Are raccoons dangerous?
We have a lot of wildlife in and around the Plano area, from fluffy, cute squirrels to not so lovable snakes. But, the cuteness of a wild animal is not always a sign of how safe it is. Raccoons are a prime example. They're fluffy, they wonder, and they have a wide-eyed stare that might have you believing that these animals are too innocent to ever do anything bad.
They tip over your trash and spread it throughout your lawn. They harm your home. They bring fleas, ticks, and other parasites into your backyard. They leave feces and urine as they explore. And, under the right scenarios, they can attack. The cuteness of raccoons is frequently the driver for an attack.
Raccoons can even behave like pets.
If you feed them, they might come near and take food right from your fingertips, without damaging you at all. But, it is not smart to ever feed raccoons. Raccoons can be harmful for numerous reasons:. If a raccoon feels threatened, it will attack.
There are lots of accounts of kids and grownups, being injured by raccoon attacks. They are likewise known to inflict wounds on pets, dogs, and cats, particularly at night. This can cause them to get hazardous germs on their fur. It is not the best of ideas to to touch or pet a raccoon, even if you THINK its safe.
All it takes is a single bite. And bites are a lot more likely if a raccoon has rabies because this disease causes raccoons to wander closer to human beings, instead of keeping a safe range. You shouldn't ever make raccoons feel welcome in your yard. They bring way too many issues with them (as previously mentioned).
If you have trash cans or a dumpster that you can not close completely, raccoons will be drawn in... like bugs to a lightbulb. If you leave dog or cat food outside for your animals, raccoons will love you for it as well! This is also an attractant for numerous other animals and a variety of pests. This is a primary source of food for raccoons and other insects.
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And if its possible to gain access to your home through a hole big enough, they will find their way into attic spaces. If a raccoon approaches you, its HIGHLY suggested that you break eye contact and slowly retreat, moving into a building until the animal leaves. Make yourself appear bigger while doing this, however do not assault the raccoon unless you're attacked first.
They will damage and eliminate roof shingles and fascia board to enter your attic area and may even cause damage to vents. They've been known to rip up siding and insulation and whatever else they can find to help make their nest more 'hospitable'. They will block and jam up chimneys with nesting materials. They'll scatter trash from your trash cans all over your residential or commercial property.
Getting rid of raccoons in the attic can be difficult.
You never understand what diseases or parasites the raccoons may be bring, so approaching these animals yourself is a very bad idea. They may be concealing their babies someplace nearby and will attack you in order to protect and shield their little ones.
Eliminating raccoons on your own is something you should never ever try; it is too risky and rarely ends well. If you have raccoons on your property and you're prepared to evict them, you should leave raccoon control to the professionals... like All Pest Solutions!. There are no sure-fire methods to keep raccoons away from your residential or commercial property permanently... so why even try.
But with that stated, there are several small tips you can follow to reduce the possibility that you will play host to raccoons in the future and these consist of:
Tips on keeping raccoons away
- Keep garbage in a secure and closed trashcan.
- Don't leave pet food and water sources outside.
- Keep firewood and wood piles neatly stacked.
- Don't allow garbage or trash to accumulate around your residential or commercial property.
- Removing a warm, cozy environment for raccoons to live so they don't have access to food, water and nesting materials.
When raccoons appear in your yard, it can be such an amazing site. We get it! They're fun to see, and they seem safe. However, you really SHOULD play it safe by letting the wildlife control experts (think All Pest Solutions) minimize the danger of accidental injury or worse with raccoons and other wildlife. It's all fun-and-games up until something bad happens.
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Beware of raccoons and rabies!
Raccoons along with foxes (red and gray), skunks, and bats are considered primary carriers of the rabies infection in the United States. While any warm-blooded animal can carry rabies, these are the ones we call "rabies vector species." According to the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC). However the good news is... only one human has actually ever passed away from the the bite of a rabid raccoon.
If you see a raccoon in your backyard throughout the day, don't panic. He or she is not always sick or harmful. It's completely typical for raccoons to be active throughout the day. The racoon may merely be foraging longer hours to support their young, visiting a garden while the pet dogs are indoors, or migrating and simply passing through to a new place.
What to look for in a rabid animal
- A staggering gait
- An animal relatively unconcerned by sound or near-by movements
- Irregular wandering
- Discharge from eyes or mouth
- Wet and matted hair on face
- Repeated high-pitch vocalization
- Self-mutilation
If you see a raccoon (or any animal - domestic or wild) revealing these signs, call your local animal control or police department. Another growing concern is a roundworm discovered in raccoon feces that can infect humans and animals.
Keep raccoons out of attics and crawl spaces, and supervise young children and pets outdoors to make sure they do not come into contact with raccoon feces. And if you find evidence of a raccoon latrine, ensure you clean it up quickly and thoroughly. Leptospirosis is caused by a bacteria that can contaminate raccoons, skunks, opossums, Norway rats, mice, and white-tailed deer.
This article is provided by All Pest Solutions - a full-service extermination services company whose plans include: quarterly insect control service, rodent control plans, monthly mosquito control service, and their termite control plan.
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