Raccoons Relaxing
If you have raccoons in your yard, attic or maybe you’ve seen them nearby then you are about to have major problems…
You need to act fast because as cuddly and cute as raccoons look, they actually bring a whole host of problems with them that risk you, your family, your property and your pets.
They can cause damage to property, they can potentially kill pets, their feces could cause life-threatening illnesses and they also carry rabies.
Surely, if one of those listed above scares you then you’re going to need these raccoon removal guides below.
Contents
What Attracts Raccoons?
A raccoon in the wild can travel up to 18 miles a day to forage for food such as mice, rats, and squirrels to feed itself and its family.
Raccoons eating
Consider the amount of effort, energy and time the raccoon has to use to capture these small creatures.
Yeah sure, it’s a natural way for a raccoon to feed itself and its family but a raccoon, given the option would prefer to have food without putting in the effort
Therefore, the raccoon that has moved into your neighborhood has a plentiful supply of food, all within a square mile and all that food is supplied by you and your neighbors.
Are you still surprised you have a massive raccoon problem?
With food sources such as; leftover garbage, cat or dog food left outdoors, fresh fish (pond), chickens from your yard, small pets that you own and crops from your garden this raccoon is going to have the best diet on the block.
How to Stop Attracting Raccoons to Your Yard
There’s a good chance that the raccoons in and around your yard are being attracted by an easy food source or a safe place to raise the kits and to get rid of your raccoon problem we first need to eliminate both of these raccoon attractants.
This first step is the ‘removal step’ where we will show you exactly what items are attracting the raccoons to your home. Here’s a list of the most common sources that encourage raccoons to enter your property.
Tip 1 – Reinforce Your Garbage Can
Raccoon & Garbage Can
Firstly I recommend that all bags of trash are very securely tied and ideally double bagged before placing in the can.
Your trash can outdoors is one of the main reasons why a raccoon is entering your yard.
This preventative tip above will not stop a raccoon from tearing open a bag of trash but it will help reduce and contain the smell and help stop the raccoons being attracted by it.
There’s nothing more delicious to a coon than the leftovers from your tasty meals, therefore, it’s important that you dispose of them properly.
Try these 2 products below to help
Peppermint Essential Oil
Mint Leaf
To hide the smell of the food in the bag from a raccoon you can add a few drops of peppermint essential oil both inside the bag and on top of it once you’ve placed it in the trash.
Raccoons don’t like the smell of mint and it will also hide the smell of the contents whilst also making your garbage smell better to you too.
Garbage Can Straps
This very strong strap for your garbage can lid works great and is easily fitted over the regular 95-gallon standard can lid and is available at a very affordable price on Amazon.
It’s very easy to attach by humans but very difficult for wild animals to remove.
Tip 2 – Remove Bird Feeders
Seeds drop to the floor
A lot of families enjoy feeding the birds, whilst it can be very relaxing watching those small birds enjoying the treats, these treats also attract lots of unwanted pests, such as the raccoon and friends.
You can purchase raccoon and squirrel proof bird feeders but at this stage, we want to give raccoons absolutely no reason to visit our yard.
Therefore, we are advising that you remove these wildlife feeders and any other similar kind of feeding device that may be on your yard.
This should hopefully just be a temporary measure until we can stop encouraging coons and then once you’ve implemented our recommended repellants you should be able to put them back out or at least buy raccoon or squirrel proof bird feeders.
This is a comprehensive guide that will help you understand what repels raccoons, why they have taken over your home or property, as well as how to get rid of them and how to stop them coming back?
11 Things That Raccoons HATE & Work to Get Rid!
Firstly, raccoons are extremely smart and trying to outsmart one can be annoyingly difficult.
Below is a list of things raccoons hate but understandably you may not be able to do certain methods depending on where they are on your property.
- Cayenne Pepper & Garlic Combo
Get a spray bottle and half fill with water, tip in some cayenne pepper and garlic (best to buy fresh and crush your own), shake and leave to stand until ready to use with the top fastened tightly.
Spray the common visiting places of a raccoon such as; garbage cans, edges of your garden, border of your property and if you have a camera (not really necessary) focus it on frequently used hotspots to check the effectiveness.
If raccoons come to drink water from your property then mix cayenne pepper and garlic directly into the water if possible. If you don’t have pets and the raccoons regularly come close to your door then maybe you could leave a bowl of water out for them with this mixture in it.
This mixture is very unpleasant to a raccoon or any other animal that may drink from it but it will not cause lasting damage to the coon (you don’t want to harm it, you just want to be rid).
- Peppermint Oil & Eucalyptus Oil
Raccoons hate the smell of mint so either you can long haul and plant some mint on your property or you can simply buy some peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil from Amazon or a local store.
Once again, place the oil in popular places the raccoon will go, maybe near your trash, the edges of your yard, on top of a fence or on tracks that the raccoon leaves as it may have a common route to your home.
- Vinegar
Placing a few drops of vinegar into a bowl of water that can be left out for the coons will certainly make them think twice from visiting again and definitely from drinking from your yard.
Here’s What is Attracting Raccoons To Your Property
The main reasons that raccoons are visiting or living on your property are normally because they can;
- Raise their young safely
- Access to food
- Availability of clean water
- A dry and warm environment
so who wouldn’t move in, hey?
Somewhere Safe to Live
Quite often raccoons will damage your property in order to make their den. They are avid climbers with their strong hands and feet and can easily gain access to your attic, roof or even under your deck.
Should you have a loose panel, roof tile or even deck on the ground they will quite happily rip it up further in order to gain access and then that’s where the fun begins (not fun…)
If you live in an area where raccoons frequent then its always good practice to ensure that your home, outbuildings, gazebo, deck, and other similar types of construction are well maintained and regularly checked for wear or damage.
To Raise Their Young
Adult raccoons are quite happy to start a family or move their kits to your home if they can build a den that they believe will be safe for their youngsters to grow.
5 Things Raccoons Hate & Will Drive Them Away
So first of all, I recommend that you bag up your trash properly
Tip 1 – Create a Boundary Around Your Yard
Do you find your yard being easily entered by raccoons and want to put up a little something to at least deter those pesky creatures?
The tip below may also make it a little trickier for the coon to enter your garden.
Then hopefully the pesky raccoons may choose a neighbors yard or different neighborhood rather than yours.
Tip 2 – Remove All Food Sources
You probably have a raccoon nearby because you have something that it wants and normally it’s food, water or a safe shelter to raise their young.
Do you feed the wildlife like; birds, squirrels, rabbits or do you have your own pets like a cat or a dog?
If so then you need to stop feeding these creatures outdoors.
Sometimes if you’re out all day you may leave your cat or dog some snacks on the yard, Is this you?
Well, the bad news is that you’re also leaving these delicious snacks for a disease-carrying raccoon and this could put your pet in danger.
Other common food sources are bird feeders, pet food (as mentioned above), food thrown out on garden for birds and squirrel feeders.
Tip 3 – Secure Your Garbage Can
If you have an overflowing garbage can or your trash is easily accessible then you might as well go to the local store, buy as much raccoon food as you can find and just throw it all over your yard!
Because, basically, that’s what you are doing…
If your trash is overflowing or your garbage can doesn’t have a secured lid you are providing raccoons with everything they love which includes;
- Solving puzzles
- Foraging
- Eating (their favorite)
What Are the Best Raccoon Repellants?
Tip 1 – Raccoon Scarer – Barking/Flashing Machine
These types of devices can be bought from your local hardware store or you can browse quite a range on Amazon to see what suits you best.
They can be bought with dog barking sounds and even stobe lights, whilst quite often they will have a ‘day and night’ setting too.
Sometimes you may have to be a little careful around your own domesticated pets like cats, dogs, and birds if you have them.
Don’t worry though, as normally it tells you on the box if it affects your pets.
Tip 2 – Use Ammonia as a Raccoon Repellant
Ammonia can be easily gotten hold of nowadays and is often used unknowingly as a sanitizer or sterilization product around the home.
It is also widely used in the manufacture of plastics, pesticides, chemicals, and many household industrial strength cleaning solutions.
Raccoons absolutely hate the smell and therefore it is best placed around the yard but away from areas such as the garden so as to not contaminate any vegetables that you may be growing.
Tip 4 – Raccoons Hate Cayenne Pepper
Raccoons hate really spicy items and cayenne pepper is right up there with the best repellants.
Here’s how to make a great raccoon pepper repellant
- Get yourself some red habaneros (3/4) and drop them in a mixer for a few seconds.
- Then add a little water and then add about 5/6 more red habaneros.
- Then mix up again for about 10 seconds
- Throw in a little garlic (It should really smell by now)
- Mix again
- Place it into a spray can ready for spraying around your yard.
Check this video for a better understanding. (start watching from 2:23)
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