Date Posted: October 13, 2016
Category: Wildlife
This morning, I sat down at my computer with my coffee, much like I do every morning. Surfing the net, I came upon an article about a raccoon that had moved in with a family after falling out of a tree as a baby and breaking its leg. Not only did the raccoon move in with the family, but the family also had two dogs that this fella quickly befriended, and they made him one of their own. The raccoon quickly adapted to life on the inside and became just another member of the family. It was a cute story.
Raccoons are undoubtedly fun to watch in their natural habitat. The way their furry selves waddle around or hide in trees. When you observe them from a distance, it is easy to see how some people seem to determine that they would make cool pets. However, it is extremely important to know that no matter how sweet you find those masked faces, these are wild animals. They are not meant to become part of the family. As a matter of fact, raccoons can be a danger to you, your family, and your pets if you are not careful. A raccoon in the house, no matter how tame it might appear, becomes like a wrecking ball destroying everything it touches.
Raccoons generally live in wooded areas close to a water source such as a brook. They are often attracted to human dwellings by food sources left where they become easy pickings for hungry wildlife, trash cans and bird feeders for example. In the cooler months, raccoons start thinking about where they can spend their winter months out of the harsh weather. If they are familiar enough with your yard, your house is only steps away and would make a perfect spot to settle in. Raccoons across the nation regularly destroy chimneys, air ducts, shingles, and siding trying to get into attics and ventilation systems. If they get in, they will tear apart insulation and any other softer material there to make themselves a bed for the season.
We do not want to forget that raccoons are not only destructive by their very nature, but they are also not as sweet as they appear from a distance. A cornered raccoon can quickly turn vicious. If one feels threatened they will deliver a scratch or bite that you will not soon forget, mostly because of the series of shots that you will have to endure because raccoons are a main carrier of rabies.
If you should discover that a raccoon is getting a bit too close for comfort to your home or has already moved in, do not face it alone. It can be dangerous to confront a raccoon on a mission. Call our wildlife control experts to come and assess the situation. We can quickly and safely trap and remove the threat to your home keeping the wildlife where it belongs, outside.
