People often think of sheds, barns, and other outbuildings as quiet places to keep tools and gardening gear, or even as extra storage. But what do you do when a family of rats moves into your shed, which used to be quiet? This could lead to a mess, damage, and even health risks. To get rid of this problem, you need to know how raccoons act, how to get rid of them, and how to keep them from coming back.
Raccoons are drawn to outbuildings because:
There are several reasons why raccoons like to hang out in outbuildings:
Shelter: Raccoons like sheds and barns because they offer protection from the weather and are good places to nest and raise their young.
Racoons may be pulled to your outbuilding if you keep pet food, bird seed, or other food sources there.
Easy to Get to: Because raccoons are good at climbing, they can get into sheds through broken vents, loose roofing, or other holes.
Warmth: Raccoons may look for the warmth of your outbuilding when it’s cold outside.
How to Find a Raccoon Problem:
If you think you have a raccoon problem in your shed, you might notice signs like
Sounds: Raccoons can make a lot of noise. You may hear chittering, hissing, or banging coming from your outbuilding.
harm: Raccoons can do a lot of harm by ripping insulation and ducts and leaving behind poop and urine.
Tracks: You may be able to see raccoon tracks around your outbuilding. These tracks often look like hands.
Methods of Removal: If you have raccoons in your shed, you need to get rid of them in a safe and gentle way. Take a look at these steps:
Professional Help: Get in touch with an animal removal expert who knows how to deal with raccoons. They will look at what’s going on, make a plan for removal, and make sure it is carried out safely.
One-Way Doors: You can use one-way doors to keep rats out of your shed but let them out again. They are a kind way to get rid of raccoons when there are no kits (babies) around.
**Not Included: **A professional will close off any openings so raccoons can’t get back in. Long-term success depends on taking steps to avoid problems.
Living trapping: Sometimes it’s necessary to use live traps, but only a licensed wildlife control expert should do it.
Cleanup: Once the raccoons are gone, it’s important to clean and sanitize your shed to get rid of any health risks that could have been caused by their pee and feces.
Steps to take to prevent: It is very true that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” when it comes to raccoons. Here are some things you can do to stop this from happening:
Safe Food: Don’t keep pet food, bird seed, or other things that could be food in your outbuilding.
Maintenance: Check and fix any broken windows, holes in the roof, or other possible entry points in your outbuilding on a regular basis.
Motion-Activated Lights: Putting in lights that turn on when they sense movement can keep rats out of your shed.
Raccoons can quickly climb trees, so cut them down. Keeping tree leaves away from your outbuilding can make it harder to get to.
Secure Trash: Make sure that your trash cans are locked so that rats can’t get to the food inside.
Get rid of the problem and protect your space: Professionals should be the ones to deal with raccoons in your outbuilding because they have the knowledge and tools to do it in a safe and humane way. You can get rid of the problem of raccoons visiting your outbuilding by making it safe and taking other precautions. This keeps your property safe and also looks out for the health of these animals in a way that respects their place.
At Raccoon Control Barrie, we love helping out the communities we are a part of. We are local technicians who want to make a difference in people’s lives by doing what we do and know best. Our line of work is risky, yet rewarding after seeing clear results and seeing smiles return on people’s faces. We believe in the safe and ethical treatment of all raccoons and make sure that their well-being is never compromised during or after the raccoon removal process. Raccoons are very unpredictable animals that can act very friendly or very aggressive.