Raccoons often are considered “cute little bandits” by homeowners — until those bandits turn their attention to the property.
Raccoon numbers have exploded in recent years. A popular misconception is that the cause is habitat destruction. It’s the opposite: Raccoons readily adapt and exploit the unlimited housing and food supply a developed urban environment offers. Raccoons’ ability to use structures as they would a hollow tree is an issue that commonly brings them into conflict with homeowners.
Attractive harborage
If you think of a home in basic terms, it’s dead wood that is hollow. We keep busy in the interior, but to a raccoon, the undisturbed attics, wall voids and soffits must be like the best hollow tree ever. Homes are dry, secure from predators, warm in winter and — as many wildlife control operators have learned — by breaching flexible ductwork, or flex duct, they can even have air-conditioning in the summer!
Raccoon damage to attics can go beyond flex duct damage, including:
- Compacted and ruined insulation
- Large amounts of droppings
- Loud noise levels
- Pungent odors
- Possible secondary flea infestations
- Increased risk of zoonotic issues
Control methods for raccoons
The process of removing raccoons can vary, but the industry standard is fourfold: Inspect, remove, monitor and repair. Skipping these steps with quick fixes or other approaches may lead to unhappy clients, damaged homes and worse.
Inspection identifies and confirms raccoons as the culprit, as other wildlife also could be suspect. Find the entry point(s) and other areas on the structure that offer entry.
Removal can be accomplished with cage traps, but raccoons do have site fidelity and using excluder (one-way door) traps can be problematic. It’s best to get the offending culprits off-site. Removal isn’t a numbers game; it’s targeting the specific raccoons using the structure.
Monitoring is a must! Using cameras has become all the rage, but a simple grid pattern of tape over entry points will allow you to determine when all raccoons have been removed. Identify whether you’re dealing with a male or female raccoon. If it’s the latter, learn these animals’ local birthing and lactating periods. You may find yourself removing young raccoons from the attic at certain times of the year.
Repair is the end goal to offer clients a solution. The days of shoving wire and using over-the-counter spray foam to “repair” entry points are numbered. Customers want, and even expect, to be offered high-end repair with professional products or custom bent and metal installation.
To learn more about wildlife removal and to become certified, check out the Wildlife Control Operators Training Course. It’s available online at NWCOA.com. It also will be taught live at the Wildlife Expo in Orlando, Fla.
<p>The post Pest Spotlight: Raccoons first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>
from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/12/04/pest-spotlight-raccoons/
Sacramento CA
No comments:
Post a Comment