What methods can I use to deter raccoons from causing problems on my property?
Raccoons and other wildlife such as skunks and opossums are nocturnal (nighttime) active animals.
They are looking for food, water and shelter.
Raccoons are omnivorous; they will eat almost anything.
Raccoons are nocturnal foragers who eat fruit and plants, bird seed, insects, larvae, worms, eggs, reptiles, small and large mammals, amphibians and fish.
Raccoons will enter your garbage cans or your pet door to go to food in your house.
First, Animal Care Services will suggest that you:
Remove food and water sources outside your home.
Put away unused pet food.
Put away water bowls and repair leaking outdoor faucets.
Secure your food garbage in tightly closed containers.
Pick up and throw away any ripe and fallen fruit from trees, bushes and gardens.
Control grub worms and subsoil insects in your gardens and lawns.
Use chemicals to control these insects, but remember the safety of your own pets when dealing with chemicals.
Do not leave pet food or other food items open inside your home, if you have an unsecured pet door to the outside of your home.
Second, Animal Care Services will suggest that you inspect the current condition of your fences and gates.
Construct or modify gates and fences to prevent animals from crawling or burrowing beneath them to gain access to rear yards.
Third, Animal Care Services will suggest that you remove vegetation that would give raccoons access to your roof.
Trim tree branches so that there is at least ten feet between the longest branch and your roof.
Remove climbing plants that grow to the roofs and eaves.
Fourth, Animal Care Services will suggest that you keep areas around your house well lighted at night.
Raccoons prefer to roam under the cover of darkness whenever possible.
Fifth, Animal Care Services will suggest that you may use the following methods to deter raccoons on your property:
Predator Urine - available at home and garden centers and on the Internet
Cayenne pepper and water spray
Ammonia soaked rags - (use care not to affect your own animals)
How may I determine if a raccoon or other animal is using the crawl space under my house or deck for shelter?
Sprinkle flour around the entrance holes to the suspected area.
Check for tracks each morning.
If there are not any tracks for three consecutive days, it is likely that they are not present.
What should I do if I suspect that a raccoon has had babies in some part of my house (attic, under the floor, under a deck, etc.)?
If the raccoon began staying consistently in your home between March and August, it may be a nesting mother.
The best approach may be to allow the mother to raise her kits until they leave on their own.
If they are creating extensive damage or waiting is otherwise not an option, you may contact a licensed pest control company to trap the entire family.
Can raccoons carry the rabies virus?
Yes, but raccoons with rabies are rare in California.
They are even more rare in Los Angeles County.
Raccoons account for a high percentage of rabid animals in the Unitied States, but this occurs in other parts of the country.
Bats, skunks and domestic animals with rabies account for a higher number of instances in Los Angeles County than other raccoons.
