FAQ

Raccoon Conflict Advice

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What should I do about raccoons in my attic?

In most cases, a raccoon in an attic is a female with a litter of young. Because she wants a safe place for them, you can often scare her into moving out of the attic, and she'll bring the young with her. No trapping of the raccoon necessary, no harming necessary. Read more about it on the raccoons in attic page.

What should I do about raccoons in my chimney?

Similar to an attic situation, there's probably a den of baby raccoons, and you can often scare the mother into moving out of the chimney, and she'll bring the young with her. Read more about it on the chimney page.

Can I perform raccoon removal myself?

Absolutely! In fact, in most cases, you don't have to actually physically remove the animals at all. You can prevent them from using your property in a way you object to. Read our comprehensive how-to guide, covering a wide variety of raccoon conflict situations.

Is live cage trapping an effective technique?

Generally not. Many people think they are being humane by setting a "Havahart" or similar live cage trap, and relocating a raccoon elsewhere. But this usually condemns the animal to a slow death in the new territory, there's a chance you'll orphan the babies of a female raccoon, and trapping alone rarely solves the root of the problem. In the rare cases in which trapping is the only option, we do discuss how to trap raccoons, with equipment and technique discussion. But we also discuss why it's rarely the right approach.

How can I humanely remove raccoons from a building without traps?

As stated in my attic and chimney guides, you can likely just scare them out! A raccoon in a building is likely a female with young. But if there are no young, you can remove raccoons or other wildlife from buildings via exclusion techniques - you can make them exit a one-way door that allows them out of the building, but not back in. You can also, in certain situations exclude them with timing techniques, and it's a great way to get animals out of your house, while allowing them to remain in their established territory, and not harming the animals! It's often cheaper, more effective, and more humane. Read more about this technique on the raccoon exclusion page.

Can raccoons cause damage inside an attic?

Every raccoon is different. We have seen some attics with little damage, and we have personally seen cases of extensive shredded ductwork, all pipe insulation ripped off, torn through drywall, all insulation trampled or moved, etc. See raccoon damage photos.

Is killing a problem raccoon the answer?

We hope you will decide not to. Killing the animal is rarely the easiest way to resolve the problem, nor is it the most effective, believe it or not. We discuss the matter of killing raccoons and how to humanely euthanize them, if it comes down to that, on this page: killing raccoons.

Do any raccoon repellents work?

With the exception of the special use of raccoon eviction fluid on a female with babies, the answer is no. None of the products or devices marketed and sold as raccoon repellents or deterrents have any demonstrated effect on altering raccoon behavior or driving them away. Read about raccoon repellent analysis.

Are there any ways to prevent raccoon problems or return raccoon visits?

We're glad you asked! Of course. That is the essence of humane raccoon control. Read our how to keep raccoons away page for all sorts of tips and tricks.

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Answer.

Raccoon Information

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What should I do if I find a baby raccoon?

The best thing to do is to leave it alone, in case the mother raccoon will come get it. She may be off foraging, or sleeping. If it is truly orphaned, read our found baby raccoon page.

What are the general biology, diet, mating habitat, etc of raccoons?

Read our raccoon biology page for all sort of info about this lovely masked creature!

If I see a raccoon out during the daytime, is it rabid?

Most likely no. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, but they also commonly forage during daylight. Read more about raccoons in the daytime.

If a raccoon is not afraid of me, is it rabid?

No. Most urban raccoons are not afraid of people, and many will even approach people as an associated food source.

What diseases do raccoons carry that they can transmit?

It is rare for raccoons to transmit diseases to people and pets. Some raccoons do carry rabies, but remarkably there is only one known case of infection of a human from a raccoon. Canine distemper can affect your pets. The primary concern seems to be raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), the eggs of which can survive a long time, become airborne, breathed in, and can infect humans. Read more about raccoon diseases

What do raccoon droppings look like? Any health risks?

For photographs of raccoon feces, click on the raccoon feces page. The primary health risk from feces is raccoon roundworm, so avoid handling or ingesting feces (it's kids and pets that are mostly at risk).

Do raccoons make good pets? How to care for them?

Although they commonly live in urban areas, raccoons are not domesticated animals. We discourage keeping them as pets. If you want to read more about the matter, or find out the state laws regarding raccoon pet ownership in your state, read our pet raccoon page. We also discuss some care methods, in case we cannot dissuade you from keeping one as a pet.

What do raccoon rehabilitators do? How to do it?

Rehabbers are dedicated people who take in orphaned or injured wildlife and care for them. This includes housing, feeding, vaccinating, bathing, and loving animals that would otherwise not get a chance at life. Ultimately, the goal is to release wildlife where it belongs - back into the wild. In cases of injury, in which an animal would not survive in the wild, some rehabbers provide permanent residence and care. Here is an analysis of raccoon rehab, and emergency instructions in case you need to rehabilitate a raccoon on your own: raccoon rehabilitation

Do relocated raccoons survive and thrive?

Generally not. Studies indicate that the majority of relocated raccoons perish within a few months, because they are not equipped to survive in a territory they are unfamiliar with. Pressure from other animals, and a tendency to relocate into unsuitable areas also factor into poor survival rates. Read more about it on the raccoon relocation page.

About Hiring Professional Help

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When should you hire professional help?

If you are unable to remedy a raccoon conflict on your own, and you believe a professional can do an effective and humane job, you may well benefit from their knowledge, tools, and experience. We discuss the matter more at length on the when to hire page.

Can a pest control company help with a raccoon problem?

Almost certainly not. Pest control companies (also called exterminators) are licensed usually by the state department of agriculture in the control of insects through the use of pesticides. This practice is completely unrelated to wildlife conflict resolution. Unfortunately, sometimes people confuse the two, and assume that a company that kills cockroaches in a house can also remove raccoons from an attic. Read more on our pest control for raccoons page.

What questions to ask on the phone before I hire someone?

We provide a complete list of questions you should ask any wildlife removal company before you hire them to solve your raccoon conflict. Read our phone questions page for the lowdown.

How much does raccoon removal cost?

It varies significantly. Like asking "how much does auto repair cost?", each job is very different, and each company performing services is different. Few raccoon jobs are as simple as just laying out a trap and taking a raccoon away. Very few jobs go that way! Read about raccoon job prices here.

How can I find a good wildlife removal company in my area?

Consult our locations page for a directory of help in your area, from rehabbers, to local government agencies, to state laws, and state wildlife commissions. In some cases we may recommend a company that has taken our humane wildlife removal education course and field training.

About Our Organization

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What education services do you provide?

Most importantly, we provide hands-on training to professional pest control and nuisance wildlife control companies, about humane raccoon removal methods. Many companies report increased earnings, improved public relations, and increased customer satisfaction after switching to humane exclusion and prevention methods. We also provide fun, interactive presentations to local schools, children's clubs, and other organizations to promote awareness of wildlife and its important role in our ecosystem. We stress the importance of conservation and compassion toward the wildlife in our shared urban habitat. Finally, we publish information on this website that can help educate the public. Read more about our education programs.

Who wrote this website?

A group of professional wildlife educators and field operators with a special interest in human-wildlife conflicts in urban areas, and a focus on humane treatment of wildlife. This includes current and former wildlife rehabilitators, a zoologist, and a wildlife control operator with special access in the field of wildlife control. It is our goal to educate as many people as possible about humane

Is there always a humane option for dealing with wildlife conflict?

No. Often the most humane approach would involve not intervening at all, and letting the wild animal continue its behavior unabated. But we understand that this is not realistic. All the people who approach us want to resolve a problem with wildlife. In most cases, this involves inconveniencing an animal at best, or causing it to suffer and die at worst. Our goal is to minimize suffering for animals, often by using the least invasive techniques possible. So the answer to that is that yes, in most cases of wildlife conflict there are more humane options than others, even if they are not 100% in the best interest of the animal.

What are your goals?

It is our goal to educate as many people as possible about humane techniques for handling wildlife conflicts. We believe that this is a very important issue to address. Human populations are ever expanding, and many common wildlife species are adapting to urban environments, making conflicts inevitable. Almost everyone in the United States experiences a wildlife conflict at some point. It's a huge industry, without strong regulations or standards, and one in which ignorance abounds. Many companies are focused on profit, instead of the wishes of customers, and more importantly, the welfare of our fellow sentient creatures that share our urban habitat. Read more about us.

Do you accept donations?

Our organization does not accept donations. We are not-for-profit, but not classified as a 501(c)3 organization. Humane Wildlife Removal Org is funded by a generous grant from an anonymous benefactor who speaks for the rights of all creatures great and small. However, you absolutely can help by donating to a local wildlife rehabilitator in your city. Simply go to the locations page, select your city from the map, and you will find some local rehabbers listed who will thankfully accept donations. The raccoons will be thankful too!