With their black masks over their eyes and ringed tails, raccoons can look adorable from a distance but they are clever animals that can be difficult to get rid of. They can cause serious damage if they get into your home and can carry disease, so removing them as quickly as possible is vital. These opportunistic creatures are attracted to any easy food sources, which is why they invade gardens and homes and garden structures to get to the fruit, vegetables, and seeds. They also like to build dens in outbuildings, sheds, and attics.

You can get rid of raccoons by blocking all entrances to your property and eliminating their favorite foods. It’s often possible to do this with simple steps that require little time or effort, such as locking up outside trash cans and securing the lids, preventing access to water fountains, removing bird feeders and placing them in cages, and keeping vegetable and flower gardens clear of fallen leaves, sticks, twigs, and fruit.

Mastering Raccoon Removal: Effective Strategies to Get Rid of Unwanted Guests

If raccoons become a problem, you can try using deterrent sprays or traps to remove them. However, this is a dangerous task that is best left to a pest controller with experience in dealing with wildlife. Traps should only be used when it is safe to do so and the animal must be released according to legislation in a suitable habitat away from your home. Physically removing a raccoon can be very dangerous and, if there are babies present, the mother will defend her young and may harm you in the process.