Scientific and popular naturalists argued that raccoons had traits such as mischief, cunning and curiosity, which Davis and Cole, also believed to be true. Cole made the assessment that raccoons, in certain cases, learn to solve a puzzle box after being put through it by an experimenter.

The survival of raccoons despite people flourishing and turning their natural habits into urban environments is a testament to their ability to adapt and learn.

Effective Raccoon Removal

Raccoons are clever creatures that may infest a home, if you leave vulnerable entry points. The ideal way to get rid of these animals is with the help of a professional raccoon removal company.

Raccoon removal experts such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control have the experience and expertise to make sure raccoons do not re-infest your home after their service. They implement humane and effective solutions to removing mothers and babies from your property.

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Skedaddle Wildlife Oakville | All About Raccoon Babies

Raccoons look like cute little bandits, but these furry creatures with black, beady eyes have powerful paws that can wreak havoc on your property. They can open jars, bins, and even doors when they are searching for food. There are a few things that you need to know about raccoons to help you understand their behaviour.

All About Raccoon Babies

Newborn raccoons are grayish brown and lightly furred. Their eyes remain closed and ears folded. Baby raccoons measure less than six inches upon birth. Once a baby raccoon reaches seven months, it can walk, climb, wrestle, and play with other babies. Mother raccoons often move their young from one den to another. A 12-week old raccoon can start accompanying its mother to look for food. Raccoons start foraging on their own once they reach four months old. Despite their cute appearance, raccoons are wild animals that do not make good pets. Raccoons are capable of inflicting severe injury with their bite and powerful paws. They can also transmit rabies to a human host.

Where do raccoons live?

Raccoons prefer living in warm areas such as hollow trees, right under outcroppings, bush piles, and logs. When a raccoon searches for a suitable den in urban areas, they normally create a den in chimneys, sheds, under a porch, or attics. These areas are warm which make them conducive for raising young.

Prevent Raccoon Infestation

To prevent your home from becoming a raccoon den, make sure that you keep garbage bins properly sealed. Add locks, place something heavy on top of your garbage bin, or keep it away from areas where raccoons can easily get to it. Protect your vegetable garden with SPCA-approved mesh and fencing. Seal any entry points around your property.

Remove Raccoons Humanely

Raccoonremoval experts such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control can ease that conflict you are currently having with the critters and help you move them out of your property safely and permanently. The raccoon removal methods used by a professional have been tried and tested over the years. A professional will lure the mother raccoon out of your property by using one of her young as bait. Once the raccoon has been lured out, all of its possible entry points will be sealed to prevent re-entry. Skedaddle can also help deodorizes the den to prevent it from attracting other raccoons. If you want an effective and humane way of getting rid of raccoons in your property, hiring a professional raccoon removal service provider is the best way to do so.

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Raccoon Territorial Behaviour

If you’ve got a raccoon problem, learning about their habits and behaviour can go a long way in helping you better understand and in turn avoid these curious creatures from claiming your home as their own. Whether they’re getting into your attic or raiding your garbage can, raccoons can be hard to live with, especially if you don’t know much about the way they live. Learn more about the territorial behaviour of raccoons with these helpful tips and informational tidbits:

1. Their habitat – Raccoons aren’t very social creatures. Aside from raising their young until they’re old and strong enough to go off on their own, and aside from mating, for most of their lives, raccoons live solitary lives. Their habitat is dependant on the following factors: the availability and abundance of food and water, the number of females in surrounding areas, and the size of the territory.

They prefer dark and warm spots in forests, cozy hollowed out trees, a dense brush, and wooded areas. They also like the comfort and security of sewer drains, attics, crawlspaces, and the dark spaces beneath a home.

2. Their food habits - Raccoons will eat anything and everything, so be sure to keep your food sources stored properly and your garbage lids secured tightly. As omnivores, raccoons like to rely on everything from nuts, fruits, and plants to insects, worms, small animals, and fish for their sustenance. Expectant mothers are known to have voracious appetites.

3. How they mark their territory - When raccoons mark their territory, they usually rub their behinds on it. Raccoons have special anal glands that secrete a substance that signals to other raccoons that that’s their territory. They also use urine and fecal matter to mark their home turf.

4. They communicate through scent - Raccoons communicate through the scents they leave behind. A typical territory for a male raccoon reaches up to 7 square kilometres in coverage, and should another raccoon cross his territorial path, he’ll be able to identify through scent markers left behind.

5. Those curious communal latrines - Raccoons share communal latrines. These are usually found alongside trails, by logs, or on tree branches and stumps. The theory is that raccoons use this as a way of avoiding and being aware of overlapping territories.

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