Once raccoons have set their sights on your home and broken in, delaying the raccoon removal process is simply not an option. These creatures are not only the largest of the common urban pests we encounter but they are also the most agile and determined. Whether you simply ignore it, try to fix the issue quickly yourself or delay dealing with the issue even for a few days; this error in judgment will surely prove costly. You have a very small window within which to act when dealing with a raccoon intrusion.  

Have a look at the video below and see what kind of damage a single raccoon can do in a short period of time when left unobstructed:

 

  

 

 Below we will touch on the main pitfalls to avoid if do not wish to turn a simple raccoon removal job into a major renovation and restoration project.

 

Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!

 

Doing Raccoon Removal Yourself 

Attempting to do-it-yourself is always a tempting option. I mean, how hard can it be to evict an animal and secure the area to make sure it cant get back in? The answer is – very difficult! Raccoons are very smart and exceptionally creative. Especially when it comes to getting into an area they have determined to be their home. 

You may think you can lure the animal out and quickly secured the area, brilliantly saving yourself some dollars in the process. What is more likely to happen is you will waste a few hours of your life, exasperate the problem as far as potential access to your home for the animal, as well as potentially trap the animal in the space if you get lucky. Which will lead to the raccoon doing more damage as it breaks through another area to exit the premise?

There are several areas that need to be addressed that are not obvious to the untrained professional. If you only do a partial job of securing the area, you can be 100% assured that the raccoon will be back in within 24 hours. Their ability to sniff out vulnerable areas and regain entries consistently surprise even the most seasoned wildlife professionals.

The odds of a DIY prevention job being effective are similar to the odds of you getting a hole in one at golf. It happens the odd time, but I would not bet my hard earned money on it.

 

 Waiting a Few Days

raccoon rummaging through garbage Life gets busy and the truth is dealing with a wildlife removal issue in your home is probably not what you are hoping to do once you get home and unwind. It’s pretty easy to justify to ourselves leaving the issue alone for a day or two and just hoping the animals will get bored and move on. This can be particularly tempting if you do not hear any noises for an evening. These crafty veteran pests will often give you the impression they have moved on as they may not come by for a day or two. Raccoons typically have up to three den sights in any given neighborhood. Because they are creatures of habit, they will typically stay in the same neighborhood, simply changing den sites every few days. They do this to avoid easy detection and to increase their chances of keeping their resting places undisturbed. 

Just because things have been quiet for a day or so, does not mean you dodged a bullet. Trust when we tell you, complacency will end up costing you hundreds, if not thousands of avoidable repairs. 

Often weighing in at over 20 pounds, raccoons only need a few minutes to cause significant damage to an enclosed area. And given enough time, their excrement, nesting materials, food remnants and other contaminants will soon make your living space inhabitable. 

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Not Decontamination Area

Regardless of how the issue got resolved, it’s important to thoroughly disinfect and decontaminate the affected areas. As we touched upon earlier in this article, the risks and potential damage of having one of these pests break in extend past physical damage to your home. Given enough time, raccoons will make themselves completely at home in your attic, walls or garage. Raccoon urine and droppings can be responsible for spreading several diseases.

It will not take long before their urine, feces, nesting materials and food staches will create a rather toxic, unsanitary environment. We have yet to come across any house broken raccoons in our 12 years in business, therefore it stands to reason that they will treat your home as if it were the great outdoors. Going about their business as they please.

If exposed to raccoon airborne contaminants found in the animal’s excrement, you may be exposed to raccoon roundworm, giardiasis, leptospirosis, and salmonella. Suffice it to say it it is imperative that you disinfect and decontaminate any affected areas after any wildlife intrusion, especially raccoons. 

 

In all our years of helping homeowners rid themselves permanently of urban pests such as raccoons, the instances of DIY cases costing the homeowners more time and resources far outweigh the instances in which these efforts contributed towards a permanent resolution to the problem.

With some problems, it’s simply best to leave it to the pros. Do not attempt raccoon removal on your home, call your local humane wildlife prevention experts. 

 

Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!

 

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