Raccoons

Raccoon Activity During Summer

 
By late May, the raccoon babies born earlier in the spring are almost fully weaned from their mothers, which is usually around 70 days from the time they are born. As the summer continues, mother raccoons will take their babies out to teach them how to forage for food, and survive in urban communities. While young raccoons will technically be able to survive on their own by the time autumn arrives, they usually stick with their mother until winter, and sometimes until the following spring.

During late summer, raccoons will eat more than their usual amount to gain body fat to keep them warm and help them prepare for long winter stretches without eating. This poses an issue for homeowners who spend their summers grilling in the backyard, or leaving food scraps in the trash in the summer heat. Keeping yards clean and free from food scraps, and utilising wildlife proof trash bins can deter some attention from wandering raccoons.

Raccoons, like most wildlife, keep multiple dens in an area so they can move around based on the weather, food sources, and potential predators. In the summertime, raccoons spend more time in their cooler summer den sites, such as below decks and sheds, or in attics and wall cavities of air conditioned households. As their babies mature, raccoon families outgrow smaller dens, and move on to their next home. Homeowners might notice the remnants of raccoons on their property, but assume the animals have moved on. While this may be the case temporarily, raccoons will remember their previous den sites as the weather cools down and return in the fall. It’s important to take action to protect your household before the raccoons return for the winter. Give Skedaddle a call to help you screen your home against future invasions.