How Do You Get Rid Of Raccoons In My Yard: Humane Traps & Prevention Tips

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How Do You Get Rid Of Raccoons In My Yard: Humane Traps & Prevention Tips

So, you’ve got raccoons in your yard. You’re probably wondering, “Can I get rid of raccoons humanely?” Absolutely! The goal is to safely remove raccoons and prevent them from returning, rather than causing them harm. This involves a multi-pronged approach, focusing on making your yard less appealing and using humane methods for any unavoidable encounters.

Raccoons are intelligent, adaptable creatures that are quite common in suburban and even urban environments. Their presence can lead to a variety of issues, from overturned trash cans and raided gardens to potential damage to your home’s structure. This guide will delve deep into effective strategies for raccoon removal and, more importantly, deterring raccoons and preventing future problems. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right humane raccoon traps to implementing robust prevention tactics for raccoon damage control and successful backyard wildlife management.

Why Raccoons Visit Your Yard

Before we can effectively get rid of raccoons, it’s crucial to understand why they are visiting your yard in the first place. Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores with a keen sense of smell and a remarkable ability to adapt. They seek out resources that provide food, water, and shelter.

Common Attractants for Raccoons:

• Food Sources: This is the primary driver for most raccoon visits.
  • Trash Cans: Unsecured or easily accessible trash cans are a buffet for raccoons.
  • Pet Food: Food left outdoors for pets, especially overnight, is a major draw.
  • Gardens and Fruit Trees: Ripe fruits, vegetables, and berries are highly desirable.
  • Bird Feeders: Seed spilled from feeders or the feeders themselves can attract raccoons.
  • Compost Piles: Uncovered compost can contain many appealing food scraps.
  • Grill Residue: Leftover food particles on grills can be a treat.
• Water Sources:
  • Bird Baths: Shallow water sources can be used for drinking and washing food.
  • Puddles or Standing Water: Accessible water sources after rain.
• Shelter: Raccoons are nocturnal and need safe places to rest during the day and raise their young.
  • Attics and Crawl Spaces: Gaps in your roofline, soffits, or foundations can provide easy access to cozy shelter.
  • Sheds and Garages: Unsecured outbuildings can offer a safe haven.
  • Dense Vegetation: Overgrown bushes, woodpiles, or hollow logs can serve as den sites.
  • Under Decks or Porches: These areas provide protection from the elements and predators.

By identifying and eliminating these attractants, you significantly reduce the appeal of your yard to raccoons, making pest control raccoons a much simpler task.

Humane Trapping: A Responsible Approach

When raccoons become a persistent problem, humane trapping is often considered. The goal of humane raccoon traps is to capture the animal without causing injury or undue stress, allowing for safe relocation. It’s important to check local regulations regarding trapping and relocating wildlife, as these practices can vary significantly by region.

Types of Humane Traps:

• Live Cage Traps: These are the most common type of humane trap. They are typically made of sturdy wire mesh with a spring-loaded door.
  • How they work: The trap is baited with food. When the raccoon enters to eat the bait and steps on a trigger plate, the door snaps shut, safely containing the animal.
  • Baiting: Common baits include marshmallows, peanut butter, canned sardines, or pieces of fruit. Place the bait at the far end of the trap, past the trigger plate, to ensure the raccoon fully enters.
• Havahart Traps: A popular brand known for its effective and humane live cage traps. They come in various sizes suitable for raccoons.

Best Practices for Using Humane Traps:

1. Placement is Key: Place the trap on a level surface along a known raccoon path or near an area where they are causing damage.
2. Bait Strategically: Use appealing baits. Consider placing a small trail of bait leading to the trap.
3. Check Frequently: This is the most critical aspect of humane trapping. Traps should be checked at least every few hours, and definitely at dawn and dusk. Leaving an animal in a trap for extended periods can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, stress, or injury.
4. Handle with Care: Wear thick gloves when handling a trapped raccoon or the trap itself. Raccoons can carry diseases and will defend themselves if they feel threatened.
5. Relocation Considerations:
   • Local Ordinances: Be aware of laws regarding wildlife relocation. Some areas prohibit it, or require specific permits.
   • Distance: If relocation is permitted, relocate the raccoon several miles away from your property, in an area with suitable habitat, to prevent them from returning. However, this can also introduce the animal to new dangers or disrupt existing wildlife populations. Many experts now advise against relocating wildlife due to these concerns.
   • “Eviction Notice” Alternative: If the raccoon is suspected to be denning in your home, it’s often better to humanely encourage it to leave on its own rather than trapping it inside your dwelling, which can lead to more complex problems.

Preventing Raccoon Infestations: The Long-Term Solution

Trapping might offer immediate relief, but the most effective way to deal with raccoons is through consistent prevention. By making your yard and home less inviting, you can effectively deter them. This is about creating an unwelcoming environment, essentially serving them an “eviction notice” through your actions.

Securing Your Trash: The First Line of Defense

This is arguably the most significant step you can take. Raccoons are incredibly persistent when it comes to garbage.

• Heavy-Duty Bins: Invest in metal garbage cans with secure, locking lids. Raccoons can chew through plastic and pry open flimsy lids.
• Bungee Cords or Straps: Use bungee cords or ratchet straps to further secure lids to the bins.
• Storage: Store bins in a garage, shed, or a securely fenced area until trash collection day.
• Rinse Containers: Rinse food containers to reduce odors that attract raccoons.
• Trash Day Smarts: Put bins out on collection day, not the night before, if possible.

Protecting Your Garden and Food Sources

If you have a garden or fruit trees, you’ll need to take extra precautions.

• Fencing: Install sturdy fencing around garden beds and fruit trees.
  • Height: At least 3 feet high.
  • Material: Use hardware cloth or chicken wire that is buried at least 1 foot into the ground to prevent digging.
  • Overhang: Consider an outward-facing overhang at the top of the fence to deter climbing.
• Harvest Promptly: Pick ripe fruits and vegetables as soon as they are ready. Don’t leave fallen fruit on the ground.
• Compost Wisely: Use a compost bin with a secure lid. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or greasy foods that are particularly attractive to raccoons. Turn your compost regularly to speed up decomposition.

Eliminating Outdoor Food and Water

• Pet Food: Never leave pet food or water bowls outdoors overnight. Feed pets indoors, or clean up any uneaten food promptly.
• Bird Feeders:
  • Placement: Hang feeders at least 10-15 feet off the ground and 5-10 feet away from any jumping-off points (like tree branches or fences).
  • Squirrel Baffles: Use squirrel baffles on poles.
  • Clean Up Spills: Regularly clean up spilled seed from under feeders.
  • Consider Alternatives: If raccoons are a major problem, consider temporarily removing feeders or switching to types that are less accessible.
• Grills: Clean your grill thoroughly after each use to remove food residue.

Securing Your Home and Outbuildings

Preventing raccoons from nesting or sheltering in your home is crucial for long-term raccoon damage control.

• Seal Entry Points:
  • Roofline: Inspect your roof for loose shingles, damaged soffits, or gaps in fascia boards. Repair them promptly.
  • Vents: Cover attic, roof, and foundation vents with sturdy hardware cloth or metal grates.
  • Chimneys: Install a chimney cap with mesh screening.
  • Foundations: Seal any cracks or holes in your foundation.
  • Decks and Porches: If raccoons are nesting under your deck or porch, block off access points with sturdy wire mesh, ensuring no animals are trapped inside.
• Outbuildings: Secure sheds and garages by ensuring doors and windows close tightly and are locked.

Raccoon Repellent: Natural and Chemical Options

While physical barriers and removal of attractants are the most effective, some raccoon repellent options can be used as supplementary deterrents. It’s important to note that the effectiveness of repellents can vary, and raccoons can become accustomed to them over time.

Natural Repellents:

• Strong Smells: Raccoons have a good sense of smell, and certain strong odors can be unpleasant for them.
  • Ammonia-Soaked Rags: Place rags soaked in ammonia in areas where raccoons are active or trying to enter. The fumes can be a deterrent. Be cautious with ammonia around pets and children.
  • Cayenne Pepper or Hot Sauce: Sprinkle cayenne pepper or apply hot sauce around gardens or entry points. Reapply after rain.
  • Peppermint Oil: Some anecdotal evidence suggests that peppermint oil can deter raccoons.
  • Predator Urine: Urine from coyotes or foxes, available commercially, can signal the presence of predators and make raccoons wary.
• Sound and Light:
  • Motion-Activated Sprinklers: These can startle raccoons and create a negative association with your yard.
  • Motion-Activated Lights: Bright lights can disrupt their nocturnal activity.
  • Ultrasonic Devices: These emit high-frequency sounds that are unpleasant for animals but generally inaudible to humans. Their effectiveness is debated and can vary.

Chemical Repellents:

• Always use chemical repellents according to label instructions and with caution, especially if you have pets or children.
• Many commercially available repellents are based on strong odors or tastes that raccoons find unappealing.

Dealing with Raccoon Damage and Specific Problems

Even with the best prevention, you might encounter specific issues like digging or evidence of entry.

Stopping Raccoons From Digging

Raccoons often dig in gardens for grubs or to unearth bulbs. They also dig to create latrines or to access potential den sites.

• Secure Garden Beds: As mentioned, fencing is the best solution.
• Remove Grubs: Aerate your lawn and use beneficial nematodes or milky spore disease to reduce the grub population, a food source for raccoons.
• Discourage Latrines: If raccoons are using a specific spot as a latrine, clean it up thoroughly and use a raccoon repellent or deterrent in that area.

Attic and Crawl Space Entry

This is one of the most concerning issues, as raccoons can cause significant damage and pose health risks.

• Locate the Entry Point: Carefully inspect your home’s exterior for any signs of damage, gnaw marks, or debris that indicates an entry point.
• Eviction Method:
  • One-Way Doors: Install a one-way exclusion door over the main entry point. This allows raccoons to leave but not re-enter.
  • Timing: Crucially, ensure no young raccoons are inside before sealing off entry points. Raccoons typically give birth in spring. If you suspect babies, wait until they are mobile enough to leave with their mother, or contact a wildlife removal professional. Trapping and relocating a mother with young can result in orphaned animals, which is inhumane and often illegal.
  • Professional Help: If you’re unsure about how to safely remove animals from your attic or crawl space, or if you suspect babies are present, it is highly recommended to contact a professional wildlife removal service. They have the expertise and equipment to safely remove raccoons and their young.

When to Call a Professional

While DIY methods can be effective for many backyard wildlife management issues, there are times when professional help is necessary.

• Aggressive Animals: If you encounter a raccoon that appears sick, injured, or unusually aggressive, do not approach it. Call animal control or a professional wildlife removal service immediately.
• Difficult Access: If raccoons are in inaccessible areas like high attics, confined crawl spaces, or within wall cavities, professionals can safely extract them.
• Suspected Young: As mentioned, if you believe there are baby raccoons, professional intervention is the most humane approach.
• Persistent Problems: If you’ve tried various deterrents and prevention methods without success, a wildlife removal expert can offer tailored solutions.
• Home Infestations: For significant damage or when dealing with raccoon removal from within the structure of your home, professionals have the tools and knowledge to handle the situation safely and effectively.

Final Thoughts on Coexisting with Wildlife

Living alongside wildlife can be a rewarding experience, but it requires a balanced approach. The goal of raccoon removal and prevention is not to eliminate these animals entirely but to encourage them to find suitable habitats away from our homes and gardens. By implementing consistent preventative measures and using humane methods when necessary, you can enjoy your yard while respecting the natural world. Remember, making your property unattractive to raccoons is the most sustainable and effective strategy for long-term success in pest control raccoons.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Are raccoons dangerous to humans or pets?

Raccoons are wild animals and can be dangerous if they feel threatened, cornered, or if they are sick (e.g., with rabies). They can bite or scratch. While not inherently aggressive towards pets, they may defend themselves if provoked. Always maintain a safe distance.

Q2: What is the best time of year to trap raccoons?

The best time to trap raccoons is generally when they are most active and the young are mobile, typically late spring through fall. However, avoiding the denning season (early spring) is crucial to ensure you don’t separate mothers from their dependent young.

Q3: Can I spray something to make raccoons leave my yard?

Yes, there are raccoon repellent options available, both natural and chemical. Strong scents like ammonia, peppermint oil, or commercial repellents can deter them. However, their effectiveness can vary, and raccoons may get used to them over time. They are best used as a supplementary measure to securing attractants.

Q4: What should I do if I find a baby raccoon?

If you find a baby raccoon alone, it’s best to observe from a distance. The mother is likely nearby foraging. Avoid touching it, as this can make it a target for predators or cause the mother to abandon it. If the baby appears injured or truly abandoned (e.g., you haven’t seen the mother for over 24 hours and the baby is lethargic), contact your local animal control or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Q5: How do I know if raccoons are living in my attic or crawl space?

Signs include scratching or scurrying noises, particularly at night; distinctive vocalizations (chattering, hissing); strong musky odors; droppings (scat); and greasy or dirty rub marks around potential entry points. You might also notice insulation pushed aside or damage to wires or wood.

Q6: Is it legal to trap and relocate raccoons?

Legality varies significantly by state and local municipality. Some areas prohibit trapping and relocating wildlife altogether, while others require permits or specify relocation distances. Always check your local wildlife regulations before attempting to trap and relocate any animal.

Q7: How can I stop raccoons from digging up my lawn?

Raccoons dig for grubs, insects, and to access potential den sites. To stop this raccoon damage control, reduce the grub population by aerating your lawn or using grub control treatments. Securing potential food sources like trash and pet food is also essential. Fencing off vulnerable garden areas is highly recommended.

Q8: What is a good humane raccoon trap?

A common and effective humane trap is a live cage trap, often referred to by brands like Havahart. These traps are designed with a trigger plate that, when pressed, causes a door to snap shut, safely containing the animal without injury. Ensure the trap is the correct size for raccoons and is checked frequently.