If you find a raccoon in your house or attic, it’s best to call for raccoon removal before the animal becomes accustomed to its new home. The longer the raccoon is inside, the more damage it will do and the higher your repair costs will be. A professional pest control company can install one-way entry barriers to prevent raccoons from returning to your property in the future. This service can cost $10 to $25 per opening depending on the barrier complexity and your property size.
Preventing a raccoon problem is the cheapest way to deal with this nuisance, but it requires diligent effort on your part. You should remove all food attractants, like pet foods left out overnight and trash cans that aren’t secured. Keep branches trimmed, close up chimneys and roof vents, and remove any places for raccoons to enter your home such as damaged siding or broken window screens. Raccoons are meat-eaters and will be attracted to your garbage, bird feed, fruit trees and garden if it’s easily accessible.
Raccoons are natural diggers and excellent climbers, which makes them prone to breaking into homes and other buildings. They may also gnaw holes into walls to build their nests, which can cause significant damage and lead to serious health and safety concerns. They will also urinate and defecate wherever they go, which can turn a simple attic into a biohazard.
It is important to note that raccoons carry dangerous diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella, which can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with the animals or their feces and urine. This makes raccoon cleaning a job for a professional, even after the animal is humanely euthanized. It is not recommended to relocate live raccoons, as this can spread rabies and create conflicts with other landowners.
A large pest control company with a wildlife division is the most suited to dealing with raccoons, though some smaller companies will also handle this type of job. They will have the proper safety equipment for dealing with raccoon feces and urine, which will include eye protection, breathing masks and coveralls or body suits. They can also help you determine if the raccoon is carrying a disease and how to prevent it from spreading further.
Most raccoon calls are for a single marauding raccoon that is raiding the trash or digging into the backyard garden, but in more serious cases, the animal may have settled into an attic space and begun tearing up insulation and causing other severe damage. The cost of a raccoon removal specialist will depend on the extent of the damage, but it will usually be in the region of $300 to $500 plus any additional cleaning or sanitation costs.