Raccoons are usually classified as a pest species due to their habits of living in human dwellings. The most common complaints include the following:
- Raccoons living in the attic
- Raccoons living in the chimney
- Tipping over garbage cans
- Stealing pet food or bird seed
- Sick, potentially rabid raccoon
- Presence is alarming dogs/pets
For these reasons, many people wish to have this nuisance animal trapped and removed.
BEHAVIOR: Raccoons are talented animals, and very well-adapted to live in almost any setting with ample food and water sources - including urban and suburban areas. Raccoons have a variety of skills that allow them to exhibit a variety of behaviors, most revolving around the basics: foraging for food and seeking shelter. Regarding the former, raccoons are omnivores, and opportunistic. They will eat from garbage cans (which they open the lids of or tip over) and dumpsters (which they sometimes get stuck in), and they will often steal pet food. Dog or cat food left outside is pretty much an open invitation to a raccoon, as the animal has no fear of any dog or cat, or oftentimes, human. If the pet food is indoors, the crafty raccoon will still get to it - they will rip open a screen to get inside the patio where the food is laid out, and will often find the food storage, and break into that as well. I've frequently observed raccoons entering pet doors and eating the pet food inside the house. In one case, raccoons were entering the pet door, going through the kitchen, down the hallway, across the living room, into the parlor, and up on the piano to the cat food bowl. Amazing! Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so most of this mischief happens at night.
Wondering how to get rid of raccoons? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of raccoons, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating raccoons. Some old wive's tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave,. Unfortunately these techniques fail. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with trapping and removal of the animals.
