Are you a nature lover who enjoys watching wildlife animals roam in your backyard? While it’s understandable that you want to connect with the local wildlife, feeding them isn’t always the best idea. Feeding raccoons can lead to various problems, including property damage, health risks, and even legal issues. Here’s the truth about feeding these furry animals: it’s a bad idea! 

In this blog post, we’ll explain the dangers of feeding them and provide tips on how to keep raccoons away from your property. If you’re dealing with a raccoon infestation, contact Skedaddle for humane and professional raccoon removal in Coquitlam. We will safely remove the animals from your home without harming them or causing any damage to your property. 

Creating Dependency: The Dangers of Feeding Raccoons

Wildlife authorities consistently advise against feeding them, and here’s why: it conditions them to associate humans with food. When you provide a regular food source, these adaptable animals quickly learn where dinner is served, leading to more frequent visits and a possible invasion of your personal space. They become dependent on us for sustenance and forget the essential survival skills they need in the wild. 

What’s more, feeding them causes them to congregate in larger numbers than normal, upsetting the delicate balance of your local ecosystem. As their numbers increase, so does the likelihood of conflict with humans and other animals. The result? Increased risks of injury and spread of diseases. 

Unwanted Property Damage

Raccoons are known for their robust appetite and remarkable intelligence. If they’ve associated your property with a food source, they won’t think twice about raiding your trash bins or garden. While this may initially seem cute or amusing, visits can quickly escalate into significant property damage. With their nimble hands and sharp teeth, they can easily break into sheds, tear up gardens, or even rip apart homes to create nesting sites. 

The Legality of Feeding Raccoons 

Finally, did you know that feeding them could be against the law? Many municipalities have regulations prohibiting the feeding of wildlife, including raccoons. Disregarding these laws could land you with a hefty fine or even criminal charges. So before you open your backyard diner to these midnight marauders, check with your local bylaws and regulations. 

In conclusion, it’s clear that feeding them, while seemingly harmless, can lead to serious consequences for both the animal and human populations. For a safe and humane solution to wildlife problems, count on Skedaddle’s wildlife control professionals in Surrey. We use proven practices to effectively remove them, helping ensure the safety of your property and the animals we handle.

Raccoons as Disease Carriers 

Another critical issue that many people don’t consider when feeding these animals is the health risks associated with them. They are known carriers of various diseases, many of which are transmissible to humans and pets. These diseases include rabies, canine distemper, roundworm, and leptospirosis, amongst others. 

Rabies is perhaps one of the most feared diseases carried by raccoons. While the incidence of rabies is not as high as some might believe, the danger still exists. A raccoon with rabies may display erratic behaviour, lethargy, and aggression, posing a significant risk if it comes into close contact with humans or pets. 

Canine distemper, while not affecting humans, can have devastating impacts on your pets. Distemper leads to severe respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms in animals and can often be fatal for pets who have not been vaccinated against it. 

Another lesser-known but equally dangerous infection they can carry is roundworm. This parasite lives in the intestine and can spread to humans and pets by accidental ingestion of roundworm eggs present in feces. Infection can cause severe neurological symptoms. 

Lastly, leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can spread through their urine and feces. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some resembling the flu, while others can be more severe like jaundice, kidney damage, and even meningitis. 

Remember, the act of feeding them enhances the probability of contracting these diseases due to increased proximity. The food you lay out might just be establishing a welcoming ground for these disease carriers. 

Ensuring your Surrounding is Hostile to Raccoons 

One of the best ways to safeguard yourself, your family, and your neighbourhood from the risks associated with these animals is to ensure your spaces are uninviting to them. A key step is not to provide an available food source. Secure your trash cans, don’t leave pet food outdoors overnight, and clean up any fruits and nuts that fall from trees in your yard. 

So, encourage your neighbours to do the same. A collective effort will ensure they move along to greener pastures, keeping everyone safe, and our neighbourhood ecosystems balanced.

How to Keep Raccoons Away 

Keeping them at bay isn’t just about not feeding them, it’s about making your outdoor space inhospitable. Here are some helpful tips: 

• Secure all entry points of your home, like basements, attics, and chimneys, which could become attractive nesting spots for them.
• Install motion-sensor lights around your property. They are nocturnal animals and the sudden brightness can scare them away.
• Use trash cans with secure lids, preferably locking ones, and don’t put the trash out until collection day.
• If you have a garden, consider using a fence with a one-foot overhang to prevent them from climbing over.
• Pet owners should ensure that food is never left outside overnight. Pet food can attract these animals.
• Clean up after your barbecue. The smell of leftover cooked food is a strong draw for wildlife, including raccoons.

Implementing and maintaining these measures can go a long way in avoiding unwanted encounters with raccoons. Be consistent in your efforts, and remember that occasional visits from wildlife are normal, especially if you live near a wooded area or green space. 

Contacting Surrey Wildlife Control Services 

If you’ve tried everything, yet they are still snooping around your home, then it’s time to call in the professionals. Wildlife control services, such as Skedaddle, have the knowledge, training and equipment necessary to deal with wildlife issues humanely. 

Professional wildlife control experts can help identify and seal potential entry points and can provide expert advice to prevent future problems. Some also offer cleaning services to remove any urine, feces, or nesting materials left behind, which can all attract more if not thoroughly cleaned. 

Remember, it’s illegal to kill or harm raccoons without a permit. Removal should always be left to professionals. 

Call Skedaddle for Humane Wildlife Removal Services

When the problem gets out of hand, turning to professionals like Skedaddle for humane removal makes the most sense. Not only are they trained to handle these kinds of situations, but they also have the necessary equipment to ensure the animals are not harmed in the process. 

Why Skedaddle? 

1. Experienced Team: Their team is well-versed in dealing with tricky situations. They are trained to understand wildlife behaviour, making the removal process safe and effective.
2. Humane Techniques: Skedaddle believes in treating animals with respect. Their methods ensure that they are not harmed or stressed during the removal process.
3. Attention to Detail: They don’t just remove the animals, but also check for signs of babies and assist them too. Post-removal, they take measures to prevent re-entry.

Don’t let wildlife take over your property or put your family at risk. Reach out to the professional team at Skedaddle today. They will provide a humane, effective, and comprehensive solution to your problem. Don’t wait until the situation worsens. Make the call now for peace of mind and a wildlife-free home.