Prevention beats dealing with raccoon damage after it happens. Understanding what draws these masked bandits to your property helps you make your home less appealing to unwanted wildlife visitors.
Raccoons need three things to survive.
Raccoons require food, water and shelter—and your property likely offers all three. These skilled climbers easily scale fences and squeeze into attics, crawlspaces and other entry points around your home.
Water sources that attract raccoons include:
- Decorative fountains and ponds
- Standing puddles
- Leaky outdoor pipes
- Pet water bowls left outside
Food remains the biggest draw for raccoons seeking an easy meal on your property.
Raccoons eat almost anything.
Wild raccoons typically hunt and forage near water sources, feeding on crayfish, frogs, fish, snails and clams. They also consume eggs, insects, nuts, fruits, vegetables and carrion when available.
These opportunistic feeders quickly adapt to readily available food sources. Your property might offer:
- Pet food left outside overnight
- Vegetable gardens with ripe produce
- Fallen fruit and nuts in your yard
- Unsecured garbage cans with accessible lids
Once raccoons discover a reliable food source, they’ll keep returning for more.
DIY raccoon control often backfires.
Online home remedies for raccoon removal frequently fail. More concerning, threatened raccoons may attack, and some carry diseases including rabies. Professional wildlife control provides safer, more effective solutions than risky DIY methods.
Seven steps to prevent raccoon problems.
Take these proactive measures to make your property less attractive to raccoons:
- Remove fallen fruit and nuts from your yard regularly.
- Install motion-activated sprinklers around vegetable gardens.
- Secure trash can lids with bungee cords or tight-fitting covers.
- Bring pet food and water dishes inside when not supervised.
- Store birdseed, grains and pet food in sealed containers with no raccoon access points.
- Inspect your home’s perimeter for potential entry points to attics, crawlspaces and under porches.
- Keep firewood stacked in sealed sheds or away from your house.
Professional help beats risky encounters.
Raccoons may appear harmless, but aggressive or rabid animals pose serious health risks. If you suspect raccoons have moved onto your property, contact wildlife control professionals rather than attempting removal yourself.
Don’t let those masked faces fool you—raccoons can be dangerous when cornered or diseased. Think raccoons have made themselves at home on your property? Don’t try evicting them yourself—call the professionals.
Terminix trained technicians evaluate your home to identify raccoon activity and provide safe and effective removal solutions. Our experts handle wildlife problems safely while protecting your family and property.
Stop raccoons from turning your yard into their campground. Fill out a quick contact form and schedule your free inspection today!