Do You Know how to Get Rid of Raccoons? 5 Solutions to Eliminate Nasty Pests

As long as you see raccoons in the wild or at a zoo, they seem to be nice and appealing. However, when you notice their tracks in your yard, the only thing you think of is how to get rid of raccoons? They don’t seem to be cute animals, do they? Of course, they don’t, especially if they damage everything around.

To get rid of raccoons doesn’t mean to kill them. The notion of getting rid means frightening them away. It is quite easy, if you know how. And what about you? Do you know what options you have?

There Are Raccoons in my Garden…or There Aren’t. So, Are There?

Before eliminating these animals you are to be sure your garden is damaged by them, not other pests. Raccoons always leave tracks, which are similar to very small human hand prints – four thin fingers and a thumb. However, skunks and porcupines may leave the same marks. So, what’s the difference? A raccoon track is the closest resemblance of a human hand.

By the way, raccoons may also leave scat, feces on the landscape. Such droppings have blunt ends and are normally of uniform thickness.

Leave No Food Sources

Why do raccoons come so close to people’s houses? They are looking for food and find it. They never stay in one place, if there is not enough food. Your main task is to eliminate all food sources these animals can use:

• never leave pet’s food out, especially at night
• keep all trash in metal bins and cans with tight fitting lids
• cover garden crops with wire netting
• splash the lids and outer sides of metal cans with ammonia, because raccoons are repelled by the ammonia scent
• eliminate water sources near your home
• weight trash can lids with ricks in order to keep raccoons from removing them

Start Securing Your House

If raccoons liked your yard, they will get into your house soon. Doggie-door is the commonest entrance to come through. Make sure you’ve secured it at least for some time (until this animal leaves the area). If raccoons are in the attic, search for the areas they can penetrate through and seal them with bolts and steel.

Is Your Yard Clean?

If the answer is yes, there is nothing you should get worried about. If it is no, then take good care and clean it. In case you have pet’s food lying outside or bird feeders, these are invitations for raccoons to come in. After infesting your place, they destroy everything around, dig holes and make a den there.

Before your place is full of raccoons, make everything possible to eliminate them from your yard. And cleaning it is one of the most effective ways.

Natural Repellents. What Are They?

There are several effective repellents that can be used in cases of raccoon infestation:

• ammonia is one of the most effective ones as it is very unpleasant for raccoons. Just soak a few pieces of rags with it and place them in tin cans. Put the cans under the deck. Raccoons won’t stand a strong smell of ammonia and will move soon after they recognize it;
• hot sauce in a garbage bin also works. As garbage bins are popular among raccoons, pour hot sauce into them. These animals are not likely to come back to those places, where they’ve experienced the burning sensation, which was brought by hot sauce-laced garbage;
• you can also mix a bottle of Tabasco sauce with a gallon of water and add 1 teaspoon of water detergent to the solution. Spray it on plants, shrubs, trees and garbage cans near your house, if you want to get rid of raccoons.

To Trap or not to Trap? That’s the Question

Many people refer to this method as to the most effective one. Well, frankly speaking, it is effective, but why kill animals if you can simply scare them off? Besides, it is illegal to trap and relocate raccoons, unless you have a permission. Do you?

How to get rid of raccoons can be a very difficult question to answer if you don’t look for alternative and safe ways. Use the above mentioned tips to protect your place and make raccoons go away alive.