Raccoon Removal
Raccoons are a quirky, clever pest. Their pilfering-yet-somehow-charming personalities have both aggravated and amused us for centuries. Type in “raccoons” on YouTube, and you are bound to find an endless queue of entertaining raccoon capers. Watching one steal donuts from a coffee shop is pretty funny. Watching them break into your pantry and trash your food supply? Not so much. Most people know that they will eat practically everything—and they get into everything too. Including, unfortunately, our homes. They seem to figure a way in too easily. We’re pretty sure these bandits don’t need that trademark mask of theirs, but it is certainly a clue to their usual intentions.
Raccoons adapt very easily to different climates, although they typically avoid extreme heat and cold. They have been here much longer than we have—25 million years or so, in fact! They can be found everywhere in Northern America and upper Southern America as well. There are six different species found here in the United States nowadays, but in Florida, the only one you are likely to find is Procyon Lotor. This one is probably the most recognizable of any species, with its black mask, ringed tail, and thick, bushy grayish-brown coat. But trust us when we tell you that one species is enough in the Sunshine State! The populations are higher than ever here and cause a great deal of trouble for homeowners and vacationers alike.
They have evolved to become savvy urban dwellers and are just as much at home in the forest as they are in the suburban landscapes surrounding our homes. As we mentioned earlier, they are not fussy eaters. They will eat insects, eggs, mice, and other rodents, fruit and vegetables, nuts, fish, and even worms and mollusks out in the wild. In the not-so-wild, they will gleefully help themselves to whatever they can find in your trash can, your pet’s dish, and your garden. And if you have a tantalizing treat that they can see or smell in a garage, on a porch, or even inside your home, you can bet these sneaky, intelligent pests will be trying to get in. They wander into pet doors, pry open unlocked windows, scale fences, get into crawl spaces, and even open door handles to gain entry where they want to go.
You may even know someone who has one as a pet. Are they cute and fun to play with? We’d be lying if we said no. However, you should also be cautioned that they make truly terrible pets. They are and always will be wild animals. They are unhygienic, destructive, and will make a mess of your home. They are also overactive, do not “housetrain” easily, and bite without warning even if they have been hand-raised or domesticated. Most experts strongly recommend that you never willingly bring a raccoon into your home. Furthermore, it is well known that they spread infectious diseases (like rabies) and carry parasites (like roundworm).
The federal government warns you never to touch them because of how dangerous they are to human health. With the number of rabies cases in Florida on a steady climb, you don’t want an animal known to transmit that hanging around your property.
Do you think you might be having a problem with raccoons but haven’t actually seen them? That is not unusual either, as they are nocturnal and often only come around in the darkness. If you don’t see them, you’ll probably notice the evidence of their mischief, however: toppled trash cans, scratch marks, droppings, and footprints, which are very distinctive and look like tiny human handprints.
There is something more you should know if you are experiencing a problem with raccoons in or around your home or place of business: The local government has special rules and regulations regarding how raccoons are dealt with. It is illegal to handle them, trap them, remove them, etc., without a special permit. Utilizing the services of a wildlife control specialist is an absolute must. For assistance with raccoons in the South Florida area, the top-rated expert is Pest Boys Termite & Wildlife Solutions. We have the experience you need, and we are always ready and happy to help. Please give us a call today.