Raccoons are without a doubt one of the most mischievous nuisance animals there is. When they make shelter somewhere around or inside your home, they literally turn your life upside down! From overturned trash cans that look like they were dug through by a disturbed four year old, to pooping in the pool and even tearing insulation and chewing electric cables- Yes, raccoons do chew electric cables. There is no telling the amount of damage you may encounter within days of a raccoon infestation. The worst part is that as they go about their business they make bumping and walking noises denying you sleep, plus their feces actually carry fatal diseases.
How to get rid of raccoons.
When it is evident that you are now sharing your property with this nasty creature, there are four ways you could go about handling the issue. You can either use prevention, live trapping, exclusion or repellents. One thing we always advice our clients is that when you need quick and effective results you may use more than one method. For instance, employing about two or so tactics will get rid of your raccoon problem while ensuring that there is no chance of a recurrence.
1. Prevention.
Just like all other wild animals that may be lurking around your property, the raccoons are there for the food. So start by denying them access to food. Keep a thoroughly clean compound, raking any berries and fruits by hat have fallen on the ground.
Seal shut all the trash cans and always hose them down to keep the smell of food at bay. Use metallic cans that will not open even when toppled over.
Raccoons are omnivores which means they can eat almost everything. One of their favorite foods is insects, so you might want to check into that. Kill the insects in your garden by the use of the right pesticides to ensure that the raccoons cannot dig out their favorite grubs and keep lurking around.
Since the animals can open doors, it would also be advisable if you sealed any pet doors and locked any place the raccoons may use to get inside the house. Those who have had a raccoon inside the house will definitely tell you that the animals do not leave a pretty sight!
2. Live Raccoon Trapping.
We usually insist on live trapping because it is a humane way to deal with your raccoon problem. No matter how 
annoying the animal might be, please do NOT kill or harm the raccoon. The only problem with trapping however, is that there are chances of trapping the wrong animal for instance a stray skunk, rat or even the wrong raccoon! This will not help matters at all since you will keep repeating the process hoping that you will get your target raccoon. We also insist, that you must be careful with trapping a raccoon that lives in your attic because chances are that there are baby raccoons in there. It would be best if you investigated first before placing a trap in the attic.
Trapping involves placing a metallic cage in a convenient place, then baiting the animal which would be trapped and safely relocated. Take precaution when handling a trapped raccoon because they do scratch and even bite.
3. Raccoon Exclusion.
This involves sealing off the entry and exit points that are usually used by the racoons. It is a procedure that will keep the raccoons out of your attic or any other place they may have invaded.
Precautions: Do not attempt to seal out a mother raccoon who has young ones inside your home! She will literally tear your house down as she tries to get to her young. Also, the process must be thorough and well done to prevent further raccoon problems. This means that you must find all the holes and caulk them shut.
4. Raccoon Repellents.
Some people use light and noise to deter raccoons. Others even purchase ammonia based repellents which sometimes contain fox or coyote urine. While it is important to employ any exclusion means you may know of, it is best if we saved you the time and let you know pointblank that this method is not very effective. Most of the time the raccoon may be deterred for a moment but they will get used to it and carry on with their business like nothing happened!
When should I call for professional raccoon removal services?
The best advice would be ALWAYS call the experts when you have a raccoon problem. Here are the reasons:
In most states it is illegal to relocate raccoons. You may hurt the animal or even leave its young in your home, something that will prompt it to trek back and find them. The animal may either make it back or die on its way, leaving you with the guilt of animal cruelty. You need the professionals to handle that part.
Most trapped raccoons get aggressive. They lash out at homeowners who were ill prepared for the job, bringing about injuries and risks of contacting rabies.
Sometimes if the sealing procedure is not properly done the raccoon will just tear a fresh hole, ruining your property and costing you a whole lot more than hiring a raccoon removal technician.
Raccoon removal services usually have cleanup services for raccoon droppings. The procedure saves you and your
pets from contacting diseases.
Raccoons can get really aggressive and the problem is that they do not fear you. Even if you tried to scare the animal it may just stare back unaffected. Experts know how to handle the animals and foresee some problems that you, as a novice, may not be aware of for an effective raccoon removal process.
Need expert raccoon removal services in Michigan? Do not hesitate to give us a call. We have an emergency line that you can reach us on for such cases. Do NOT risk your health trying to remove a raccoon. We are here to ensure that you are on the safe side of the law and that your home is efficiently rid of the raccoon problem once and for all. Contact Bat Removal and Prevention services for a free quote if your wondering how to get rid of raccoons, once and for all.
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