Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests?

Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests?

Few people can resist the dangerous amount of cuteness of raccoons. The narrow, pointy muzzle, the large black eyes ringed with white, the front paw fingers resembling human hands, and the striped bushy tails make the little buggers hard to resist. Not to mention their extraordinary intelligence and ability to get into almost any place, pick locks, pull out drawers, and open door latches in search for food, rightfully earning their reputation as the “masked bandits.”Raccoon | National Geographic

 

But as awesome little animals as they may be (sometimes competing with dogs and cats for people’s affection), raccoons remain wild animals with a destructive nature. Due to the major property damage they cause to the house and garden, they are usually not welcomed on people’s property and considered pests. So Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests?

Damage to House

  • Stink up the place: During spring, females will start looking for a safe place to stay and give birth to their babies, and the warmth and comfort of your house can easily make it a perfect substitute for a natural den. And although they aren’t out to ruin your home or endanger your health, they can do both by moving into your attic, getting inside the chimney, or taking residence inside wall voids or under decks.

 

  • Destroy insulation: Since they are large mammals (weighing between 11 and 14 kg), raccoons can easily trample insulation just by walking on it. Pregnant females will compact large areas to sleep and nurse their babies, causing extensive damage and reducing the insulation’s effectiveness in keeping the house cool in summer and warm during winter.

 

  • Damage roofs: To gain access inside a structure, to obtain bedding material, or sometimes just for fun, raccoons will rip off shingles, break or chew fascia boards, chew holes into soffits, rip apart ducts, or break attic vents. A small opening (usually no larger than 4-6 inches) is enough for the rascals to get inside.

 

Damage to Garden

 

Toronto Racoon Removal

 

  • Damage crops: Raccoons are particularly fond of a sweet corn garden, which they will invade a couple of days before harvest. They rarely damage corn until mid-June, which marks the beginning of the corn reproductive stages (the milk stage of development). Depending on the size of the plant and the height of the animal, raccoons will either feed standing up or climb the stalk to get to the higher ears. For the affected crops, this type of damage often results in 90-100% yield losses.

 

  • Kill poultry: Raccoons can reach through the wire of cages and pens to get to the poultry kept inside, and many times they mutilate the birds by trying to pull them through the wire by their head or legs. Their MO involves biting off and tossing adult birds’ heads, chewing the contents of the crop and sometimes the chest, and throwing the rest away.

 

  • Dig up soil and damage lawns: Raccoons, as well as skunks, can turn out to be a real problem for homeowners, particularly in the spring and fall, when they start looking for earthworms, grubs, and other soil insects through the freshly laid turf. This is usually done by young raccoons that are learning to find food on their own or during periods when other food is scarce.

 

  • Use your woodpile as their latrine: Raccoons typically dump their feces in communal sites called latrines, and they usually prefer to leave their droppings at the base of a tree, on logs and stumps, or inside a woodpile. If you’re storing firewood outside, and your house is often visited by raccoons, chances are they either use the woodpile as a latrine, endangering the health of anyone who comes into contact with their contaminated urine and feces, or use it as a temporary den.

How Can You Stop Them?

Raccoons in many urban and suburban environments are learning that residential properties are safer, warmer, and more comfortable than the usual hollow trees they use as denning sites; moreover, they also provide a seemingly infinite supply of food and water. Convincing them to leave is, thus, a rather challenging task, especially considering their persistence and resourceful nature.

If you have been noticing raccoon damage around your house and outbuilding, the best thing to do is let professionals handle the difficult, and sometimes outright dangerous, task to deter the animals from your property. A combination of exclusion techniques, scare tactics, and trapping will likely be used to eliminate existing populations and limit raccoon nuisance on your property. Contact your local company to schedule an inspection and determine the size of your problem and the best course of action.

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca

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How To Keep Raccoons Away From Trash

How To Keep Raccoons Away From Trash

Have you ever woken in the morning and come to find your trash cans are knocked over and garbage is strewn all over your front yard?  If this has happened to you, a raccoon is most likely the culprit.

Raccoons are very intelligent, curious, and dexterous animals.  This means they can cause a lot of damage. They can tip over trash cans and can even remove a tightly applied lid.  If trash day has become a nightmare for you, follow these tips to keep raccoons away from your trash.

1. CHANGE YOUR TRASH DAY HABITS

The best habit you can fall into is to put out your garbage the morning of pick-up instead of the night before.  Raccoons are nocturnal so they do most of their damage overnight.  Waking up earlier to take out your trash in the morning can save you a lot of aggravation.

TIPS:

  • Buy a trash can specifically made to withstand wildlife
  • Double-bag trash that is pungent to keep the smells contained
  • Instead of placing garbage bags curb-side, protect them by placing them inside a trash bin
  • Properly secure lids with a bungee cord through the handles and across the lid
  • Place a weight on the lid of your trash cans

2. PROPER TRASH PLACEMENT

Whether you store your trash cans outside at all times or only take them outside for trash day, placement is key to keeping raccoons away from your trash.

  • If you store your trash cans outside, place them in a protected area or secure them to your home or garage.
  • Place cans on level ground where they cannot be tipped over as easily.
  • Place your trash cans in the line of sight of a spotlight or motion-detecting light.
  • Raccoons prefer darkness and can be startled away by sudden light.

3. USE AN ANIMAL REPELLENT

Use an animal repellent to deter raccoons and keep them away from your trash. Repellents use scent, taste, or a combination of both to drive raccoons away from the protected area.

Sprinkle granular animal repellent around the area where trash cans are stored.  Additionally, spray a liquid animal repellent directly onto trash bags, trash cans, or recycling bins as you place them curb-side.  If you employ both repelling methods, you’ll have greater long-term success.

TIP: Reapplication is critical to maintaining full repellency.  Be sure to follow the instructions and reapply as necessary.

In addition, you can set-up an electronic repellent to frighten off raccoons. An electronic repellent will shoot a quick burst of water, motion and sound when it senses a raccoon approaching. You’ll achieve best results if you position the sensor and sprinkler in the direction that raccoons are approaching.

4. CLEAN YOUR TRASH CANS PERIODICALLY

When you store your trash cans outdoors, it’s important to clean them out and disinfect them regularly to remove lingering odors and trash residue.  Use ammonia when cleaning out your trash cans, as raccoons find the scent of ammonia to be very unpleasant.

5. De-Fence

De-Fence Spikes is a plastic fence, wall and railing security spike deterrent that keeps out intruders and unwanted animals such as raccoons from entering your garden or premises.

The  sharp cone-shaped spikes, can be fitted to the tops of fences, walls, gates and other surfaces. The UV-stabilized polypropylene, can be painted, is weather resistant and weather durable. Its unique design enables the product to be fitted to most angles including thin and wide surfaces.

  • Provide effective, low cost security and deterrent against unwelcome intruders
  • Also ideal deterrent for cats, birds, raccoons and other small animals
  • Can be easily fitted to the tops of fences, gates, walls and window sills
  • Fully waterproof / reusable and can be screwed, nailed or glued
  • The sharp spikes are designed to cause discomfort to the animal, without causing harm.
  • Each piece of De-Fence is approximately 5/8 inch in height (spike is 1/2 inch), 3 inches in width (5 scored rows), 2 feet in length (scored every 6 inches)

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About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca

Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/  What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence,