Raccoon Removal

Do you hear loud chirping sounds at night coming from your chimney or attic? Does it sound like a growl or a scream? Raccoons can find their way into attics and chimneys through attic fans or roof vents, and sometimes they find weak spots on a building and tear up a hole to create an opening for themselves.

For instance, a mother raccoon looking for the ideal secluded place to hide away her babies while nursing them will most likely tear up anything in her path in search of shelter. Mother raccoons prefer to make their nests in attics or chimneys and if there is a litter of raccoons living in your building, you’ll likely hear some strange sounds at night.

Adult raccoons are great climbers, and they climb a lot of trees in the wild. This innate climbing skill enables them to easily climb buildings to seek shelter, and they commonly like to live in chimney flues.

The smoke shelf in chimneys also serves as a great spot for mother raccoons to hide their babies plus the temperature of chimneys is almost similar to that of trees, therefore, making it ideal for these mammals.

Raccoons will go out in search of food at night and return just before sunset, so after sunset and before sunrise are the most common times you’ll hear them chirping or growling.

Dangers of having raccoons on your property

Raccoons have become adapted to life in towns and cities, and we now have more raccoons living in urban areas than in forests. These animals have learned to find food and shelter in homes.

And since they have become comfortable living among humans, raccoons are no longer afraid of humans, and they don’t hesitate to tear their way into buildings in search of a conducive environment for living and breeding.

However, raccoons in your home are still bad news for a number of reasons.

Raccoons will cause structural damage to a building by tearing up holes to create the perfect entry and exit point in a building for themselves.
They can ruin clay tiles and dislodge mortar just by repeatedly climbing in and out to forage and rest.
They raid garbage cans in search of food and scatter the trash in the process.
They can dig up holes on the lawn and leave tracks of poop around your property, even in the swimming pool.
Raccoons act as hosts to a number of pathogens and can spread diseases such as rabies and roundworm to both pets and humans.

Raccoon trapping and removal

The best way to completely remove raccoons from your property is by trapping and relocation. However, wildlife trapping and removal is subject to state laws, and only individuals with the appropriate training and licenses are allowed to exclude nuisance wildlife.

Raccoons are a nuisance and our wildlife control team at Norcal Wildlife Removal will help you get rid of them from your building safely and efficiently. We trap and remove raccoons using the following methods.

Carefully search the building to find out the number of raccoons we’re up against and how established they are, this helps us determine the best removal method to employ.
We establish the best strategy for tackling the problem and set live traps at strategic locations for the animals, and with the correct baits to lure them out and into the traps.
Monitor the traps daily to ensure the raccoons are removed immediately when they are trapped, it’s unfair and inhumane to keep animals trapped for too long.
After the removal and relocation of the raccoons, we proceed with the thorough cleanup, sanitization, and deodorization of the affected areas of your home.
We also carry out repairs of any damages caused by the animal and offer solutions for animal-proofing to prevent future infestations.

Wildlife trapping and removal is an art and requires training and years of hands-on experience, it’s not a great hobby or DIY project for anyone. You can sustain very serious injuries by trying to exclude wild animals yourself; a nasty fall or a dangerous bite from the animal you’re trying to catch.

These animals are “wild” for a reason, and not just because they live in the wild, these animals can be erratic and cannot be reasoned with, especially by someone who knows nothing about their habits and behavior. Your best bet for safe and efficient wildlife removal is a professional wildlife removal company like ours, give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

The damage that raccoons do to your property

Raccoons are one of the most destructive animal pests you can have on your property. They are notorious for causing incredible amounts of damage to any attic or building they get into. Raccoons are very messy animals and will always leave large amounts of fecal matter.

They are also prone to tearing apart the attic and roof shingles, these animals have a destructive nature. You can see this by watching a hungry raccoon topple and ravage garbage cans, leaving the contents littered around the lawn and driveway. If these creatures, unfortunately, find their way into your house, be very wary of them because they can do untold damage.

Damages caused by raccoons alone can cost you thousands of dollars to fix. And if not repaired, these damages can cause even more serious problems like water, fire, or health hazards. Here are some of the damages raccoons cause to homes and buildings.

Raccoons will damage attic insulation

When raccoons get into an attic, the insulation is at risk of damage. The average weight of a raccoon is about 30 lbs.; this weight is enough to flatten insulation just by constantly walking around in the attic. Raccoons also deposit large amounts of poop which will quickly mess up the entire attic.

If a mother raccoon gets into an attic, she will tear down the drywall and insulation in order to make a nest for her babies. And if this happens, expect to spend some thousands of dollars on attic repair and restoration. An attic with raccoons running about will certainly have much more than damage to insulation.

Raccoons cause electrical damage

These animals simply don’t know when to stop, they will scratch and chew up electrical wire in the attic or around the house. A mother raccoon in the attic can chew up electrical wires to use as nesting material for her babies. The problem with this is that exposed wires can spark and lead to a fire hazard.

Raccoons will also tear down weak spots under the eaves on the roof, shingles, or vents. They will take advantage of weak spots and create holes to enable them to get into the attic, and also to come and go as they please. Raccoons seem to be smart animals and when they want something, they sure do know how to get it.

Raccoons deposit large amounts of urine and feces

Raccoons on your property is bad news for so many reasons, if these animals move into your property, they make sure to come with their smelly and filthy habits. These furry animals have the habit of establishing a latrine in their environment.

A raccoon latrine is basically where these animals go to deposit feces and urine, they will constantly deposit feces and urine on a particular spot until it forms a smelly and gross pile of raccoon feces.

And if there is more than one raccoon on your property, or maybe it’s a mother raccoon and her babies, then expect the buildup of raccoon poop to happen even faster and this has some very serious health implications.

Raccoons can spread diseases

Besides the damages to property, another major problem with having these destructive animals in your house is their ability to spread certain diseases. Raccoon urine and feces contain the eggs of roundworms which can infect humans and pets.

One raccoon can excrete millions of roundworm eggs in a day, and within 2 to 4 weeks, these eggs will develop into larvae which can infect a person or other animals. When raccoons leave feces anywhere within your building or around your property, they are also leaving millions of roundworm eggs which are infectious.

One of the greatest health risks from raccoons is the Baylisascaris infection caused by the roundworm in raccoons, and symptoms include nausea, tiredness, liver enlargement, loss of coordination, disorientation, loss of muscle control, blindness, and coma.

If not treated earlier enough, this disease can be fatal or have some serious neurological outcomes. Raccoons are also one of the primary carriers of the rabies virus in North America.

Raccoons will damage your lawn and garden

Raccoons can still be a nuisance even without getting into your house. They will dig up holes around your lawn and garden in search of earthworms and grubs. As omnivorous animals, they will also help themselves to any fruits and vegetables they find palatable in your garden.

If you have a raccoon problem, call Norcal Wildlife Removal today, and we’ll take care of it. We are available to residents and businesses across towns and cities in Santa Clara County, San Francisco County, and San Mateo County.

Cities we serve include;

Brisbane, Atherton, Half Moon Bay, Burlingame, Portola Valley, Colma, Daly City, Millbrae, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Belmont, Redwood City, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Pacifica, San Bruno, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Woodside, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Campbell, San Carlos, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Francisco, etc.

How to Get Raccoons Out Of The Garden

Raccoons are quite popular houseguests in the United States, so much so that property owners across the country are taking preventive measures to ensure their homes (and particularly their trash cans) are raccoon-free. Visit pestcontrolraccoon.com to learn more about raccoon removal methods.

In this article, we’ll talk a bit about what’s attracting raccoons to your property, and what you can do to keep raccoons out of your garden. And yes, it’s not uncommon to discover raccoons inside your home, either, but generally, this is one type of wild animal that’ll stick to your outdoor property as long as it provides them with plenty of food and water. Speaking of which…

Why are there raccoons on your property?

Unsure what’s attracting raccoons to your garden? Think about it – what do you have in your garden and yard? Readily available sources of food. Raccoons are well-known for their deep love of food, as well as the fact that they’re not at all picky eaters. They’ll take anything, as long as it’s plentiful and readily available. This is why raccoons are the number one culprits for raiding your trash cans, and of course, your garden.

So what can you do to stop this?

Well, the most obvious solution is, of course, to call a professional wildlife removal service such as Norcal Wildlife Removal. Some people refuse to call a professional thinking this is a good way to save some cash. It’s not. A professional wildlife removal service will remove the animal itself, while also identifying the main attraction points, and advising you on future prevention tips. So when you put it like that, nothing beats a professional wildlife removal service to get rid of raccoons in your garden.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other measures you can take, as an alternative.

Remove water and food sources.

If the raccoons are targeting your garden, you might want to fence it, as you can’t totally remove it. If the problem is your trash can, you might want to opt for sealable trash cans that are difficult to topple or open.

Another big attraction point for raccoons in your yard is your pet food and bowl of water. This is why experts recommend bringing your pet’s food and water inside when you’re going to bed at night. Since raccoons are largely nocturnal creatures, they’re far more likely to feast during the night (when they’re also more difficult to stop), so you need to make sure there are no food sources out there during the night. This may also include fallen fruit from your trees or bushes, which we suggest you pick up before bed.

Use a repellent.

Some property-owners have also had significant success keeping raccoons away by using motion-activated repellents. These are specially designed devices that give off a certain smell, flashlights, or even make noise, to scare raccoons off your property. Now, these are usually designed in such a way so as not to bother you and your family. However, there are mixed opinions about their efficiency. Still, deterrents can be a good DIY option for keeping raccoons away.

Use a live trap.

Lastly, you might place a live trap along the raccoon’s natural path. Ideally, place the trap near the food source, e.g. the trash cans, pet food, or garden. You’ll lure the raccoon inside using bait, at which point the door will fall shut, thus trapping the raccoon inside, but without harming it. From there, you’ll be able to relocate the raccoon to a safe location where it can’t bother anyone, and release it.

Make sure you check on your live trap regularly, so as not to leave the animal trapped and scared for hours on end.

How to Remove Raccoons Under Porch

Particular wildlife creatures will terrorize your environment or property regardless of where you live. It is no longer surprising for many people to find their space invaded by animals like Raccoons.

Not only is the Raccoon relentless, but it can also become aggressive to your pests or any other animal around. In the case of a full invasion, there is little you can do unless you contact our professional services to relocate these “Pests.”

There is nothing attractive about having these ravaging scavengers in your Porch, garden, or any other property.

However, there are many things you can do to prevent a full-scale invasion from these notorious “bandits.”

Install Emergency Floodlights

Raccoons have adapted to foraging at night, usually to avoid clashes with humans. Installing a motion-sensing light is a great way to scare them off the property. Like much other wildlife, Raccoons try to avoid any sudden or bright changes.

Loud noises

You can achieve sudden and frequency noises through mechanical means. This method can be well-executed if a motion sensor is attached to the device. It ensures that the Raccoon is greeted with scary and loud noises whenever they attempt to get to the porch.

The noise can be arranged to sound like their feared predators, including human noises.

Scare them with unpleasant smells

Every animal has a particular smell that repulses them. A natural way to scare off raccoons is to prepare DIY substances and sprinkle them in certain areas like your Porch. An example is soaking old rags in ammonia solution or apple cider.

You can also put these soaked rags in decoy trash bags and poke holes through them for maximum effects.

Remove Food and Water Sources

The basic search for wildlife includes food and water; if you remove these substances from open areas, Raccoons become disinterested in your property. If your Porch is constantly littered with food materials or remnants, it may become a favorite site for Raccoons.

Also, keeping filled and scattered trash bags/can is an invite to a Raccoon invasion. A Raccoon’s diet includes virtually anything.

Some simple steps to keep Raccoons out is;

Avoid keeping Pet food in the open,
Do not allow trash to be littered about,
Use stronger and sturdy Trash Cans

Since they are opportunistic eaters, every food source, trash or semblance must be taken off.

Chase them away

Unless it is a raccoon invasion, you can engage a ‘lost’ or ‘scouting’ raccoon with a stick or other equipment. However, do not get carried away in the chase, as a scared Raccoon will not hesitate to strike back.

Repair all the perimeters of the Porch

Raccoons can dig but prefer to curl into holes and make their nests under your porch. You will only make their job easier if your Porch has holes, cracks, or openings that make it easier for them to control into the Porch.

Environmental Sanitation

If you clean your environment regularly, you should not have any issues with Raccoons invading your yard. Being experienced scavengers, Raccoons can sense little details like filth, trash, and dirt from a long range.

You must make it a regular and judicious duty to keep the environment clean.

Build an electric fence

Fences are a good way to keep Pests and other wildlife out. However, you can install additional security measures like barbed wires and other deterrents to prevent them from successfully scaling into the building.

All the methods we discussed here are humane and are easy DIY. However, you can contact our services to ensure a clean and efficient job.

How to Prevent Raccoons From Entering Your Property?

Raccoons are one of the most tenacious suburban pests. But that’s not all. They’re also intelligent and athletic, with an uncanny ability to break into the attic, chimney, and trash cans. As nocturnal creatures, they go on a rampage at night, feeding on pretty much anything they can get – from sweet corn to fallen fruit to koi. And if your house isn’t well protected, prepare for an invasion from these problematic pests.

If you never want to deal with a raccoon infestation, read on to find out what actions you can take to prevent them from entering your property.

Eliminate food sources

As noted earlier, food is a major attractant for raccoons. And since raccoons aren’t picky eaters, you have to carefully and systematically cut off potential food supply on your property. Here are some of the primary food sources to consider:

Trash cans

Raccoons love to get into trash cans to get their share of leftovers. That’s why you must ensure your trash can is inaccessible. Use an aluminum can with a tight lid to ensure raccoons cannot break into them.

Bird feeder

If you love feeding birds, you must take caution to ensure raccoons do not get access to the bird seeds. One thing you can do is bring your bird feeders indoors, mainly at night. You can also hang your bird feeder from a thin pole so raccoons cannot climb.

Pet bowls

One grave mistake homeowners make is leaving their pet bowls outside. This not only attracts raccoons but several other wild animals. Take your pet food indoors, especially at night.

Compost pile

Get a compost bin with a secure lid to store your compost. If possible, keep the bin in the garage or shed.

Garden

The garden is home to several fruits and vegetables that raccoons love. Of course, you cannot eliminate your cherished plants to deter raccoons. Thankfully, there are other things you can do. First off, ensure you clear off fallen fruits from your garden. If possible, consider fencing your garden (more on that shortly).

Eliminate hiding spots and entry holes

Raccoons are attracted to yards where they know they can go undetected. That’s why they love to reside in the attic, chimney, and under house. They will also take advantage of hiding spots like under the roots of large trees, tall brushes, and more. That’s why you must ensure there are no hiding spots.

Seal off all potential entry holes to your house. Make use of hardware cloth or caulk so raccoons won’t be able to break through it. Moreover, remove abandoned objects like abandoned cars that can serve as a hiding spot. You should also keep bushes neat and trimmed to reduce cover.

Fencing

Fencing is a great way to keep raccoons out of your property/garden if you can afford it. Two strips of electric wires will suffice as a raccoon fence. The first wire should be 6 inches above the ground, and the second should be 12 inches above the ground (so raccoons cannot jump over). The fence delivers an electric shock to any raccoon that wants to enter, thereby keeping them away. Set the fence on a timer, running it only after dark. An electric fence might be dangerous if you have kids or pets around.

Use repellents/Deterrents

Certain repellents are known to keep raccoons away. Examples include predator urine, vinegar, ammonia, garlic, cayenne pepper, blood meal, cucumber plants, peppermint oil, Epsom salt, and more. Constantly apply these repellents around your surrounding to keep raccoons at bay.

Deterrents like motion-activated lights, sprinklers, and sonic deterrent devices can also keep raccoons away.