If you hear running, see tools that are lying on the ground, and smell the strong smell of animals, you may have raccoons living in your shed without your permission. These hidden thieves are interesting to watch in the wild, but having them in your shed can cause a lot of problems. This piece will talk about why raccoons like sheds, the problems they can cause, and how to get rid of them in a safe and effective way.
How to Figure Out Why Raccoons Like Sheds
Raccoons are very flexible animals that often look for safe, protected places to do different things, like raising their young. Sheds are great places for raccoons to live for a number of reasons:
- A place to stay safe: Raccoons can hide in sheds to avoid being hurt by bad weather or other animals. These buildings are appealing to these animals because they are warm, dry, and safe.
- Closeness to food: Raccoons eat whenever they can. Animals looking for an easy meal may come to your shed if you keep pet food, bird seed, or other food items there.
- A place to nest: Raccoons can easily find a place to raise their young, which are called kits, in sheds that have a lot of messy or unattended storage.
What raccoons can do to damage your shed?
From far away, raccoons may look cute and innocent, but having them in your shed can cause a number of problems:
- The damage: Raccoons are known for being smart and curious. They can do a lot of damage by chewing wires, tearing through insulation, and scratching walls, floors, or things that are kept.
- Noise: Raccoons are most busy at night. Their nighttime habits can keep people in the area awake at night, especially if they use your shed as a home.
- Fear for your safety: Raccoons can carry bugs and diseases, like rabies. They may also become aggressive if they feel trapped or attacked, which could put you, your family, or your pets in danger.
How to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Shed
When there are raccoons in your shed, you need to handle the problem carefully and humanely:
- Find Entry Points: Look over your shed carefully to find the places where raccoons are getting in. It could be a broken door, an open window, or a hole in the wall. Once you know where they are, you’ll need to lock these entry places to keep people from coming back.
- Get Rid of Attractants: Keep bird seed, pet food, and anything else that a raccoon might want to eat in cases that can’t be opened by the animal. This takes away the appeal of easy food.
- Scare Techniques: To get the raccoons to leave, you can use scare techniques. They might not want to come into your shed if it has bright lights, loud noises, or rags that are wet with ammonia.
- Live Trapping: Raccoons can be caught with live traps. But it’s very important to check local rules and get in touch with wildlife officials to make sure you’re following the right moral and legal guidelines. Raccoons should be let go far away from your property after being caught.
- Get professional help: If you’re not sure how to handle the situation yourself or think there might be raccoon babies nearby, it’s best to talk to professionals who know how to get rid of wildlife. They know what to do and have the right tools to do it safely.
Stopping Future Meetings
Once you’ve got rid of the raccoons in your shed, you should take these steps to keep them from coming back:
- Maintenance of the Shed: Check your shed often for any possible entry spots and fix any damage or holes in the walls and roofs right away.
- Managing your storage: Keep your shed clean and well-organized so that raccoons don’t have anywhere to hide.
- Raccoon-Proofing: To make it harder for raccoons to get into your shed, you might want to use raccoon-proof locks and bolts on the doors and windows.
Finally, raccoons may be interesting animals, but having them in your shed can cause a lot of trouble. You can keep raccoons out of your shed and avoid the problems they cause by getting rid of them gently and keeping them from coming back.
At Raccoon Control Bolton, We have professional and insured pest control specialists who have the tools available to take care of your break-in. Our raccoon service is backed up with a 2-year service warranty. If raccoons return, we will too at no additional cost. Call 647-578-7949