How Do I Permanently Get Rid of Raccoons?

March 15, 2023   |   Wildlife

While they have a reputation for being cute, raccoons are also known for their intelligence, agility, and curious nature. All of these attributes make it hard to get rid of them once they’re on your property. Raccoons can damage your lawn or garden, dig through the garbage, break into your home, and spread diseases that are harmful to both people and household pets. They also pose a threat to your siding, roofs, ductwork, and wiring if they enter your house in search of food or a protected spot to give birth. 

You can take a few steps to prevent raccoons from nesting in your home, but once they’ve entered your attic or crawl space, you should not take action without consulting a professional wildlife removal service. The Humane Society suggests bright lights, loud music, and wire mesh as ways to discourage raccoons from nesting in your attic or crawl space. Some additional  preventative steps you can take include:

• Cover and secure your trash cans so raccoons cannot access the contents.
• Remove any possible food sources like cat or dog food, compost piles, and trash.
• Treat your lawn to remove grubs.
• Block access to hiding places like under a deck or entrances to the crawl space and attic. 
• Deter raccoons from hiding in dark spaces using motion-activated lights.

These preventative steps won’t guarantee that raccoons will avoid your home, but they address a few attractions and vulnerabilities. While these measures can help keep your property safe, if a raccoon makes your crawl space or attic its new home, nuisance wildlife removal is the safest and fastest way to get rid of raccoons. 

In this blog, we explore how to get rid of raccoons for good to keep you, your family, and your home safe.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons on Your Property

Once raccoons are on your property, the best step to take is to call a wildlife removal professional. You should not take action on your own against a raccoon infestation. Without trained experts, it can be difficult to assess the situation, which could lead to dangerous encounters. For example, a mother will be more protective if there are newborns, making safety concerns especially noteworthy. 

In some cases, it may be necessary to trap the raccoons and remove them from the property. This should only be done by a professional animal control expert, as it is very dangerous to handle wild animals on your own. If the raccoons have taken up residence inside your home, it may also be necessary to remove them while repairing any damage. The best person to physically remove a raccoon is a professional who knows how to handle the animal properly and transport it to a more suitable habitat. 

Do Mothballs Keep Raccoons Away?

If you live in Florida, you likely already know that improper use of mothballs is illegal and can be very dangerous. For example, you cannot place them outside. Additionally, mothballs are neither a safe nor a long-lasting solution to keep raccoons off your property. Not only are they ineffective, but mothballs are poisonous to both people and pets because of the substances they contain. The compounds included in mothballs have been shown to have temporary negative health effects, including headaches, nausea, eye and nose irritation, and coughing. Hemolytic anemia and harm to your liver and kidney are more severe symptoms of mothball exposure. Naphthalene is also carcinogenic and can lead to severe health concerns. If you use mothballs outside, they can cause toxic runoff in water, making it a health concern not only for you but for everyone around you. 

Are Raccoons Hard to Get Rid Of?

Once they’ve moved into or near your home, it can be difficult to remove raccoons. According to Florida Rule 68A-9.010, a raccoon may be considered a nuisance animal if it damages property, threatens public safety, or causes annoyance within, outside, or near a structure. Although raccoons can carry diseases and cause property damage, they are also protected by law in some areas, like those laid out by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. That means it is important to approach control measures humanely and legally. If raccoons have nested in your attic or crawl space, you should call a professional to physically remove them and repair any damage they have caused. 

How Long Does It Take for a Raccoon to Leave?

The amount of time a raccoon spends living on a property might change based on several factors, such as the accessibility of food and shelter and presence of other raccoons nearby. Raccoons will investigate their environment for resources that make an area more habitable. They may be hesitant to leave a property if they have discovered a consistent food supply. If you take steps to remove food and shelter sources, raccoons will sometimes leave within a few days to a week. 

In Florida, in particular, large bodies of water like the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico might make an area more suitable for raccoons. The warm weather could make it possible for raccoons to scavenge all year round, resulting in a larger population density in some locations.

But will raccoons leave on their own? In most cases, raccoons do not leave on their own, and you should not expect them to. In these instances, calling a professional animal removal service is the safest option. 

Rid Your Residence of Raccoons the Right Way

Are raccoons causing damage to your property or posing a threat to your family and pets? If you need skilled raccoon removal services in Florida, look no further—Turner Pest Control is here to help! Our team of certified technicians has years of experience dealing with raccoons and will ensure that they are removed safely from your property. You can choose the individual services you need right now or pick from comprehensive plans like SMART TurnerGuard, our top-tier protection program, which includes complimentary follow-up service calls should you need them. Visit our website today to request service to your home.