Think about stepping exterior your property solely to seek out your self surrounded by practically 100 raccoons, scratching on home windows and partitions, ready for meals. It sounds unbelievable, however that’s precisely what occurred to a lady in Kitsap County, Washington. For over 38 years, she had been feeding raccoons on her property, however lately, the sheer variety of them turned unmanageable and even aggressive. This surprising incident, captured on video, could very nicely be one of many greatest raccoon infestations on file. (Watch the video right here.)
Whereas her story is an excessive case, raccoon infestations can occur to anybody if the situations are proper. You would possibly suppose, “Not me—I’d by no means feed wildlife!” Nevertheless it doesn’t take hand-feeding raccoons for them to see your property as a first-rate spot to invade. Components like quick access to meals sources or poorly secured attics can shortly flip your property right into a raccoon playground. Appearing early with raccoon infestation prevention methods is vital to sustaining your property’s security.
In the event you’re frightened about avoiding raccoon issues, professionals like us at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Management in Scarborough might help. Utilizing this raccoon invasion story as a cautionary story, we’ll discover how infestations like this occur and how one can be sure it doesn’t occur to you.
What Occurred in Washington?
The lady in Kitsap County had been feeding raccoons for many years with none main points. However during the last six weeks, the raccoons’ behaviour modified drastically. Near 100 animals flocked to her residence, scratching at home windows and partitions, and primarily holding her hostage till meals was supplied. Even wildlife officers remarked on the bizarre scale of this gathering.
By feeding the animals each day, the raccoons turned dependent and misplaced their pure wariness of people. Worse but, when their meals wasn’t prepared, they began appearing aggressively. It’s a textbook instance of how human interplay can unintentionally create the greatest raccoon infestations conceivable.
Even when you don’t actively feed raccoons, leaving meals scraps outside or failing to safe your property can have related outcomes. To stop them from seeing your property as a straightforward goal, raccoon infestation prevention ought to all the time embrace securing meals sources and addressing potential shelter alternatives like attic and roof entry.
What Attracts Raccoons to Your Property?
Raccoons are opportunistic animals. They’re curious, adaptable, and all the time searching for the best method to discover meals and shelter. Sadly, lots of our on a regular basis habits can unintentionally invite them in.
What are the most typical sights for raccoons?
- Meals Sources: Open rubbish bins, compost piles, fowl feeders, or pet meals left exterior are main magnets for raccoons.
- Shelter: Unsealed holes in roofs or soffits, open chimneys, and accessible attics function supreme spots for raccoons to arrange nests.
- Heat: Particularly throughout colder months, raccoons search for insulated areas to boost their younger. Attics and crawl areas present the proper escape from the weather.
Ignoring these points will increase your possibilities of a full-blown infestation. The Kitsap County incident reveals simply how shortly raccoon populations can develop when situations are beneficial. Looking for early indicators of raccoon exercise is essential to avoiding raccoon issues earlier than they escalate.
Raccoon Infestation Prevention Suggestions
What are you able to do to maintain raccoons from turning your property into their private sanctuary? The Washington story highlights the significance of taking proactive steps to safe your property.
Right here’s methods to cease raccoons earlier than they get too snug.
Get rid of Meals Sources
Raccoons are scavengers by nature, and a straightforward meal is all it takes to make your property their go-to place. Right here’s methods to discourage their visits:
- Preserve rubbish bins indoors till pickup day or safe them with wildlife-proof lids.
- Keep away from leaving out birdseed or get rid of feeders totally if raccoon exercise is excessive.
- Clear up fallen fruit or greens from gardens and timber.
- By no means go away pet meals or water dishes exterior in a single day.
Safe Entry Factors
As soon as raccoons spot potential shelter, you’d be stunned how resourceful they are often in getting access to your property. Common inspections might help hold them out.
- Verify for gaps, holes, or free shingles in your roof.
- Correctly seal attic vents utilizing wildlife-proof supplies like heavy-duty mesh.
- Set up chimney caps to dam entry.
- Restore weakened soffits or fascia boards across the roofline.
Know the Indicators of Raccoon Exercise
Recognizing early indicators of a raccoon infestation can prevent from main frustration down the highway. The obvious pink flags embrace:
- Scratching or thumping noises in your attic or partitions, particularly at night time.
- Droppings close to corners of your property or on rooflines.
- Torn insulation or chewed wooden in attics.
- Persistent odours suggesting an energetic nesting web site.
Recognizing these behaviours early makes it simpler to take motion earlier than the difficulty spirals uncontrolled.
Name the Consultants
Coping with raccoons is rarely so simple as placing out traps or making an attempt to scare them off. With out the correct experience, these animals can change into more and more defensive and trigger much more harm to your property.
At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Management in Scarborough, we give attention to secure and humane options, like putting in one-way doorways that enable animals to exit your attic however forestall them from returning. Our group additionally identifies and fixes entry factors to make sure there’s no repeat subject. It’s one of the vital efficient approaches to avoiding raccoon issues.
What Can Occur if You Ignore Raccoon Points
Permitting raccoons to take over your area can result in severe penalties. Listed here are the dangers of delaying motion after recognizing indicators of an infestation.
- Property Injury: Raccoons are identified for his or her energy and curiosity, typically tearing aside shingles, vents, and insulation to realize entry to properties.
- Well being Hazards: Raccoon droppings can carry dangerous ailments, together with leptospirosis and raccoon roundworm, which may pose important dangers to your loved ones’s well being.
- Aggression: Like within the Washington case, raccoons could change into territorial or hostile when their established routines are disrupted.
Past this, the stress and frustration of coping with common late-night noises and destroyed property are sufficient to disrupt even probably the most peaceable residence life. Appearing early with raccoon infestation prevention is the easiest way to keep away from long-term issues.
A Lesson from Washington
The Washington incident is an ideal reminder of simply how crucial prevention is when coping with raccoons. As soon as they view your property as a secure haven, their numbers can develop past your management. It’s not sufficient to react when you’ve noticed them; as an alternative, you might want to proactively seal entry factors, get rid of meals sources, and deal with dangers earlier than they escalate.
In the event you’re feeling overwhelmed by the considered a wildlife infestation, keep in mind that our group at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Management in Scarborough is right here to assist. We focus on humane elimination practices and take steps to guard your property for the longer term.
Don’t Wait to Defend Your Dwelling
Your property needs to be a spot of consolation and safety—not a haven for raccoons. In the event you’re involved about avoiding raccoon issues or suspect that you could be have already got an infestation, it’s time to behave. Early detection and prevention methods will prevent numerous complications and bills down the highway.
For skilled assist, request an estimate with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Management in Scarborough. Our humane, efficient strategies like one-way doorways will resolve the difficulty with out harming the animals, all whereas safeguarding your property. Don’t watch for small indicators to show into the greatest raccoon infestations. Contact us at this time and reclaim your property!
