Here in Florida, it doesn’t take much to end up with a critter in your home. That’s why today we’ll be discussing one of the common ones you can find in your attic. The tiny, bandit looking raccoon is what we’re going to be discussing today. To start with we’ll talk about signs that they’re in your house, and then some tips on Florida Racoon Removal.
Florida Racoon Removal: The Signs
If you suspect you have a raccoon infestation, look out for raccoon footprints. These footprints resemble human footprints but are only four inches long. Scratch marks and droppings left at the base of trees or woodpiles are also strong signs of raccoon activity.
If these signs are undetected, look out for toppled garbage cans, trash-strewn across your yard, low growls and shuffling noises as raccoons run along your roof or inside your walls.
There are some methods of Florida Racoon Removal that you can try yourself, such as baiting cage traps with fruit. That way, you can simply catch them and move them. But, if you live in the city, this could be an issue. Otherwise, just drive roughly ten miles away and release them and they are gone for good.
Raccoons enjoy warm and dry places, so it’s no surprise that they might find your attic to be a particularly inviting place. Gaining entry through eaves, vents, and lose soffits, raccoons will wreck your screens and insulation, eat holes in the side of your home and lay waste to your attic.
If they have taken up residence in your attic, wait till dark and blast them with music and lights. Once all the raccoons and baby raccoons have been removed or flushed out, trim back any tree branches they might use to climb your roof, and patch up any holes bigger than four inches.
If adult raccoons are found in your attic, babies are likely to follow. If the mother is not present when you discover her nest, the babies can be used to lure her into a live bait trap. Female raccoons typically give birth in January or February in the South, and as late as April in the North.