Raccoons have a notorious reputation for paying unwelcome visits to residential areas, especially in regions like Mississauga. Understanding what attracts raccoons to your home is crucial in addressing and preventing these smart and often mischievous creatures from becoming unwanted tenants. These nocturnal mammals are drawn to accessible food sources, ranging from unsecured garbage bins to pet food left outdoors. Shelter is another significant lure, with raccoons often seeking refuge in attics or under porches where they can nest and raise their young. 

To protect your home, employing Skedaddle’s professional wildlife control in Mississauga is a wise decision. Our experts can offer comprehensive strategies on how to prevent raccoons from encroaching on your space. Remember, while they may look harmless, it’s essential to know what to do if a raccoon approaches you to maintain safety for both you and the animal.

The Racoon’s View of Home

Hunting for a cozy den to raise their kits? Or, seeking refuge from predators? The urban raccoon, while adaptable, adheres to innate behaviour, often leading them to your backyard and beyond. Here’s what raccoons find attractive in residential areas and what Mississauga homeowners can do to keep both parties happy.

• What’s In Your Yard?

What is it about evening garbage that makes it so appealing to raccoons? Well, the answer is about as complex as the contents of your garbage can. For a scavenging animal, your waste isn’t just smelly, it’s the jackpot. The modern approach to waste disposal — in conveniently placed, often unlatched bins — is an open invitation, no RSVP required.

Mississauga has seen a flourishing rat population, and the local raccoon community is also not one to miss an easy meal. Bird feeders accessible from the ground level? Consider it a buffet!

• The Security of Shelter

Our homes boast features that even the most luxurious of raccoon dens can’t match. Attics and crawl spaces provide that sense of security with the added comfort of temperature control. The trick? Understand the potential access points and regularly inspect and secure them. Think like a raccoon; if you could squeeze through a gap, trust that one will.

• The Complexity of Compost

Thinking of starting a compost pile? Great for the planet, not so great for avoiding unexpected houseguests. Compost, while a sustainable practice, requires careful management to avoid attracting raccoons. It’s not just the smell; it’s the easy access to scraps, their favourite snack.

How to Prevent Raccoon Visits

Now that we’ve got a handle on raccoon behaviour, it’s time to address our role in this branded home invasion. It’s about tweaking habits and maintenance in ways that they aren’t likely to overcome. 

Upgrading your home’s garbage disposal plan might mean securing bins and using locking mechanisms, enclosing your bins in a shed or garage, or changing pickup times to minimize the duration the bins are at the curb. It’s the accessibility; the harder we make it for raccoons, the less they’ll feel inclined to keep visiting our properties.

Compost management is about more than tossing in scraps; it’s a strategic endeavour. Ensuring your compost is animal-proof with sturdy bins and regular turning will discourage them from considering your heap another stop on their nightly route.

A diligent inspection of the exterior of your home to identify and seal any potential wildlife entry points is key. This includes securing vent covers, repairing damaged soffits, and trimming tree branches that could act as bridges to your roofline. Home security systems today should include the natural world’s twist, and that means keeping out the raccoons as much as the more traditional intruders.

In addition to securing food sources and potential entry points into the home, proper landscape and garden management play a crucial role in deterring raccoons. Keeping your yard clean and free from debris can significantly reduce the appeal of your property to these curious creatures. Regularly collecting fallen fruits, nuts, and other garden produce ensures they find less attractants on your property. Furthermore, securing garden areas with fencing, particularly electric fencing, has proven effective in keeping them at bay. It’s not about creating Fort Knox, but establishing a perimeter that is less inviting.

The introduction of motion-detected lighting around your property can play a pivotal role in deterring raccoons and other nocturnal wildlife. The sudden illumination simulates human activity, making raccoons hesitant to explore further. When strategically positioned, these lights can cover the most vulnerable areas such as gardens, garbage disposal sites, and potential entry points. This approach, combined with the above strategies, enhances your home’s defences against unwelcome wildlife visitors. Implementing these measures collectively can significantly reduce the likelihood of raccoon intrusions, contributing to a safer and more peaceful living environment.

How to Handle a Raccoon Sighting

In the unfortunate event of a raccoon sighting, your response can prevent the situation from escalating. Understanding raccoon behaviour is the first step in ensuring that both you and the raccoon remain safe.

Raccoons are generally not aggressive unless they feel threatened. If you encounter a raccoon, it’s best to stay calm and keep your distance. Never corner a raccoon, and do not attempt to feed or touch them. Observe from a safe distance and slowly and calmly move away from the raccoon.

If a raccoon has taken up residence in your attic or under your deck, making your presence known can be a simple way to encourage them to relocate. This can be done by making loud noises or placing a bright light near the area. Raccoons prefer quiet and dark den sites, and any disruption of these conditions can prompt them to leave on their own.

Choose Skedaddle for Wildlife Control in Mississauga

When a raccoon enters a property, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to take matters into their own hands. However, wildlife control is no small feat, and handling raccoons without professional assistance can be illegal, unsafe, and — dare I say — unneighbourly. Mississauga residents need a trusted partner in the battle against evening bandits; they need Skedaddle.

Skedaddle has become a household name in the wildlife control industry due to its humane approach to removal. Our experienced technicians are not only trained to deal with raccoons safely but are also dedicated to ensuring the raccoons are dealt with in accordance with local regulations. Our proven process doesn’t stop at removal; it includes preventative measures to keep your home raccoon-free.

Raccoons may appear harmless, but they are wild animals that can be carriers of disease, not to mention the risks associated with handling them. By forgoing professional assistance, homeowners are not only putting themselves in harm’s way but also potentially endangering the raccoons by mishandling them or creating conditions that lead them to search for new, often riskier homes.

Professional assistance from Skedaddle goes beyond just catching a raccoon. From the thorough inspection of your property to identify entry points, to subsequent repairs and prevention strategies, Skedaddle offers a comprehensive solution. Our focus on customer education ensures that you are a partner in protecting your home from future raccoon invasions.

Living In Harmoney With Wildlife

Living in harmony with wildlife is a responsibility and an honour. Mississauga’s natural landscape is a testament to the magic of coexistence. And when that harmony is disrupted, Skedaddle is there to maintain the peace. Protect your home, safeguard the wildlife, and nurture the environment by choosing the professionalism and expertise that defines Skedaddle. Contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step towards a raccoon-free home.