If you’ve noticed raccoons in your yard, you’re not alone. These intelligent and curious animals are drawn to areas with easily accessible food, water, and shelter. While their visits may seem harmless at first, they can quickly turn into a nuisance and even a health hazard. 

Understandably, you might wonder, “Should I just scare raccoons away?” 

The short answer? No. While the idea might seem simple, scaring raccoons away only offers a temporary fix. 

Without addressing what’s attracting them, they’re likely to return – or another family of raccoons might take their place.

Instead, your focus should be on preventing raccoons from seeing your yard as a friendly home in the first place. Effective raccoon yard prevention takes more than just loud noises or flashing lights. 

You’ll need some solid strategies, and, when necessary, help from wildlife experts like our team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Guelph. 

Below, we’ll explore why scare tactics don’t cut it, practical prevention tips, and what to do if raccoons have already settled into your yard.

Why Scaring Raccoons Away Doesn’t Work Long-Term

Raccoons are quick learners, and they’re not easily fooled. While it’s true that sudden noises, bright lights, or other scare tactics might make raccoons scatter, these techniques won’t stop them for good. Here are a few reasons why trying to scare raccoons away is rarely effective:

• They Adapt Quickly: Raccoons are incredibly smart animals. After a few encounters with your scares, they’ll figure out there’s no genuine danger and stop reacting.
• It Doesn’t Target the Root Cause: Scaring these animals doesn’t address why they’re in your yard to begin with. If food, water, or shelter is still available, they’ll keep coming back.
• It’s Stressful for You and the Animals: Constantly chasing raccoons away will frustrate you, and it can stress the animals unnecessarily without solving the problem.

Instead of chasing raccoons away over and over again, a better strategy is to make your yard unappealing to them in the first place. Keep reading to learn some simple yet effective raccoon yard prevention tips.

Top Tips for Raccoon Yard Prevention

If you want to keep raccoons out of your yard, the key is removing the things that attract them and closing off areas they could use for shelter. Here are some steps you can take to make your yard less inviting:

Secure Food Sources

Raccoons have a powerful sense of smell, and they are especially drawn to food. Here’s how to make your yard less tempting:

• Close Your Garbage Bins: Use bins with tight-fitting lids, and if possible, store them in a garage or shed.
• Feed Pets Indoors: Never leave pet food bowls outside overnight. Leftovers are an easy meal for raccoons.
• Clean Up After Barbeques: Scraps of food or grease can attract raccoons, so wipe down your grill after each use.
• Pick Up Fallen Fruit: If you have fruit trees, gather fallen fruit regularly, as raccoons love overripe produce.

Eliminate Water Sources

Raccoons also look for water to drink, especially during warmer months. Take away access to water to make your yard less appealing.

• Drain paddling pools or fountains when not in use.
• Fix any leaky outdoor taps or hoses.
• Cover fish ponds with mesh to protect them from curious raccoons.

Block Potential Shelters

Raccoons will use any dark, sheltered area as a den. To prevent them from settling in your yard, seal off these potential hideaways:

• Close gaps under decks, porches, and sheds using wire mesh or wood.
• Repair holes around your roof or along your home’s siding.Trim tree branches near your house to prevent raccoons from using them to reach the roof.

By removing food, water, and shelter, you’re taking a big step toward keeping raccoons out of your yard. But if you’re already dealing with raccoons taking up residence, more action might be required.

What To Do When Raccoons Are Already in Your Yard

If raccoons have already started visiting frequently, or worse, have decided to live in your yard or home, it’s time to call in the professionals. While prevention tips can help keep them out, removing raccoons already on your property is not something you should do on your own.

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Guelph, we use a humane and effective approach to handle raccoons in your yard. Our one-way doors allow raccoons to leave their den sites but stop them from returning. Once the raccoons have left, we seal off entry points to keep them from returning. This ensures that the animals are safe while your home and yard are protected.

Common Yard Features That Attract Raccoons

It’s worth taking a closer look at some common features in Canadian backyards that might unintentionally attract raccoons. Use this checklist to identify areas where you can make improvements:

• Compost Bins: Ensure these are securely sealed, as raccoons are happy to dig into open compost heaps for scraps, which can attract even more wildlife to your yard.
• Woodpiles: These can serve as shelter for raccoons if not neatly stacked or covered, giving them a safe and hidden spot to rest or nest.
• Bird Feeders: Don’t fill feeders to the brim, as raccoons will happily snack on fallen seeds, and consider placing feeders higher up to make them harder to reach.
• Uncovered Trash: Invest in raccoon-proof garbage bin locks to stop them from tipping over the bins, as they are clever enough to pry open loose lids.

Making even small changes in these areas can have a noticeable impact on raccoon yard prevention.

Why Professional Help Matters

Trying to handle a raccoon problem on your own can be risky. Not only can raccoons be unpredictable when cornered, but they can also carry diseases like rabies and parasites like roundworms. DIY methods can also cause more harm than good if not done correctly.

Our team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has the knowledge, tools, and experience to deal with raccoons safely and effectively. We don’t rely on harmful traps or relocation, which can put the animals under unnecessary stress. 

Instead, we encourage them to leave on their own using our humane one-way doors. Once they’re gone, we make sure they can’t come back by securing entry points and teaching homeowners how to keep raccoons away in the future.

The Right Way To Keep Raccoons Away

While scaring raccoons away might seem like the easiest solution, it’s far from the most effective. Quick fixes won’t keep raccoons from returning if they still see your yard as a welcoming place. 

By focusing on proper raccoon yard prevention, you can stop inviting them into your outdoor spaces. And when professional help is needed, the Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control team in Guelph is here to step in and handle the job safely.

Don’t wait until raccoons invade your yard to take steps to protect it. Be proactive with prevention, and if you’re already dealing with these animals, request an estimate today to learn how we can help. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Guelph is ready to make your yard raccoon-free and keep it that way.