Just how can you perform raccoon removal from your attic, deck, porch, shed, chimney or window well? Did we miss a location? For that too. Lets face it, raccoons get everywhere. If you have a raccoon inside your property, first, you must learn what not to do and then what to do. Any improper removal action you take can lead to damage, death, stench and a variety of other can of worms.
Raccoons are removed humanely using one-way doors or excluder devices / doors. An alternative solution for removing raccoons where one way doors’ can’t be used is trapping. Keep in mind trapping can stress animals and is a last resort where excluder devices are not an option. There is also a lot of responsibility that comes with trapping, one being the constant checking of the trap to ensure the animal doesn’t suffer. At maximum the trap should be checked once every 24 hours.
This guide will do it’s best to explain what you should know if you are handy enough to attempt raccoon removal on your own. We recommend you hire a professional even when following these steps to ensure you are covered, insured and have help if things go wrong.
What not to do
Here we’ll discuss all the horror stories that we’ve encountered in the field where homeowners take raccoon removal to their own hands and more so than solving their issue, they make matters worst. Before we discuss what to do, we’re going to make sure we avoid detrimental what not to do’s.
Don’t close or repair damaged soffits without inspection
The most damaging mistake we see homeowners do is close or repair damaged soffits or roof. Holes that appear on the roof or soffits that drop or dislodge typically don’t occur naturally by wind, snow or other environmental conditions. It’s always best to inspect your roof and attic by a wildlife removal professional.
Don’t trap and relocate raccoons during baby season
The second most common mistake that people make is they take trap and relocate a raccoon without checking for babies. Two weeks before, during and after March, trapping or one-way doors should not be used. You may use one-way doors in July. When trapping and relocating an adult raccoon in March, there’s an extremely high chance that the raccoon you trapped is a breast feeding mother raccoon. Relocating her will soon turn into a nightmare, especially if that raccoon was in your attic or walls with babies. At that point if baby removal is possible, their chances of survival is extremely low without wildlife rehabilitation intervention. In March, wildlife rehabilitation centers’ are extremely busy and may not be able to care for the babies.
The maximum relocation distance for trapping is 1km. It’s highly recommended that you seek professional help with raccoon removal in this season to ensure babies are removed along with the mother raccoon together. There is a lot of steps to follow to make sure this happens humanely and smoothly.
What to do
If you have successfully captured raccoon pups and the mother, watch how to relocate a family of raccoon babies and mother with video. Protect yourself with gloves, masks, and safety glasses. Raccoons carry diseases, most dangerously Baylisascaris Procyonis.
How to install a one-way door or exclusion device for raccoon removal
If you are comfortable on your roof with experience, you’ll need to use a raccoon specific excluder door to perform the removal. Raccoon one-way doors can be found on wildlife tool distribution websites such as buytraps.ca. You’ll have to get a sturdy barrier such as carbon steel mesh to shape your own exclusion and excluder to fit your needs. You can use zip ties to attach your excluder door to your exclusion barrier and install it using screws and washers. Fasten your exclusion using washers and screws. Remember not to use caulking, until the raccoons have left through the excluder or one-way door. Once raccoons have been removed, unfasten your screws and washers, repair the area if needed and then reinstall your steel barrier to provide protection to the area. You can use caulking after the repair to ensure your screws don’t leak. Removing caulking can damage your shingles, so you should try and make sure you’re finished with repairs before caulking.
Alternatively, if one-way door options are not available, for example you have a nuisance raccoon in your backyard ruining your harvest.. You can use trapping and relocation.
When using the one-way doors (excluder doors) you’ll need to wait up to 7 days to ensure the raccoons have left. Another way to be sure is if you’re attuned to hearing them every night, when noises stop for at least 3 consecutive nights, they are gone.
Item preparation
- Ladder for reaching spots where exclusion and excluder doors need to be placed.
- 16 Gauged galvanized carbon steel mesh 1″ x .5″ or 1″ x 1″ will do the job.
- Screws and washers to fasten exclusion on raccoon entry points.
- Caulking to fit your needs, make sure your caulking is weather proof, especially in Canada.
- Power drill, screw pouch; attached to belt for ease of work and safety.
- Shingles and flashing for minor repairs, for more serious ones, get a contractor.
Raccoon Removal Aftermath
Once you have used the tools, exclusion and excluder on the entry point and remove the raccoon.. What’s next? Will the raccoon come back? The answer is yes. Raccoons return to previous den sites and try to gain entry. Some people can get away for weeks, monthly or even years. But eventually raccoons tend to come back and do their nasty deeds on your roof. For that there is prevention. In order to prevent future raccoon problems, you’ll need to know where raccoons tend to damage to get into your personal space. The final link to complete this guide is how to inspect for raccoon damage and prevent them from getting into your home. The recommended prevention materials are galvanized carbon steel mesh or wiring, they are sturdy and impenetrable by any wildlife in Ontario. Final words, it’s always best and safest to let a professional company like SIA Wildlife Control to humanely provide you with a raccoon removal service in Toronto than it is to it yourself.
