Raccoon Removal

Raccoon Removal Westchester, NY

Call (914) 293-7593 for 24/7 Emergency NY Wildlife Removal and Prevention

Raccoons in your attic? Under your porch? Sleeping in your window well? No problem. One phone call, and we can take care of everything. Intrepid Wildlife Services can remove and prevent raccoons from invading your home. Each case is different, which requires different tools and techniques. Our years of experience dealing with raccoons allow us to efficiently and safely remove them from your home. We provide 24-hour emergency services for your family's safety. Raccoons are very clever and have adapted well to the urban environment. If residing in a house, they may use the attic area to establish a latrine site, which can result in enough damage to collapse and allow raccoons to enter the living space. Female raccoons will often enter through chimneys, where they will have their young on top of a firebox. They can also use crawlspaces on ground level or below porches or decks to gain access to basements or lower levels of homes.

Raccoon Facts

Raccoon (Procyon Lotor)

Also known as the masked bandit, the average adult raccoon can weigh between 10 and 30 pounds, and in rare instances, tip the scale at 40 to 50 pounds. Raccoons are nocturnal and omnivores, with a diet consisting of worms, bugs, small plants, acorns, walnuts, frogs, fish, small birds, and even smaller mammals. Raccoons tend to breed in February through March. Raccoon young are born in June and July, with an average litter of three to five. Young raccoons open their eyes around three weeks. Raccoons do not hibernate but stay in a den during winter for several weeks without exiting.

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Raccoon Damage

Although cute, these animals are extremely strong for their size and can damage your home overnight. We have seen raccoon damage to roofs, soffits, and ventilation systems, which can cost the homeowner hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Removing raccoon intruders sooner rather than later can prevent damage, save money, and keep your family safe. Raccoons often enter attics to establish a nesting site to raise their young. They will rip up shingles, tear through wood, and break into vents to gain access. Once inside, they can use insulation to create nesting material and leave behind feces, which poses many health hazards.

Health Concerns

Behavior patterns of a sick raccoon include acting fearlessly aggressive, walking in circles, or foraging/wandering during the daytime. These are warning signs that a raccoon may be sick and should be avoided.

Rabies

The most common danger raccoons pose to humans is the rabies virus, an extremely fatal disease. Rabies targets the central nervous system and ultimately the brain, resulting in death within days if left untreated. Because raccoons tend to be aggressive and disoriented when confronted, it is important to minimize the chances that any humans or pets in the home may end up being bitten or scratched by the animal. Rather than confronting or attacking the intruder, call Intrepid Wildlife Services immediately for raccoon removal in Westchester, NY. If you are bitten by a raccoon, seek medical attention immediately.

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Fecal Material

Once inside your home, raccoons will use their area as both a nesting and a latrine site. Raccoon droppings present a biohazard and should be handled only by a licensed professional. Raccoon droppings may carry roundworm eggs and can cause serious health problems.

Tips for Keeping Raccoons Away

Garbage

One of the most beneficial things to do to keep raccoons away is to properly secure your garbage cans by either investing in a steel garbage can with a lockable lid or a garbage can housing that prevents the entry of wild animals. The key is not to allow access to your garbage cans. Once a raccoon successfully reaches your garbage, it will continuously return to rummage through your trash.

Bird Feeding

Although you may enjoy watching and feeding birds on your property, it is important to clean up any spillage from your feeder. Raccoons will eat any spilled seeds, especially sunflowers.

Cat & Dog Doors

We have, on many occasions, late in the evening, received calls about raccoons entering a home through a cat or dog door. The best way to prevent raccoons from entering is to either secure pet doors during the night or install electronic pet doors that only work with remote collars.

Electronic Deterrent Devices

Based on our experience with electronic deterrents, we have come to realize that they are not a reliable way of stopping raccoons. In one case, we had a customer who asked if she should shut off her deterrent device; we said to leave it on. The next day, there was a raccoon waiting in one of our traps that was two feet away from the device.