Raccoon Removal and education

backround Information

Ah, raccoons. The mischievous masked critter. It is quite a common animal removal problem we deal with in Texas. Raccoons are very clever animals and they have learned to adapt very well to the suburban environment. The average raccoon is 12” tall and approximately 24-38” long. Their lifespan is short, lasting only 2-3 years. Their common identifying features are: gray fur with a black mask, 4-7 black rings around its tail, pointy snout with a black nose, and dexterous front paws. Raccoons possess remarkable dexterity that gives them the ability to open doors, jars, bottles, and latches. They are also great climbers, which allows them to better access food and shelter.

Raccoons are very social critters and typically travel in small family groups, roughly 3-5 raccoons. Raccoons are also omnivores, eating meat and plants. This provides them with an opportunistic diet. No wonder they are always in the garbage bins! Raccoons will eat nearly anything: birds, fruit, eggs, snakes, fish, frogs, nuts and seeds, even insects.
Nocturnal in nature, raccoons are mostly active at nighttime. They are most active in spring, or summer and fall, and will sleep in their dens for most of the winter. When they’re awake, they are quite loud! Raccoons communicate with each other using over 200 different sounds and 12-15 different calls.

Did you know?

Raccoons live an average of 5 years in the wild.
They are very agile climbers.
They are preyed on by coyotes, wolves, hawks, and owls.
Raccoons are nocturnal animals, so they are rarely seen during the day.
Raccoons have excellent night vision.
A group of raccoons is called a nursery.
Although raccoons only live 2-5 years in the wild, a raccoon can live up to 20 years in captivity.
Some theorize that the purpose of a raccoon's black mask is to reduce glare, helping it to see better in the dark.

habitat

Raccoons have the incredible ability to adapt easily to their environment and thrive. The original habitat of a raccoon is forestland: deciduous and mixed forests. They were beckoned to these heavily-wooded areas so they could have access to water, trees to burrow, and vegetation. Although, they have recently spread to marshes, mountainous areas, and even urban areas. In urban locations Raccoons will tend to make shelter in man-made structures. Easy access places such as under sheds, attics, porches etc. They tend not to take off too far from their dens in these settings. usually just a mile or so. In the wild… they will travel pretty far looking for food, as far as almost 20 miles.

damage

Raccoons can be extremely destructive due to their curiosity, intelligence, dexterity, and climbing skills. Raccoons dig through trash, dig up yards, and destroy everything to acquire food. Raccoons can be one of the most destructive animals in Texas. They are responsible for over $2 billion annually of the insurance claims throughout the United States. The destruction that raccoons do to your home can be astronomical. Some of the damage that raccoons do to homes are as follows: raccoons tear up your ductwork, damage soil, your insulation, cause damage to your attic vents, and lastly raccoons pose a threat to your family's health by possibly bringing in diseases that are easily spread to humans.

Here are some signs to help identify a raccoon problem:

tipped trash cans
raided bird feeders
pilfered gardens
damaged crops (ex. chewed sweet corn, hollowed out watermelons)
uncapped chimneys
torn shingles
raccoon tracks: five long toes and fingers resembling human hands

Additionally, while noises, scattered trash, and missing pet food are annoying, they are the minor part of the problem. Raccoons are notoriously destructive and filthy. They can rip apart your woodwork, tear up your lawn, and will leave feces everywhere they go. If they are inside your attic or garage for very long at all, you will possibly have to replace your contaminated insulation and perhaps even some of the sheetrock, because of the urine stains. They also routinely damage duct work and wiring.

Raccoons can transport several bacterial diseases and parasites that can be transmitted to humans and pets through a bite or the ingestion of raccoon waste.
Some diseases that can affect humans and pets include:

leptospirosis
salmonella
roundworm
rabies

Although raccoons are infamous for carrying rabies, there has only been one recorded human death from raccoon rabies in the United States. Some signs that a raccoon may have rabies include aggressiveness, unusual vocalization, and excessive drool or foam from the mouth. If you think you may have identified a rabid raccoon, call your local animal and pest control

Catch and release

Raccoon removal is fairly easy for wildlife control to catch. A standard metal trap is used to capture the animal. Although, there are a few alternative situations that are handled differently, such as a raccoon family with babies or a raccoon who has been trapped before.
For a typical case, a trap is set and baited. All traps are placed near the area where you have seen raccoon damage such as: attics, porches, woodpiles, sheds, tree hollows, and more. Wild animal and pest control will come out to your property, set and bait the trap, and then return to retrieve the animal. To minimize return of the raccoon, it is released five or more miles away from the residence where found.
If the issue is an entire raccoon family, a bait trap will be placed near the nest. This is to solely capture the babies; larger traps will be set around for the parent(s). Additionally, if a raccoon has been trapped before, they can be what is known as ‘trap-shy’ meaning they will be resistant and more difficult to apprehend.
No matter what raccoon predicament you’re in, call Wild Animal and Pest Control Texas. Leave it to the professionals!