ARE THERE RACCOONS IN YOUR HOUSE?
Raccoons are one of the most common wildlife species that residents of Michigan will encounter in their homes. They often nest in attics and chimneys, and will also make use of areas under porches or sheds.
When a raccoon enters an attic, chimney, or other location in a home, they are generally looking for somewhere to sleep. Raccoons spend their nights outside looking for food and return to their den sites in the early morning hours. Typically, if you have a raccoon in your attic, you will hear them start moving around shortly after dark and may hear them return at around dawn.
Unlike squirrels, raccoons do not generally bring food into the home to store it and must go out to eat every night. They do not hibernate, but they do put on extra weight in the fall to prepare for cold winter months when they may choose to remain in their den for weeks at a time. During these times, they are less active but still move around occasionally. If they choose to den in your house, this can lead to a significant amount noise.
In the spring, typically starting around the second week of March in mid-Michigan, raccoons will begin giving birth. A raccoon mother will usually have between three and five pups in one litter, once a year. These pups will often stay with their mother for the rest of the year until they are ready to start preparing for their own litters the following spring. It is common for a mother and her fully grown pups to spend the winter together in an attic or some other desirable location.
Open chimney flues are another inviting nest location for an expectant raccoon mother. Raccoons will often nest on top of the firebox inside of a chimney. They are excellent climbers and can easily travel up and down inside of a ceramic chimney flue. In these cases, we will first trap or chase out the female and then reach in through the fireplace to remove the pups. We can then install a chimney cap to ensure that no new visitors move into the chimney.
It is uncommon, but not unheard of, for a raccoon to make its way into the living space of a home. Generally, they will be content to remain in the attic or chimney. Occasionally though, I do get reports of raccoons that have opened a chimney damper or fallen through a ceiling tile. In these cases, it is often necessary to manually remove the animal with a catch pole or trap. I do not recommend attempting to take on such a scenario on your own. I am available for 24-hour emergency service and have the equipment and expertise to handle these situations safely. When an animal has found its way into your living room, it is likely there by accident and does not know how to escape. When animals are afraid, they are more likely to become aggressive. This becomes exponentially more so if you manage to actually get ahold of it.
Whatever your specific situation is, weather you have raccoons in your attic, raccoons in your chimney, or a raccoon eating your cat’s food, we will be more than happy to assist you.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
There are a few signs that you can look for to determine whether you have unwanted tenants in your home.
ENTRY POINT
If raccoons are in your home, they will need an opening to be able to get in through. Look for gaps or holes that are large enough to fit a baseball. Raccoons can also enter homes through vents and chimney flues.
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Sometimes these can be difficult to find on your own, be we can help you with that.
NOISES
When a raccoon is in an attic, people often describe hearing noises like someone is walking above the ceiling. They will also do a bit of scratching as they rearrange your insulation to make a bed.
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If there are multiple animals, they will sometimes talk to each other. This can be growling, but is often chirps or chattering. Raccoon babies are often mistaken for birds by their vocalizations.
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To get an idea of what raccoon pups sound like, you can check out this video.
SCRATCHES AND DIRT SMEARS
If a raccoon is climbing onto your roof, it will often leave a trail. Scratch marks can be seen on siding corners or wooden posts. Dirty smears may be noticed along a gutter downspout.
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If they are accessing the roof from a brick chimney or a tree, less evidence will be noticeable.
RACCOON DISEASES
Raccoons can carry diseases and parasites, which can be passed to you or your pets. Here are some of the most common ones to be aware of in Michigan.
RABIES
Rabies is perhaps the most feared zoonotic disease. It is always fatal and there have been many stories featuring a rabid animal of one sort or another. It is the most common disease that I am asked about while working with people and wildlife.
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You cannot reliably diagnose rabies in an animal without proper laboratory techniques. The symptoms match those of several other illnesses. Symptoms can include changes in temperament, agitation, lack of fear of humans, salivation, loss of coordination, and paralysis.
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According to the DNR’s website, there has not been a confirmed case of rabies in a raccoon for nearly 30 years. In Michigan, the vast majority of rabies cases are found in bats, with a few annually in skunks, foxes, dogs, and cats.
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As with all wild animals, if you see a raccoon behaving in a way that is abnormal, you should avoid it and be sure to keep children and pets away. It is best to contact a wildlife control expert to safely remove the animal from your premises.
CANINE DISTEMPER
If you see a raccoon out in the middle of the day acting lethargic or drunk, than it likely has distemper. Distemper in raccoons is common and is often mistaken for rabies.
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These animals should not be approached as they can still become violent. It is best to call a professional to remove the animal from your property so that it can be humanely dispatched.
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There is no cure for distemper, and it is fatal. Talk with your veterinarian about available distemper vaccines for your domestic animals. Distemper vaccinations are generally part of the standard set of shots given to puppies during their first medical checkups. If your dog or cat encounters a sick raccoon, contact your veterinarian.
FLEAS AND TICKS
Many mammals carry ectoparasites like fleas and ticks. If allowed to persist, these can affect your entire household, not just dogs and cats.
ROUNDWORMS
Just like many other wild animals, raccoons often carry worms. This is not always fatal and does not necessarily affect the normal temperament of the animal. It can however be passed to your pets or anyone who is exposed to their feces.
WHAT TO DO
If you have raccoons in your home, or think that you might, the best thing to do is to contact a professional to get rid of them for you.
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Aside from making noises, raccoons will also cause damage to the home if allowed to stay. They compress insulation and remove it from some areas, decreasing the efficiency of your heating and cooling. They will also set up latrine sites where they will defecate and urinate, which can cause smells among other issues.
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The sooner that you can get them out of your home, the better off you will be.
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HOW WE CAN HELP
Raccoons can be a nuisance, and you definitely do not want them in your home, but that does not mean that we hate them or want to cause them harm. Our processes and techniques are designed to remove the offending animals as painlessly and humanely as possible.
Upon arrival at your home for the first time, we will want to begin by assessing the situation and inspecting the building. Generally, I prefer to begin my inspection in the attic. While I rarely see the actual animal in the attic, this helps me to determine what animals are or have been using the space. For raccoons, this means large trails in the insulation, latrine sites, footprints in the dust, and scratch marks. Raccoons are the largest of the attic dwelling invaders of Michigan residences. Any opening that they are able to access will also be a welcome entrance to other animals like squirrels and bats. An attic inspection helps me to identify any additional species that may also be of concern.
After verifying a raccoon’s presence in the attic or chimney, we will then inspect the exterior of the home to locate any entry points that the animals are using. This is obvious if the raccoon is in the chimney but can be more difficult in other situations. Once all open areas have been identified, the next step is to choose the best location for setting traps. Whenever possible, I set traps at the location of the entry point. This way the raccoon has nowhere to go but directly into the trap as it is coming or going from the attic. This technique also has the advantage of not requiring bait, which can often lead to capturing non target animals.
When we are confident that there are no longer any raccoons in the attic, we will seal the openings to ensure that another one does not move in.
