You may think that raccoons are cute, cuddly little creatures, but the reality is that they are wild animals that often carry contagious diseases. You may not mind having a raccoon on your property, but you don’t want it to enter your home. There are many DIY methods to deter raccoons from your property advertised online, but they don’t always work. Here’s what you need to know about methods that work to deter raccoons from your Victoria property.

Ineffective Strategies

You may have read about many strategies for scaring away raccoons online. While some of these methods may help at first, they aren’t effective long-term because raccoons are intelligent, adaptable creatures. Some common ineffective methods include:

• Loud noises: Raccoons often spend enough time near humans that they are accustomed to the noise. The only way to scare raccoons away with noise is to increase the volume drastically, which will interfere with the lives of you and your family. You must constantly increase the volume for noise to continue being an effective deterrent.
• Traps: Trapping is a common way to get raccoons away from your property, but it’s an inhumane solution. You could take a mother raccoon away from her babies and cause the kits to die accidentally, and you could trap other animals by mistake.
• Light: Raccoons are nocturnal, so it seems to make sense to install lights around your property. If you keep your property bright at all times, you may think that you’re creating an unappealing environment for raccoons. Not only is this solution expensive, but it also doesn’t work. Lights may give raccoons a scare at first, but the creatures are adept at sticking to the shadows to avoid being seen. Their desire to retrieve food from easy sources often outweighs their desire to stay hidden, so they are more likely to brave the light for food once they have assessed the situation.
• Repellents: There are many chemicals and substances such as mothballs that supposedly deter raccoons. There is no proof that any of these methods work, and they can be harmful to your health.

Helpful Raccoon Prevention Methods

While the strategies discussed above are often ineffective for deterring raccoons long-term, there are a few things you can do to keep raccoons out of your home. Prevention is the best way to get rid of raccoons in your home, and if the creatures have already moved in and built nests, it’s time to call in the experts for raccoon removal in Victoria. 

Removing food sources from around your home is the best way to keep raccoons away. Do not leave pet food outside. Secure all of your garbage in a trash can so that raccoons can’t access it. You may also need to think twice about planting a garden. If you do choose to have a garden, expect to see raccoons on your property frequently. Plant the garden away from your house and eliminate every other potential food source.

Sealing all potential entry points in your house is also a good strategy for keeping raccoons away. The creatures can squeeze through small crevices, so it’s important to seal any cracks and holes immediately. If you can eliminate the potential for raccoons to enter your home, you can minimize the risk of the creatures moving into your attic.

Calling for Professional Help

If a raccoon has already moved into your attic, you need to take immediate action to get rid of it. Calling the professionals at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is your best option. Our technicians know how to remove raccoons humanely and are ready to help you with prevention strategies to keep the creatures from returning. If you need help with wildlife removal on Vancouver Island, we are ready to help. Schedule an appointment today by contacting us.