Pest Control for Raccoons

Raccoons in The City of Toronto

Raccoons in Canadian Cities

Urban areas across Canada are experiencing a rise in raccoon presence, with their bushy tails and reddish-brown to black fur becoming a common sight in human settlements along with their raccoon droppings. While raccoons do naturally live in woodland areas, using tree cavities, shrubs, and holes in the ground as nesting sites, they are increasingly drawn to urban environments and subsequently us humans. These adaptable animals often invade homes, creating dens in attics, under decks, or porches, where they can cause structural damage and other problems, and raccoon removal becomes necessary. If raccoons are taking over your property, we can help with expert raccoon removal and wildlife removal services. Don’t wait for the issue to escalate with these pests—our team can address the problem quickly and humanely.

Adaptable Woodland Creatures in the City

These woodland creatures, with their bushy tails, unique five-toed “hands,” and short legs have adapted remarkably well to urban life. They can scale the side of a brick wall with ease, making city infrastructure no challenge for them to navigate. However, trapping raccoons or setting cages is not an effective method for long-term control, especially in areas like the GTA, where thousands of raccoons thrive. At our company, we focus on the humane raccoon removal and prevention strategies to address the problem without harm. Protecting your property starts with understanding the habits of these adaptable animals.

Raccoon Problems

Raccoons are one of the most common species to carry rabies, a virus that could be transmitted to people or other animals through scratches, bites, or contact with saliva if they feel threatened and attack humans or pets. As well, raccoon feces poses a significant health risk to us, as it can carry parasites that cause serious conditions, including nerve damage, brain damage, and even death from infections. If you suspect a raccoon infestation on your property, we can help you with professional raccoon removal to protect your family from these dangers.

Raccoon Damage to Your Property

Wild raccoons can cause extensive damage to your home as they search for nesting sites for their raccoon babies. They can rip your roof vents off, pull back your fascia boards, bust into soffits, climb down in to your chimney, or break an actual hole in the roof itself. We specialize in raccoon-proofing any potential entry points on your home, limiting access inside your roof or attic, and providing effective raccoon removal to protect your property further from these destructive pests. Our pest control services also include repairs to these areas after the raccoons have gone. Damages to your home can affect the value of your property, so raccoon removal becomes mandatory. These masked bandits are also notorious for raiding garbage cans looking for food supplies, leaving behind a huge mess outside for you to clean up.


Trapping and Relocation

Methodology

• Effective trapping often involves using items like pet food, tuna, or seed from bird feeders as bait to lure the targeted pest.

• Strategic trap placement near entry points is key to increasing the success of this method.

• Wildlife professionals carefully assess access points to determine the optimal locations for trapping these pests.

• Proper site selection minimizes interference with other wildlife populations.

However, we do not recommend trapping and relocating animals as a primary solution. This method is not only less effective due to the sheer number of animals but also poses the risk of separating a mother from her babies, leading to the death of young wildlife. Additionally, there are strict rules and regulations governing animal trapping that must be adhered to. For humane and effective pest control, our team focuses on long-term solutions like exclusion and prevention services, ensuring the safety of both your property and the local wildlife.

Advantages of Trapping and Relocation

• One of the primary benefits is the quick removal of a raccoon problem, providing immediate relief for property owners.

• A rapid response is particularly effective in early spring when female raccoons are actively searching for nesting sites.

• Trapping offers an immediate solution to common issues like raccoons raiding garbage bins and creating a mess around your property for humans to clean up.

Disadvantages of Trapping and Relocation

• The process of capturing raccoons can cause significant stress to these wild animals.

• Relocated raccoons may face survival challenges, especially during colder months when food sources are scarce.

• Legal restrictions often limit the ability to move raccoons from one area to another, complicating the relocation process.

• Baby raccoons are at risk of being separated from their mothers during trapping, which can lead to their death.

• Even after relocation, new raccoons can quickly move into the vacated territory, making it a temporary solution.

• Weather conditions, such as rain or extreme cold, can reduce the effectiveness of traps.

We prioritize humane and permanent solutions over traditional trapping methods. Our team focuses on exclusion techniques and prevention measures as the main means to raccoon removal to ensure long-lasting results while protecting local wildlife.


Raccoons

Raccoon Facts

Raccoons are wild critters that are highly adaptable and intelligent, thriving in a variety of environments. Members of the Procyonidae family are easy to identify by their distinctive black-and-white face markings. Their sense of touch is incredibly developed, and with their nimble hands and five-toed front paws, they can easily navigate their surroundings to locate food sources. As omnivores, raccoons eat fruits, plants, insects, bird eggs, and small animals, making them versatile foragers.

Raccoons are also excellent climbers, capable of scaling trees to find bird eggs, fences, and buildings, often causing significant damage to access food or shelter. Raccoons generally live alone, they’re solitary pests, but they do gather during mating season or to care for their young raccoons. Understanding these behaviours is critical for effective raccoon removal your attic or chimney. Our wildlife specialists use humane methods to prevent raccoons getting back inside and address raccoon problems while minimizing harm to the animals and your property.


Raccoon Infestation Signs

Raccoon Infestation Identification

Early detection can prevent damage and health risks. Here are the signs:

Raccoon Poop: Do you notice an unpleasant smell in your house or outside in your yard? Look for dark, cylindrical poop in attics, on top of roofs, or on the ground by your deck or porch near any entry points. Humans should be vigilant in throwing out raccoon droppings, sprinkle it with water first and wear gloves to dispose of the feces, as it can be extremely dangerous to both us and our pets.

Garbage Cans tipped over: Raccoons live where there’s an abundance of food, if possible separate your garbage from your organics and secure organics until pick up day, maybe keep in the garage or the house until then.

Chimney cap askew: If you can see your chimney cap off, or dented, its possible a raccoon is making themselves at home above your fireplace damper.

Soffit panels pushed in/Vent caps on the ground: Another indication is that raccoon removal is required.

Footprints: Raccoon footprints look like a small dog’s with 5 toes.Scratching Sounds: If you hear scratching in your attic or walls it may be raccoons moving around.

Nesting Sites: Raccoons live and nest in attics or chimneys using leaves, twigs, insulation and other materials. If you see these signs you can act fast to address a raccoon infestation.


Wildlife Control

Get affordable and guaranteed wildlife control services in Thornhill, Brampton and Mississauga.

Raccoon Removal

Our pest control services and wildlife removal process begins with a thorough outside inspection of your home to locate the entry point(s) where they got in. This area(s) is covered with a strong wire mesh and a one way exit door is installed. The animal will come out for water at some point, and won’t be able to get back in to your attic, hence the raccoon removal process. We also deal with squirrels, skunks, opossums, birds, and bats.

If needed, we will recommend other areas to be screened to prevent raccoons getting back in a different way. Pest control can keep these, and other pests, out.

We’ll return after a two week minimum to remove the door, seal up the hole, and protect the outside area with metal.

Suggestions will be made regarding any pet food left out, bird feeders hanging in your yard or even with your trash cans/garbage cans outside – there are a lot of simple things humans can do to make their property uninviting to raccoons and other animals. Raccoons live where they have shelter and food, take those things away and the raccoons will move off.

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