How to Get Rid of Raccoons

Raccoons are among the most widespread mammals in New York State. The adaptable raccoon can be found everywhere, from the most remote forest to the crowded inner city. The increasing number of raccoons in Nassau County, Long Island has resulted in diverse reactions by residents, ranging from outrage at their presence to deliberate feeding of raccoons. Wildlife removal experts from Nassau County Animal Control caution against feeding wild animals, because they lose their fear of humans and become increasingly obtrusive and dependent on humans as a food source. Raccoons without fear of humans are more likely to attack people. Raccoons don’t normally attack domestic animals, but will fight and even kill a cat, or dog for food.

Why Get Rid of Raccoons?

Despite their innocent-looking, cute little faces, raccoons actually have quite a reputation for being mischievous and destructive. Raccoons like to tear holes in a roof and inhabit attics. Raccoons in the attic, will urinate and defecate on the insulation in the attic and ruin it. When a raccoon enters a home, they also bring fleas with them. Raccoons often knock over trash cans and uproot gardens and lawns in search of earthworms and grubs that they eat. Raccoons may also carry and transmit diseases such as rabies or roundworm and are capable of becoming aggressive and biting humans, or other animals when they are rabid or feel threatened.

When it comes to getting rid of raccoons, there is no magic wildlife removal spray or raccoon repellent. These chemicals and other products like ultrasonic sound devices are really just gimmicks. The only proven way to get rid of a raccoon is through preventing access, limiting food sources, and raccoon trapping.

Step 1) Prevent Access

If you suspect that your home is inhabited by raccoons, skip this step and go to step 3. It is a little known fact that adult raccoons can fit through an opening as small as 3″ to 4″ in diameter. To prevent access, you should inspect the home or structure for all possible openings, and then seal them off. The most common entrance to a home for raccoons is down the chimney, or else through a vent by way of the roof. Do not block these openings if you suspect that your home is inhabited by raccoons. Methods of preventing access include:

•Trim trees and other shrubberies away from the house and roof
•Secure a cap of sheet metal over the chimney outlet
•Repair openings or holes in the home, but first make sure that your home is not already inhabited by an animal. Place newspaper into the opening and if it gets pushed out, don’t repair the hole until the animals have been removed.
•Electric fences may keep raccoons out of lawn and garden

Step 2) Limit Food Sources

Raccoons are not going to stick around long or make your home their home unless there are enough food sources to sustain them. To limit or eliminate food sources:

•Keep all trash in metal cans or bins with tight-fitting lids
•Keep trash cans in a garbage can storage shed
•When throwing away meat or other foods with a strong odor, double-bag them to reduce smells
•Eliminate as many sources of water as possible in your yard and near your home
•Regularly clean up fallen fruit such as berries in your garden
•If possible, cover garden crops with a cage of wire netting.
•Don’t leave pet food outside.

Step 3) Raccoon Removal Long Island

In New York State raccoons are protected by law. No one may possess a raccoon without a license, and licenses are not issued for pet wildlife. Hunting or trapping raccoons requires a license. If you suspect that your home has become inhabited by raccoons or some other wildlife contact a licensed New York State Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator. Do not attempt to seal the animals out of your home, which results in you sealing them into your home. Even if you are successful at excluding the animal from your home, there is a good chance that there are baby raccoons in the attic. The mother raccoon can and will attempt to get back into your home to get to her raccoon pups, which usually results in more damage to your home. If she doesn’t get back into your home, the raccoon pups will die and you will have a terrible stench, and blowflies will now inhabit your home.

Raccoons in the Attic ?

Many suburbanites see raccoons as mere pests, and others may consider this little critter a huge headache and even a potential threat. But, for those that have had raccoons in the attic, they can be real nightmares. They make a lot of noise, can cause extensive damage, and pose a health risk to your family.

Here are some basic facts about raccoon habits:

Raccoons are nocturnal, foraging for food at night and resting in the daytime

• Raccoons are scavengers and are particularly fond of garbage left by humans; however, they have been known to dunk their food in water before taking a bite. How civilized!

The hands of raccoons are similar to those of primates in that they are adequately spaced evenly, making them very agile

They do not hibernate in the winter, but they do go into a restful state and eat very little

Raccoons are typically loners, but mothers stay with their cubs from the spring births until the first winter

Raccoons are vagabonds; they will travel to follow food and shelter but will remain at places as long as they need

Here’s the catch. Note the last two points: raccoon mothers and babies stick together for about 16 weeks and they will travel and commit to a place that offers comfort. Here’s where your home comes into play—this can present a place that offers warmth, cover, and food for a raccoon mama nursing her young.

Wildlife removal, particularly when a raccoon takes up residence, is best handled by a professional. They can be difficult to evict and time is of the essence—before too much damage is done. Learn more about how we get rid of raccoons in your home in upcoming posts. And note that the springtime is when baby raccoons are born and homeowners should be particularly suspicious of noises they hear or other curious findings that may indicate a raccoon guest.

About DQ Pest Control:

DQ Pest Control is a family-owned and operated New York animal control and pest remediation company serving the New York metropolitan area and Long Island. Specialist David Quinn is a New York exterminator with many years of experience in the family business.

Spring is Finally Here ! Welcome, Green Leaves, Tulips, and ... Raccoons ?

The new season is upon us and there’s nothing like springtime in New York. The flowers begin to bloom, the trees get their leaves back, and the air is pleasant for a stroll—the crispness of the cooler months with the sunshine’s promise of warmer weeks to come. It’s great! We’ve been waiting since October!

But, so have others… like raccoon families, particularly mamas. They are ready for the new spring arrivals, and the last item on the “to-do” list is to make a nest. And guess what? Your attic looks pretty appealing.

There are a few reasons this becomes a problem in spring and there are a number of problems, aside from the obvious, with a raccoon guest. Because this issue is particularly dire and pervasive, I will spend some time over the next month or so talking about raccoon habits—why they do what they do—and what can be done about it—why we do what we do. 

Do you have any raccoon stories you’d like to share? If so, we’d love to hear about your experiences. Post a comment and let us know what happened. Maybe you’ll have just the information someone needs! What damages did you see? How did you solve the problem?

As things warm up outside, be on the lookout for more posts about raccoons here: about their habits, how to detect a problem, and what to do if you have one. And feel free to ask us questions and tell us your stories!                

About DQ Pest Control:  

DQ Pest Control is a family-owned and operated New York animal control and wildlife removal company serving the New York metropolitan area and Long Island. Specialist David Quinn is a New York exterminator with many years of experience in the family business.

Making Resolutions: Keep pests Out

It’s that time of year again! 2010 begins a new chapter, a fresh start, and the opportunity to make this year better than ever. Making New Year’s resolutions is a pretty standard practice of many Americans—some casually taking stock in the year before and determining in their mind what they plan to improve upon, and others making formal lists and plans. Maybe you want to get in shape or take extra initiative in your career to get that promotion. Maybe you want to improve the quality of the relationships in your life or get organized in your home.

A Nassau County exterminator can’t do much about the big resolutions for 2010—we can’t help you too much at work and we certainly can’t help with your workout routine. But we can play an instrumental role in getting your home organized and keeping it pest-free all year.

Here are some suggestions for keeping pests away this year:

• Be particularly cognizant of your kitchen habits. Keep food properly sealed and stored in cabinets and do not keep dirty dishes out or crumbs on the counter any longer than necessary.
• Do cursory checks of your floorboards from time to time. Pests, bugs, and small rodents like to hide out in nooks and crannies
• Take some time to weatherproof in the spring and fall. Look around the attic, foundation, and windows for any portals to the interior of your home.
• Consider quarterly pest control services from a trusted company.

Knowing that you have reliable pest services in place, those you perform yourself, and those scheduled with a quality pest services technician is a small but important step in improving your home maintenance tactics this year.

While the big resolutions take time to realize, taking small steps to improve your home can make you feel a whole lot better this year.

Animals in the Attic Nassau County, Long Island, NY

Halloween is fast approaching and everyone is gearing up for a fun and fearless night.  The kids are getting their costumes prepared, families are carving pumpkins, and the night owls are gearing up for some scary festivities. Unfortunately, it’s also the time of year when some real scary sounds may be coming from your attic or crawlspace.

Every urban critter around will be looking for a good place to hole up for the winter. Squirrels, bats, opossums, raccoons, and others may find that your home suits them just perfectly. But these little trick-or-treaters can present big problems.

First and foremost, it’s just plain creepy to have a furry wild animal in your home.

Secondly, it can be quite dangerous. Not only can they damage your property, burrowing in the insulation or chewing on wood beams, but their droppings can harbor dangerous bacteria. Also, certain rodents and other critters may chew on wires, which is a fire hazard.

If you notice signs that you may have a house guest of the furry variety, you’ll need professional wildlife removal services to make sure you get rid of the problem and prevent it from happening again.

You will also want to contact a New York or Long Island exterminator that utilizes the most humane animal trapping techniques available—best for your family and for the animal. Bats are particularly found in attics and fireplace stacks and must be remediated by a professional bat control expert.

So have fun on Halloween, but if you hear more rattling in the attic, be sure to have a professional critter control technician take care of it.

About DQ Pest Control:

DQ Pest Control is a family-owned and operated Long Island animal control and wildlife removal company serving the New York metropolitan area and Long Island. Specialist David Quinn is a Nassau County exterminator with many years of experience in the family business.