Raccoons are Guests You Don't Want!

Here in New Jersey, the raccoon population is plentiful. They are one of the most opportunistic nuisance wildlife, adapting well to a variety of surroundings. They have no preference between rural, suburban, and urban habitats. Raccoons have thrived among us. Why have they been so adaptable? First, they are willing and able to nest anywhere and everywhere. Raccoons will build their dens in attics, crawlspaces, wall voids, and even chimneys. Second, they eat just about anything. Food sources for raccoons are not an issue and they are skilled scavengers. The food waste just from garbage cans can provide all the sustenance they need. All of this has translated into raccoons becoming one of the most commonly encountered nuisance wildlife. They have boldly infiltrated our homes with increasing frequency. And as raccoons have fewer forests to live in, they will continue to invade human habitats for survival. This is a cause for concern because people and raccoons are a bad mix in close quarters. Raccoons are large, aggressive predatory animals. Here in New Jersey, they have been documented carriers of rabies and other serious diseases.

Raccoons are sly, intelligent, and mischievous animals.

Raccoons are intelligent omnivores with a reputation for slyness and mischief. They have earned their moniker as “scavengers of the night.” Their trademark nighttime raids on trashcans are conducted with the stealth and precision of a SEAL team unit. You don’t hear them coming; they work quickly; and once they find and steal their bounty they are off like thieves in the night.

Raccoons can find a home most anywhere. They have successfully adapted to a 

variety of habitats includingwoodlands, riverbanks, wetlands, and suburbs. Its adaptability, especially to human habitats, lies in its intelligence, agile hands, and an ability to eat a variety of foods. For a raccoon, scraps and leftovers in garbage is a five-star dining experience.

Raccoons can be vicious!

Raccoons may look cute, but make no mistake about it. They are vicious predators that attack small animals from chickens to kittens and even dogs that have made the fatal mistake of getting too close. If cornered, raccoons will fight fiercely ripping with its teeth and claws that are as sharp as fish fillet knives. If you get finger-distance close to a raccoon, you may find yourself finger counting with less than ten digits. And it’s not just the biting and shredding that you need to worry about. Those open cuts and wounds can introduce rabies and other diseases.

Call a Professional.

If there is a raccoon infestation in or about your home call a professional wildlife technician with the knowledge and equipment to safely capture and relocate these animals. For a raccoon, especially a mother raccoon protecting her litter, anything, including children and pets, are a threat. And threats are dealt with quickly, harshly, and decisively. Make no mistake about it: raccoons in your home are a dangerous situation that requires immediate attention.

Identification of Raccoons is Pretty Easy – Provided that You Can See Them!

Raccoons are nocturnal creatures. Often you hear the movement of raccoons in the attic or under the deck before you actually see the little rascals up close and personal. Raccoons can easily see a person in the dark. They also have excellent hearing that helps them find prey after dark as well as avoiding predators themselves.

Raccoons can approach 50 lbs.

And when you finally see a raccoon, you don’t need to be Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett to know that you are looking at a handful of trouble. The common raccoon, frequently called a “coon” or “masked bandit” because of its distinctive facial markings—a black mask around their eyes -- is a stocky mammal with a body that can approach two feet long and a tail that can range from 8” to 16” in length. A large raccoon can approach 50 lbs.Males tend to be larger than females. Raccoons in the north tend to be larger than southern raccoons, possibly because they gorge themselves in the spring and summer to store up body fat for winter. Raccoons are very strong for their size and very agile, capable of running up and down trees and can both swim and run, running as fast as fifteen miles per hour. This translates into a sprint of at least 20 feet per second. A snarling and squealing raccoon charging at you at the speed of an Olympic sprinter is one experience with nature that is best avoided.

Raccoon Property Damage can be extensive.

Raccoons may cause damage or nuisance problems in a variety of ways, and their distinctive tracks often provide evidence of their involvement in damage situations.

Raccoons cause damage or nuisance problems around houses and outbuildings when they seek to gain entrance to attics or chimneys or when they raid garbage in search of food. In many urban or suburban areas, raccoons are learning that uncapped chimneys are suitable substitutes for more traditional denning sites such as hollow trees. In extreme cases, raccoons will tear off shingles or fascia boards in order to gain access to an attic or wall space.  They are determined creatures and capable of doing a surprising amount of damage to a home in a short period of time.

Cowleys can clean up the mess.

Raccoons in attics leave behind a mess. They tear up insulation and use it to build a nest. The insulation can be heavily soiled and reek from urine and feces. Cowleys offers complete damage repair and sanitizing and deodorizing services which will tear out the insulation and sanitize and deodorize the area of the attic that has been compromised.  

Raccoons also can cause damage when they roll up freshly laid sod in search of earthworms and grubs. They may return repeatedly and roll up extensive areas of sod on successive nights. This behavior is particularly common in mid- to late summer as young raccoons are learning to forage for themselves, and during periods of dry weather when other food sources may be less available.