How to Remove Raccoons from Attic

Raccoons are one of the most easily identifiable creatures in North America. With their characteristic salt and pepper coloured body, and black markings around their eyes. However, irrespective of whether you find them cute and cuddly or disgusting pests, there’s little doubt they can cause a tremendous amount of damage. That’s why it’s essential to identify the presence and after then remove raccoons from attic quickly. Also, you need to understand the damage and health risks they pose, and most crucially, how to remove them from your attic (and prevent them from returning). Read on to find out more. 

How to Identify Signs of a Raccoon

Have you heard scuffling from your roof at night? Is something banging or playing in the rafters? Canyou hear a chirping? You might have a raccoon.
As raccoons are surprisingly heavy, you won’t hear the pitter and patter of feet, as you would with a squirrel or rat. Instead, expect heavy thumping noises from a large creature moving around, particularly at night.

Remove Raccoon From Attic

As raccoons are nocturnal. Raccoons will give out various growls, chirps, cries, and other noises throughout the day. However, the presence of crying or whining can indicate babies. 

The most obvious sign of a raccoon is a sighting. If you suspect a raccoon’s presence, expect to see one climbing down the drainpipe or sniffing around the garbage.

How Did They Get in?

If you’re sure a raccoon is present, inspect your property. Raccoons are strong and wily and have little trouble breaking into any attic of their choice. Trees, drainpipes, telephone or electrical lines, and even wood trim and brick walls can be used by the raccoon to climb on top of your property. With hind feet capable of swiveling around 180 degrees and sharp claws, do not underestimate the ability of raccoons to climb. 

Raccoon Attic Removal

They’ll scale pretty much anything with relative ease. The most obvious sign of a raccoon is a sighting. If you suspect a raccoon’s presence, expect to see one climbing down the drainpipe or sniffing around the garbage.

Damage and Health Risks Associated with Raccoons

Once inside, the destruction begins. Your attic will become a toilet, kitchen, and bathroom, all in one; as well as a nursery. Insulation, roofing, and wallpaper will be shredded to make space and provide bedding. Insulation that has been flattened will become increasingly less efficient. Ducts, cooling systems, and vents and fans are also targets and will be torn apart. Even wooden beams are at risk.

Plus, the longer the raccoon is present, the more holes in your roof will appear. Electrical wiring will be chewed apart. And you might even end up with a dead raccoon festering between your walls or in your attic.

Inevitably, the attic will become covered in urine and feces. Not only is the smell horrendous, but it’s also a severe health risk. Raccoon feces can contain several zoonotic diseases, notably raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis, B. columnaris). These parasites are transmissible to humans, as is Giardia lamblia, which will cause severe diarrhea.

If the creatures themselves become sick, they can spread this to humans. Never touch or approach a raccoon that appears ill or confused. If you have dogs or cats at home, then a distempered raccoon is particularly serious, as some diseases can mimic rabies.

How to Remove the Raccoon(s)

If still you aren’t convinced that a raccoon needs removing immediately, then consider that if left they are highly unlikely to move of their own accord. If a female raccoon has babies, she will remain with them for nine months as she teaches them how to survive in the wild. Yet for all their forays into the wild world, they will return every night before sunrise.
Even after this period, a mother or one of the young might decide to stay in the attic. Raccoons are, therefore, remarkably tenacious and stubborn.
So, how do you get rid of them?

The Cage Technique

For this method of removal, you will need:

  • A metal cage/animal trap
  • Pinecone
  • A treat, e.g. peanut butter
  • Newspaper
  • Spray foam
  • Long pole

Follow these steps to ensure you capture the raccoon safely:

  1. Having already located the entranceways to the attic, you will need to seal them off, to ensure the animal cannot escape. If there are any gaps, use spray foam to seal them off for good.
  2. Smother a pine cone with peanut butter. Hang the pinecone at the back of the cage, using either wire or strong string. It is essential to place the pinecone far enough back that the raccoon fully enters the cage, and triggers the pressure sensor. However, the raccoon should not be able to reach the pinecone without entering into the cage.
  3. Place the cage in the attic, being careful to avoid wires. Spread the newspaper out beneath the cage, as this will reduce any mess once the creature has been trapped.
  4. Now you will need to leave the cage in the attic for several hours, or even a couple of days. Remember to check on the cage frequently, as you don’t want the raccoon to die inside or become extremely dehydrated. Raccoons can injure themselves, attempting to break out. If you have a camera that allows remote viewing, this can be useful, as you won’t need to keep checking on the cage.
  5. Once you’ve successfully captured the raccoon, approach the cage with caution. Despite their adorable appearance, they are still wild animals and can react viciously when threatened and trapped. If accidentally released, a raccoon will claw your face and body. Do not take the handling of a raccoon lightly. When handling the cage, use the long pole to maintain sufficient distance between you and the raccoon, preventing injury to either of you.
  6. Once the raccoon has been captured, listen for the chirping of babies. You will need to carefully inspect the entirety of the attic space to locate any babies that might still be present. These will need to be removed, and if possible, released alongside the mother.

  7. Finally, having captured the raccoon and safely transported it to your car, you will need to release it back into the wild. Do not release the animal within a 10-mile radius of your house, as the raccoon may make their way back. A wooded area is ideal for release, but grasslands are also suitable.

  8. Before release, you will want to check state laws regarding euthanizing or relocating animals. In some regions, it is illegal to relocate wildlife. If it is unlawful, or if the raccoon returns to your home, consider calling a specialist.

Raccoon Eviction Fluid Technique

A highly recommended method for removing raccoons from an attic is to use raccoon eviction fluid. This is extraordinarily useful for removing a pregnant female raccoon, or if the mother has already given birth. Raccoon eviction fluid mirrors the predator scent that is usually excreted to warn that a boar male raccoon is nearby. These can kill young raccoon kits, to maintain the local dominance. Therefore, upon smelling the scent, the mother will quickly try to remove her kits from the attic and relocate them somewhere else.
Raccoon eviction fluid can be purchased online and has a high success rate for evicting raccoons.

You will need:

  • Raccoon eviction fluid
  • Newspaper
  • Tablespoon
  • Sealing foam

Follow these steps to use the eviction fluid for maximum efficacy:

  1. Once again, you will need to inspect the roof for entry points. Seal up all the entry points with sealing foam, except the main entranceway. It will be the one with more brown staining than other entry points.
  2. Next, take a tablespoon of eviction fluid and cover the main entry point.
  3. Wait for a few days, while the mother raccoon removes her kits and moves to another location.
  4. Finally, use a newspaper to stuff the vacant entranceway. Leave for a further few days. If when you return, the newspaper has not been dislodged, then you have no more raccoons.

Using a Professional

Wildlife Professionals should be called if the previous techniques fail to work, or if a raccoon returns shortly after having been evicted. With years of experience, they often have a keen eye for active and potential points of entry for wildlife. They can create a detailed plan of how to seal up holes.

Upon entering the attic, they will search for raccoon kits, chasing the mother out of the attic. These will then be placed in a heated baby-box, near the entry and exit points, so that the mother can relocate the kits to other den sites within the neighborhood. If the mother cannot be chased out, she will generally leave, following her maternal instincts to locate her kits.

A one-way door can then be placed over the exit, ensuring that the mother can leave, but not return.

Finally, the professionals will deodorize the attic and entryway removing the smell. As raccoons rely heavily on smell as a method of communication, a lingering smell can often attract between 15 to 20 raccoons from across the neighborhood.

Clearing Up and Prevention

Following the removal of the raccoon, repair any entry points and secure vulnerable areas. Heavy steel screens can be placed over vents, while open soffits should be bolted down, with concrete screws and sealants. Fix any holes in the roof, and evaluate any internal damage. Insulation may need to be completely replaced, depending on the length of time the raccoon has been in the attic.

Ducts for your AC system may need to be replaced; as if they have become damaged, cold air will be going into your attic and not your house. Electrical wiring should be scrutinized, as there is a risk of live wires from prior chewing. If there is water damage, pipes will need to be fixed or replaced.

Finally, a deep clean of the attic space is essential. All raccoon feces will need to be removed – ensure you wear a decontamination suit, masks, and gloves during removal. Any urine which has crusted on the insulation can be scraped off. Then, use a special enzyme-based decontaminating agent, to kill any nasty bugs or parasites.

Homeowner’s insurance often covers the clean-up and repair, so it’s worth giving the insurance company a ring to check.

Raccoons are one of the most easily identifiable creatures in North America. With their characteristic salt and pepper coloured body, and black markings around their eyes. However, irrespective of whether you find them cute and cuddly or disgusting pests, there’s little doubt they can cause a tremendous amount of damage. That’s why it’s essential to identify the presence and after then remove raccoons from attic quickly. Also, you need to understand the damage and health risks they pose, and most crucially, how to remove them from your attic (and prevent them from returning). Read on to find out more. 

Recap

To recap: If you hear thumping in your attic or chirping, you may well have a raccoon. Inspect the house for entry points, and keep an eye out for any raccoon sightings on your property. If you confirm you have a raccoon, you will need to remove them as soon as possible, as they can cause a tremendous amount of damage. Insulation, piping, wiring, and the house structure are at risk from raccoons.

Do not underestimate their ability to climb or their strength in breaking into an attic. Raccoons will use any means available to them for burrowing into the roof, even stripping away shingles.

If you confirm you have a raccoon problem, you have three methods of removal available:

  1. The Cage Technique: Seal attic holes. Place the cage with peanut butter pinecone inside. Once the raccoon is captured, remove from the attic. Locate any babies, and then release into the wild, far from your home
  2. Raccoon eviction fluid is a pungent-smelling liquid that causes raccoon mothers to leave the attic due to fear of a boar male raccoon. Seal up all the entry points except the main one, then smear the fluid around the entry point. Give time for the raccoon to leave, then close up the main entryway.
  3. Call a professional

Finally, after having removed the raccoon from the attic, you will need to complete any repairs, clean up feces and urine from the attic, while taking precautions to avoid contact.

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