Raccoons are very smart animals. They like to live in our houses because it’s easy!  Prevention is definitely the best way to keep raccoons out of your house. It’s better to prevent damage from raccoons than to have to trap the raccoon and then fix the damage. It is also more humane.

Methods to keep raccoons out of your house

1. Seal off all entry points to your house.

• • • Seal exterior doors and windows.
    • Repair damaged screens
    • Seal and repair broken vents
    • Put a mesh cap on your chimney
    • Seal all openings to the attic or basement
    • Repair all loose siding and shingles

 

2. Store trash in sealed areas.

• • • Make sure outdoor garbage containers are securely sealed.

 

3. Keep pet food in house or in well sealed airtight containers.

 

4. Make sure bird feeders and birdseed are in a location only birds can get to.

 

5. Keep fallen fruit and nuts off ground.

 

6. Keep wood piles at least 20 feet from your house.

 

7. Make sure brush, leaves, and debris are picked up in yard.

 

8. Don’t ever intentionally feed a raccoon!

 

Raccoons will always search for a home where food and shelter are easily available. Keep them away by eliminating food options around your house and sealing entry points.They can tear up a house is short order and cause serious property damage. In addition, raccoons can carry and potentially transmit disease to humans including rabies and roundworm.

 

What to do if raccoons have infested your house

1. Call a licensed Wildlife Pest Professional to inspect your property and  develop a plan to get rid of the raccoons and keep them away.

 

Raccoons are smart and not easy to get rid of once they have built a home in your house. They can be very difficult to trap and you definitely do not want to seal them in your attic or basement. It is inhumane to seal in raccoons and other wildlife. They probably won’t be able to find food or water and they would starve to death.