Just like how Bronte Creek Provincial Park draws in visitors from near and far, your home or business in Oakville could be unintentionally inviting raccoons if not properly secured. With increased searches for “raccoon removal near me,” it’s clear many property owners aren’t aware of subtle signals that attract these clever animals. 

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we know that simple oversights, such as leaving pet food on the porch, failing to secure trash bins, or overlooking minor repairs, can encourage raccoons to seek food and shelter around your property. Acting early is crucial, as these minor lapses can lead to noisy nights, costly repairs, health concerns, and long-term challenges that only professional expertise can fully address.

Let’s explore how raccoons find their way into our homes and businesses, the risks they pose, and practical steps you can take, using both prevention and humane raccoon control, to keep these wild intruders at a safe distance.

How Raccoons Enter Properties Undetected

Raccoons are highly intelligent, agile, and resourceful when searching for food or a warm den. With their dexterous paws and adept problem-solving skills, they often move unnoticed through urban landscapes.

• Entry Points: Raccoons can squeeze through spaces as small as four inches wide, making any gap in siding, a loose vent, or a worn shingle an optimal entry. Roof vents, soffits, chimneys, and crawl spaces are common favourites.
• Climbing Ability: Raccoons are excellent climbers, scaling fences, trellises, and even brick walls to access rooftops or attics.
• Poor Yard Maintenance: Overgrown trees and bushes near your house provide natural bridges for easy roof access.

Neglected property maintenance often leaves unnoticed vulnerabilities. A raccoon might use rotted wood at the roof’s edge or a damaged attic vent to gain entry. This invasion often starts silently, with homeowners typically unaware until raccoons have settled in.

For example, a small gap in a soffit can quickly be enlarged by a raccoon using its strong paws and teeth. Similarly, unsecured chimneys serve as open invitations for mothers looking to establish comfortable dens for their young.

Understanding raccoon behaviour and identifying potential access points are first steps in wildlife proofing your property. Now, let’s examine the extent of damage raccoons can cause once they gain access.

What Kind of Damage Can Raccoons Cause?

Raccoons aren’t just looking for a place to sleep; they can turn minor entry points into significant issues for homeowners.

1. Attic Destruction: Inside, raccoons flatten and tear at insulation, creating nests for themselves and, during spring and summer, their babies. This compromised insulation can significantly reduce your home’s energy efficiency.
2. Structural Damage: Raccoons can damage electrical wiring and ductwork, increasing the risk of fire or system failures. Water intrusion through raccoon-created entry holes can lead to hidden rot or mould in ceilings and walls.
3. Property Contamination: Raccoon droppings can accumulate rapidly, creating hazardous, unsanitary conditions. The odours can permeate the home, and contaminants may infiltrate heating and cooling systems.

The presence of baby raccoons complicates matters, requiring special attention for humane removal and attic restoration. These situations necessitate skilled wildlife technicians for both safety and efficacy.

If you suspect even minimal raccoon activity in your attic, garage, or crawlspace, it’s wise to seek professional help sooner rather than later – especially during birthing season, when mother raccoons can become protective and removal can be volatile.

Health Risks Associated with Raccoon Infestations

The dangers of a raccoon infestation extend beyond unpleasant noises or physical damage. Raccoons are known carriers of several diseases and parasites that pose serious threats to human and pet health.

• Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis): Eggs found in raccoon droppings can cause severe illness if accidentally ingested. Children and pets are most at risk.
• Rabies: Raccoons are among the top wildlife carriers of rabies in Ontario. A bite or scratch risks transmitting the virus to humans or pets.
• Leptospirosis, Giardia, Salmonella: These bacteria and parasites can spread through contaminated water or surfaces, with symptoms ranging from mild gastrointestinal distress to severe complications.
• Odour and Air Quality Issues: Accumulated raccoon droppings introduce strong odours and airborne contaminants, worsening allergies or respiratory conditions.

Recognizing these health threats provides a strong incentive for prompt, professional raccoon removal and comprehensive attic cleanup – a specialty of our team at Skedaddle.

The faster raccoon droppings and nesting materials are removed, the lower the chances these hazards will persist in your living environment. Our humane raccoon control process includes cleaning, deodorizing, and restoring affected areas to keep your home safe and comfortable.

Are You Unintentionally Attracting Raccoons?

You might be surprised how easily routine habits can turn your Oakville property into a magnet for wildlife. Every season presents its own risks, but certain homeowner oversights are particularly inviting for raccoons.

1. Accessible Trash and Recycling Bins: Raccoons have keen noses and strong paws, making it easy for them to find and open bins left outside overnight.
2. Pet Food and Bird Feeders: Leaving small amounts of food out encourages raccoons to return nightly.
3. Yard Debris and Unsecured Structures: Overgrown vegetation, wood piles, sheds, and under-deck spaces offer ideal shelter during colder months.
4. Unsealed Entry Points: Gaps around vents, missing roof shingles, and deteriorating soffits allow raccoons to enter quietly.

Raccoons prefer to forage after dark, so signs of activity might go unnoticed for weeks if homeowners don’t inspect bins or outside areas in the daylight. Quiet entry allows raccoons to infiltrate areas like attics or crawlspaces without detection.

Many homeowners fail to realize that these attractants signal to local raccoon populations that their property is open for business. Changing these habits forms the foundation of wildlife proofing, which we’ll examine next.

Wildlife Proofing Property: Prevention Strategies That Work

Prevention is always easier and less costly than repairing raccoon damage after an infestation. Wildlife proofing your property goes beyond securing food sources; it involves assessing, fixing, and maintaining all potential vulnerabilities raccoons exploit.

1. Seal All Entry Points: Inspect and repair damaged soffits, vents, roof edges, and foundation gaps. Skedaddle technicians use heavy-gauge screening and specialized materials capable of withstanding raccoon strength.
2. Trim Overhanging Branches: Keep trees and shrubs at least six feet from your roofline to eliminate easy raccoon highways.
3. Secure Trash and Compost Bins: Utilize animal-proof lids or store bins in locked sheds or garages until collection day.
4. Remove Attractants: Harvest fallen fruit, clean outdoor grills, and store pet food indoors overnight. Ensure sheds and outdoor storage areas are securely closed.
5. Educate Your Neighbours: Share knowledge about wildlife-proofing practices. A community effort enhances everyone’s safety.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll create a less inviting environment for raccoons, helping protect your home and preserve your peace of mind.

Humane Raccoon Removal Services by Skedaddle

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we specialize in providing safe, effective, and humane raccoon removal services to protect your home and family.

Our Proven Three-Step Process

1. Assessment: Our trained technicians begin with a thorough inspection of your property to identify all entry points, assess damage, and locate raccoon dens, including any babies. Using advanced tools like thermal imaging, we ensure no detail is overlooked.
2. Removal: We humanely remove raccoons, including hand-removing babies and placing them in heated reunion boxes to keep them safe. Mothers are then guided out of your home and reunited with their young, ensuring a stress-free relocation.
3. Prevention: To keep raccoons from returning, we secure all potential entry points with durable materials and provide long-lasting solutions. Our work is backed by a lifetime warranty, giving you peace of mind.

Why Choose Skedaddle?

• Experience: With over 30 years of expertise, we’ve refined our approach to handle even the most challenging raccoon situations.
• Safety: Our team is equipped with the latest safety tools and training to handle hazardous contaminants and tight spaces.
• Humane Methods: We prioritize the well-being of wildlife while ensuring your home is protected.

Taking Prompt Action

If raccoons have become a problem in your Oakville property, taking prompt action can save you time, money, and stress. Contact Skedaddle today for comprehensive, humane raccoon control solutions. Our team of experts is ready to help secure your property, ensuring a safe and comfortable home – free from unexpected wildlife guests.