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Raccoons are very common in suburbs and urban areas. They thrive in older neighbourhoods where they can find food and shelter. In many cases, the raccoons that you see outside have dens in attics, decks, and old sheds. They live alongside us, wherever we don’t look.
The problem with letting raccoons den on your property is that they will dirty it with feces and cause damage. These are wild animals that love to manipulate their environments, putting holes in the roof, tearing at electrical wires, and leaving piles of feces in the yard. It’s important that you hire a professional immediately for humane removal.
For permanent results, Raccoon Removal Vaughan experts recommend that you exclude the roof and remove every possible food source. Otherwise, the critters might come back!
Here’s everything you need to know about raccoon removal.
Use a One-Way Door
Technicians use one-way doors to let raccoons out safely. First, they will inspect your home carefully to find the entrance to the raccoons’ den, then install the door right onto it. Raccoons usually only use one entry point to get into their hiding spot. Adding the one-way door lets them get out of their den by themselves, so no one risks getting hurt. Once out, the door closes, and the animals can’t get back inside.
If it is raccoon baby season – sometime between March and June – the technician will confirm the presence of babies, then remove them by hand. The babies will then be placed in a box, just outside their den, so that their mother can come get them. Most companies will come back to check if the babies are ok.
Once the animals are gone, the technician you hired will come back and replace the door with a raccoon-proof material, like mesh. While you could try to use a trap, you risk harming the animal and separating a mother from her babies. Relocating animals is also inhumane and illegal in most places. The one-way door is truly the most humane and most effective option.
Exclude the Roof and Deck
Raccoons often use the same entry points: chimneys, roof vents, plumbing mats, roof-soffit intersections, decks, and crawl spaces. Anywhere a raccoon can tear their way through and find shelter, they will use it. Understanding these entry points means that you can address them, so you can permanently keep raccoons off your property.
Start by maintaining your roof. For example, if your shingles are getting seriously worn out, it may be time to replace them. Contact a roofer to fix and maintain the roof when it needs it. As for those other entry points, you can cover them with mesh. Use a 16-gauge, galvanized steel mesh to cover vents, chimneys, and other openings that are vulnerable to break-ins.
Decks, crawl spaces, and other hiding spots that are low to the ground can be protected by digging a trench around them, then securing a mesh into their sides. Bury the mesh when you are done. Surrounding these structures with mesh will prevent raccoons, skunks, and rats from digging underneath them.
Get Rid of All Food Sources
One of the biggest reasons why a raccoon would choose to den on your property is access to food. Raccoons love to den anywhere there is food nearby, like a dumpster or a vegetable garden. So, keep this in mind when raccoon-proofing your home.
Get rid of the bird feeder or limit the amount of seed you leave out. Switch to a suet feeder that you can hang up high and away from the house. You should also use lidded garbage cans that you can lock shut. Use bungee cords to make them impossible to open. Finally, you should consider protecting your vegetable garden with row covers or mesh lids. Maintain the yard and make sure that you pick up fruit when they fall to the ground.