How to Get Rid of Raccoons
Getting rid of wild animals could be such a cumbersome task, especially when you have no idea how to go about it. Just like mongoose and jackal, raccoons are easily attracted to your properties by many things such as food, shelter, and security.
In this article, we shall be discussing how to get rid of raccoons. To begin, you can use scent methods such as peppermint essential oil, hot pepper, predator Urine, raccoon eviction fluid, or ammonia.
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A mixture of onions and peppers will scare raccoons away effectively, while the Epsom salt guarantees an excellent solution towards the elimination of raccoons. Alternatively, you can use a flashlight, noise disturbance, or habitat modification options.
Details: How to Get Rid of Raccoons
Remember, raccoons are risky to both pets and human health since they transmit diseases such as rabies. More so, raccoons will damage crops and properties in the end if not eliminated.
1. Peppermint Essential Oil
The peppermint essential oil (when sprayed in a given area) works amazingly by deterring raccoons from accessing the place instantly with help of an irritant smell.
The solvent emits a unique chemical scent, which when inhaled by raccoons, causes discomfort and even loses motion stability.
Whether you opt to go for straight peppermint spray or oil option, the effectiveness is associative. However, the action durability is a function of the solvent concentration.
At times, you will need to spray your area after a week or so in order to acquire the best raccoons elimination results eventually.
2. Hot Pepper
Raccoons use the sense of smell when searching for food. By using hot pepper in your place, you will affect the raccoon’s senses and irritate its respiratory system eventually. This act makes raccoons avoid such areas.
Some raccoons are adamant by nature. Therefore, you will have to sprinkle more hot pepper in areas they love visiting.
You can even opt to plant peppers in your compound in case of raccoons often visit your place – this method works for many homeowners.
Related: Chipmunk Repellent
3. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt works best when used outdoors in places such as yards, gardens, or natural fences. What you need to do is to broadcast or scatter the salt in areas you suspect raccoons visit and leave it to deter their coming.
In case you have a garbage bin in your compound or food store, then, empsom salt is the best option to go for – the smell emitted will not only irritate raccoons’ respiratory systems but also cause dizziness that makes them be caught easily.
Empsom salt (when used on gardens or flowerbeds) acts as fertilizer too. Though empsom salt is quick-acting, the scent fades with time. Therefore, it is advisable to reapply it over the area in order to keep raccoons deterrent.
4. Predator Urine
Predator urine is a solvent that aims at deterring the raccoon’s olfactory glands. By using the product, the raccoon assumes that a new predator has invaded the area and its life is in danger – the option left is to run for its life.
It’s expected that a predator urinates upon arrival in a new area and that’s the concept predator urine utilizes in scaring raccoons away.
5. Onion and Pepper
A combination of ground onion and peppers can be used to keep off raccoons by the use of sharp irritant smell emitted.
Normally, you should mixed ground onion and peppers with hot water. Then, spray or pour in areas where raccoons love to pass or visit.
The unappetizing scent will keep the raccoons off. Though the smell works effectively upon application, it serves only for a couple of days – you are required to repeat this process often.
Related: What Do Opossums Eat?
6. Raccoon Eviction Fluid
Raccoon eviction fluid is used when you suspect that you have a female raccoon nursing in your place. When sprayed, the solvent assumes the smell of a male raccoon – this threatens the nursing female raccoon, thus forcing it to leave the place.
Though this method works effectively, it won’t scare the male raccoons away in most cases – the smell of another male raccoon makes it gain the urge of fighting its counterpart instead of running away.
You can spray raccoon eviction fluid in places such as attics, chimneys, or raccoon’s breeding grounds.
7. Ammonia
Raccoons don’t like the smell of Ammonia – it causes nasal irritation or discomfort when inhaled.
You can pour concentrated ammonium solution into a beaker and leave it outside or along the raccoon path. Alternatively, soak a sponge or rag in a concentrated ammonium solution and place it strategically for effective scent emission.
Ammonia will diffuse into the air thus keeping off raccoons from encroaching.
8. Flashlight
Raccoons love hiding in dark places. You will rarely find them roaming during the day.
Therefore, it’s advisable to erect floodlights outside your compound or properties strategically – this act deters raccoons from getting in.
9. Habitat Modification
Raccoons are usually attracted into a given place by food or in search of shelter. It’s required that you keep off sweet/scented food way and closed in a good place – in order to keep off raccoons from such attractant. Further, you need to seal the food bins, garbage bin, and cover disposed waste food.
Closing all points in your compound where raccoons can pass is an essential approach too. Seal the tiny holes, chimneys as well as open roofs.
For stored food, ensure they are free from reach by raccoons – store food in raised granaries. All ripe fruits that fall from trees should also be removed. Remember to always keep your gate closed in case you have erected a perimeter wall.
10. Noise Disturbance
Raccoons are highly irritated by noise – they love quiet and serene places. You can decide to play soft music in your place as a way of keeping them at bay.
NB: Remember to maintain the noise level within the environmental noise pollution governing laws in your country.
Can a Raccoon Transmit Disease?
The direct answer is yes. Raccoon Transmit diseases like rabies. The rabies strains are hidden in the fur and can be transferred upon contact with home pets or domestic animals.
Usually, raccoons are just but carriers. Rabies comes with infected ticks, fleas, or lice, which can be dropped in your compound and further, infect your pets.
Though in rare cases, raccoons’ droppings contain roundworm eggs (Baylisacaris procyonis), which can transmit serious illness to human beings, especially kids. Once the child gets into contact with raccoon’s droppings, the eggs/larvae (roundworm) may reach the child’s brains or eyes leading to blindness or death in some extreme cases.
Whys is a Raccoon after My Property?
By nature, raccoons are not selective neither are they down to eat a particular meal. Actually, these Wild animals eat almost every food that is sweet and can live in any place whatsoever.
Raccoons could be after your property for either of the following reasons:
1. Shelter
The shelter is one of the major needs raccoons may be looking for in your property as these animals love cool, quiet, and dark places. Often, you will bump on one or two raccoons in the granaries/food stores or in your kitchen.
Fruit farms, grass fields, forests, and woodlands are common places you expect to locate raccoons. When it comes to shelter, raccoons avoid bright/lit areas – you will rarely see them during the day or in bright light.
In case your property offers good provisions for shelter, then, it’s more likely that you will attract raccoons eventually.
2. Food
Raccoons feed on both plants and animals (they are omnivores). Whether in the village, urban, or suburban areas, you will spot raccoons in trash bins, garbage pits, or in compost pits looking for food. Raccoons will be attracted to these food points during the dark or dim-lit hours for their safety purposes.
Far from the urban setup, you’ll find raccoons eating natural diets such as fruits, grains, corns, and wild berries (among other foods) so as to satisfy their hunger.
More so, raccoon hunts and feeds on rats, squirrels, frogs, beetle, chicken (plus other poultry animals), mice, and crayfish. Any of these sources of food may attract raccoons to your place.
Related: Cat Fleas versus Dog Fleas
Conclusion
To sum up, on how to get rid of raccoons, you can use scent methods such as hot pepper, peppermint essential oil, predator urine, ammonia, or raccoon eviction fluid.
In addition, empsom salt guarantees quick scaring action, while a mixture of onions and peppers will keep off raccoons on your property effectively. Contrary, you can opt to use flashlights, noise disturbances, or habitat modification as alternative methods.
Always bear in mind that raccoons are dangerous wild animals to both pets and human health as they may transmit diseases such as rabies in the process. Furthermore, raccoons will destroy your crops and properly if not eliminated.
Note that most scent methods are temporary options. Therefore, you should always consider other methods if raccoons continue visiting your place.
