If raccoons are getting into trash cans, gardens, or bird feeders, they can be controlled with a mix of ultrasonic sounds, automated sprayers, physical barriers, and smell-based repellents. Since raccoons are territorial and repetitive in their habits, most of these methods work by changing their regular routine rather than scaring them off just once.
Raccoons are normally at the very top of the list of troublesome backyard critters. When they aren't raiding a garden, they're often getting into trash cans or bird feeders, or coming into contact with people and pets.
Why Are Raccoons in a Yard?
Raccoons are highly intelligent and extremely curious animals. They are active at night and tend to be repetitive and territorial, returning to the same spots night after night. Although they don't hibernate, they are most active from May to September and become far less active in cold weather, often sleeping for days or weeks at a stretch during winter.
Working out why raccoons are in an area is the first step toward controlling them. They may be nesting nearby, foraging for food, or simply passing through on their way somewhere else. Because raccoons are so territorial and repetitive in their habits, most control methods work by changing their regular patterns so they start avoiding a given yard and garden.
What Do Raccoons Look Like, and How Big Do They Get?
Raccoons average about 12 inches tall and weigh 15 to 20 lbs, though some reach as much as 45 lbs. In the wild, a raccoon's average lifespan is about 10 to 13 years.
How Can Raccoons Be Identified in a Yard?
A clear sign that raccoons are in the area is the sounds they use to communicate: whines, squeals, screams, purrs, and whimpers. Raccoons can also be identified by their tracks: five toes on each foot, with longer toes on the hind feet, and a front paw print that closely resembles a human hand. If footprints are hard to make out on a hard surface, sprinkling the area with flour first makes the tracks much easier to see, and to follow back to where the raccoon is coming from.
When Do Raccoons Have Babies?
Female raccoons typically give birth in April or May to 1 to 5 babies, called kits or cubs. The kits stay with their mother through their first summer, then head off in the fall to find their own home for the winter.
Where Do Raccoons Den?
A raccoon's ideal den is a large cavity in a tree, but raccoons are just as happy to use man-made structures: attics, chimneys, and overhangs at the sides or outside of buildings are all common substitutes.
What Do Raccoons Eat?
Raccoons will eat virtually anything, but insects, worms, frogs, nuts, shellfish, eggs, and fruit make up most of their diet. Their dexterity is remarkable, enough to let them open eggs, doors, bottles, and even latches.
What Are the Signs of Raccoon Damage in a Yard or Garden?
Around a home and garden, raccoons can cause a surprising amount of damage. Tell-tale signs that a raccoon or family of raccoons is active nearby include overturned trash cans, raided gardens (vegetable plots especially), hollowed-out watermelons with small holes dug in and the contents scraped out, and freshly laid sod or lawn that has been torn up in the search for grubs.
How Do Raccoons Damage a House or Garage?
Raccoons can also do significant damage to a house while searching for a nest, including tearing off shingles and chewing through soffits and fascia boards. They often enter through the attic or a chimney, and even an uncapped chimney can become an attractive home. This can turn into a serious problem if it causes smoke to back-draft into the house.
How Can Raccoons Be Kept Away From a Yard and Garden?
There are many different ways to control the damage done by raccoons and repel them from a home and garden, including ultrasonic sounds, automated sprayers, physical barriers, and smell-based repellents. The right approach depends on why the raccoons are showing up in the first place. The FAQ section below covers specifics for common problem spots like trash cans, gardens, bird feeders, and buildings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can Raccoons Be Kept Out of Garbage Cans?
Raccoons are normally in an area for a very specific reason: to forage for food, often in garbage cans, or to nest. If raccoons are raiding a garbage can, the best approach is to use strong waste bins that can be securely closed and won't open even if the can is overturned. The best latches or closers are ones that require a human thumb and hand to open. Since raccoons do not have thumbs, they normally cannot open latches that require a two-step action, such as pulling and then releasing.
Will Lights Keep Raccoons Away From a Backyard?
Lights generally have little effect on raccoons, since most urban raccoons have grown used to city lighting.
There are, however, special lights that can work. Predator lights such as the Nite Guard Solar discourage and scare raccoons out of an area. The Nite Guard emits a red flashing light that appears, in the dark, to be the reflection of a predator's eye. This tricks the raccoon into thinking a larger predator is nearby, and the natural response of the raccoon is to avoid any area where it believes a larger predator is active.
Is There a Water Sprayer That Can Keep Raccoons Away?
Yes. A motion-activated sprinkler is an effective way to protect vegetable gardens and shrubs from grazing visitors. This type of device detects movement within about 35 feet and releases a short, startling burst of water. Beyond raccoons, it also discourages domestic dogs and cats, deer, and predatory birds attacking fishponds.
What Can Stop a Raccoon From Breaking a Bird Feeder?
If a raccoon keeps overturning or damaging a bird feeder, hanging it from a tree on a chain or wire about 2 to 3 feet long with a snap lock helps, since raccoons can't open a lock that requires a human thumb to release. Raccoons typically damage feeders by knocking them to the ground and rolling or banging them until they break open, so a narrow hanging chain makes that much harder to do. A feeder can also be protected using a raccoon baffle on the pole.
