Are Raccoons Dangerous?
If a raccoon feels threatened, it will not hesitate to attack humans or
pets. During raccoon attacks, people and pets can incur severe scratch
and bite marks, which pose a serious risk of infection. In addition, these
animals can spread harmful diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, and
Baylisascaris. Side effects of these illnesses and infections range from
mild and irritating to serious and life-threatening.
To prevent diseases from raccoons, you should:
- Never feed raccoons
- Keep your pets inside at night when raccoons are most active
- Call a professional wildlife control company if you have a raccoon infestation
- Keep your trash cans fully sealed
- Avoid leaving pet food outside
- Safely clean up any areas where raccoons have left behind urine and feces
The best way to stay safe from raccoons is to call on a team of raccoon
control professionals. They are fully trained in safely handling raccoons
in a way that will not put you at risk.
Signs of a Raccoon Infestation in Your Home
As raccoons are nocturnal, they are mainly active at night, but that doesn’t
make identifying an infestation any more difficult. Raccoons typically
make themselves known, so as long as you are aware of the signs of an
infestation, identifying one shouldn’t be too hard. If you suspect
you have an infestation, there are a few things you can look out for.
You should schedule raccoon control if you notice:
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Strong odors: If raccoons have made themselves at home or business in your attic, it probably won’t
be long before you are met with an overwhelming musty odor inside. Once
their feces and urine start to build up in your home or business, the smell will take over.
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Property damage: Raccoons will often make their way into a home or business through the roof. This
results in extensive damage to roofing materials. Other common damages
caused by raccoons include knocked-down bird feeders, feces on the roof
and ground, knocked over trash cans, missing fish from ponds, and more.
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Odd sounds: Raccoons are mainly active at night so if you can hear scurrying or scratching
sounds in your attic, on your roof, behind the walls, in your chimney,
or even outside, you could have an infestation. You might also hear them
making growling, chirping, or screaming sounds.
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Strange pet behavior: Our pets can often sense an infestation long before we do. If your pet
is meowing, barking, whining, or staring at certain areas in your home or business
for no apparent reason, it is a good idea to schedule an inspection.
To learn more about how Enviro-Tech Pest Services can serve you, call
(800) 836-3089.