Raccoon Identification & Prevention

What are raccoons?

Raccoons are wild animals that are adorable to watch when bounding outside in wooded areas or around rivers. However, when they decide to make themselves at home in Waldorf, Maryland, yards or houses, they quickly lose their charm and wear out their welcome. 

Adult raccoons grow to the size of an average house cat. These wild animals are easy for most people to identify because of their unique markings. They have a black “mask” of fur that covers their eyes, whitish patches of fur on top of the eyes and around the nose, and a furry tail with gray and black rings. Salt and pepper-colored fur covers their body. 

Raccoons are pests that require the assistance of a wildlife control professional in Waldorf to remove from our Maryland properties. Read here and partner with Mike’s Pest, Termite and Wildlife Control to help keep these and other wild animals away from your property.

Are raccoons dangerous?

Raccoons are wild animals, and like all wild animals, they pose direct dangers to people, pose health risks, and damage property. When raccoons feel cornered or threatened, they defend themselves by hissing, scratching, and biting. Healthy raccoons won’t attack unprovoked, so as long as you give them their space, raccoon attacks aren’t a significant threat. 

Raccoons living in our yards, but especially inside our homes, can spread bacteria, disease-causing pathogens, and parasites that can make people and pets ill. Diseases spread by raccoons include:

• Salmonellosis
• Leptospirosis
• Giardiasis
• Rabies

Property damage is also a concern when raccoons find their way to our properties. Inside our houses, raccoons will tear through insulation and drywall, contaminate surfaces with urine and feces, and damage vents, ducts, windows, and doors.

Why do I have a raccoon problem?

Raccoons are omnivorous and feed on many of the same foods that we do. Raccoons having easy access to food on our properties is the most common reason why these pests find their way to our yards and keep returning. 

Near our homes, raccoons like to forage for food from:

• Trash cans
• Compost bins
• Pet food bowls
• Chicken coops 
• Gardens

Once raccoons figure out that multiple food sources are available, they may decide to stay and make your property home. While raccoons prefer to live outside, they will invade our homes to use their quiet, dark spaces as a safe place to den and raise their young.

Where will I find raccoons?

Raccoons like to create dens in secluded, dry areas. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal; they rest during the day and forage for food at night. Dusk and dawn are when these wild animals tend to be most active. Our yards often provide raccoons with many places to den, like woodpiles, tree hollows, fallen trees, and spaces under decks and sheds. 

Unfortunately, raccoons don’t just stay outside in our yards; they sometimes take shelter in our homes, garages, and sheds. Attics, wall voids, crawl spaces, and chimneys provide these pests with suitable sources of shelter.

If you regularly see raccoons moving around your yard and home, you must take action and contact a raccoon removal expert. The longer these pests are allowed on your property, the more damage they will cause.

How do I get rid of raccoons?

Contact the professionals at Mike's Pest, Termite and Wildlife Control to get rid of raccoons that have found their way to your Maryland property. Our team of experts is here to determine the extent of your raccoon problem and implement effective trapping, exclusion, and sanitation solutions. 

We are here to help you remove unwanted wildlife to protect your home and family from the dangers and damage that raccoons can cause. For more information about wildlife control in Waldorf, please call us today!

How can I prevent raccoons in the future?

Use this list of helpful tips to prevent raccoons from becoming comfortable on your property:

• Place mesh fencing around the bottom of decks and sheds to keep raccoons from using them as den sites.
• Remove excess debris from your yard, like wood piles and other yard debris.
• Keep tight-fitting lids on all outdoor trash cans and compost bins.
• Place all trash bags in trash cans.
• If you have chickens, make sure their coop is secure.
• Place mesh caps on chimneys and vents to help keep raccoons out.
• Make sure screens are tight fitting in windows and doors.

Please contact Mike’s Pest, Termite, and Wildlife Control today for the best home pest control in Waldorf!