Raccoons and Their Control
Background
This nocturnal animal is a frequent guest at many homes and
buildings. You'll find them searching through garbage cans or dumpsters looking for food. In other cases,
this animal may literally tear into an attic and nest there leaving droppings and making
quite a bit of noise. In yet other instances, they may climb down into a chimney and nest
near the damper.
This large animal, known for its distinctive "masked" face
and beautiful fur, may grow to between 24" and 48" in length and weigh between
12 lbs. and 25 lbs.. A litter of raccoons may contain between three and
six young.
Control
Control is dependent on the situation. Exclusion is very
practical in many cases. For chimneys, chimney caps are available to prevent raccoons from
entering. Garbage cans with secured lids will discourage continued attacks on those items.
Also, pruning back of trees may remove access to an attic and allow for repairs.
Unfortunately, we do not have any repellents for this
pest. To eliminate a raccoon problem, it is necessary to remove the
troublesome animals using a live trap. We
recommend Havahart TM
traps which are
very effective. Two sizes are available. The traps will capture the raccoon alive.
If transported at least ten miles away, the animal will generally not find its way back.
Traps may be re-used as needed. Canned fish or cat food are excellent bait for the trap.
However, if cats or other pets are present in the same area, you can
substitute slices of apple as a bait instead.
Note that many state and local governments regulate trapping of
wild/nuisance animals - you may want to check with local authorities first.
The link above will take you to the Havahart website. For pricing information
on these traps, click here.
To view our entire products page from the top, click here.
The Bug Clinic takes pride in providing free advice.
However, we
do have a full line of products available. Please browse to our product
information page to see what we offer. If there is an item you don't
see or you need more information about this topic or anything else that is pest
control related, please contact us for additional information:
Toll free: 800-433-1128 or locally at 845-356-2837
weekdays, between 8 am and 4 pm ET
Fax: 845-356-2836
E-mail:
drbugclinic@bugclinic.com
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