As human beings encroach upon what remaining wilderness or open space we still have, we see more and more wild animals in our neighborhoods and even our homes. Skunks, opossums, and raccoons are known to nest in places other than their natural habitats. These animals have become desensitized to humans and therefore have little remaining fear. Raccoon removal is vital to keep them from spreading disease or destroying property. They may decided to live in a chimney, an attic or crawlspace.
Raccoons have a reputation built upon stealing trash, but they are also known to invade attics or even come into the kitchen through a pet door. They have no qualms about tearing a hole in a wall to gain access or enter through a vent or open soffits. They are also known to steal pet or bird food from outdoor dishes, feeders, and containers. Raccoons are also good swimmers and will swim in an outdoor pool and also use it as their personal restroom.
Raccoons can spread disease, including rabies and distemper, which can kill domesticated animals. Raccoon droppings can also contain raccoon roundworm, which can be inhaled by humans and cause infection.
Raccoons should be removed from a residence as soon as their presence is discovered. They may cause a large amount of destruction in a short amount of time, ruining insulation and fouling the area with feces. Pets may also be disturbed by their presence. There are several different ways to successfully remove and relocate a raccoon.
The least stressful way for both humans and the animal is to allow it to go back outside on its own, or with a small bit of encouragement. Put away pets and keep small children out of the way, and open doors and windows for additional escape routes. Hopefully the animal will leave, but it may be necessary to shoo it out with a broom. Cornered animals may defend themselves, so make sure to keep distance between you and the animal.
If you are strong and fairly quick, using a snare pole may be an option. Snare poles are long poles with a loop on one end. This loop goes around the animal's neck and under one leg, and then the raccoon can be moved to the outdoors or into a cage. If either a snare pole or trying to get the animal to leave on its own does not work, it may be necessary to use a humane trap.
It may not be legal to trap or trap and release raccoons where you live, so it is important to check local laws first. In these cases, it may be mandatory to call an animal control unit or hire a professional wild animal removal service. Humane traps can be purchased or sometimes borrowed from some animal control offices.
Humane traps are easy to set up, and should be baited with marshmallows or white bread. Check the trap often, in case you end up trapping a cat, skunk, or something else unwanted. If releasing a raccoon into the wild, you must travel at least ten miles away before releasing it so it cannot come back.
A professional wild animal removal company may need to be hired in certain cases. Sometimes, the raccoons may have babies and may be harder to remove. Whatever the animals found so interesting to begin with needs to be fixed or removed, or the raccoon removal may not be successful, and other animals may invade the same space in the future.
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