BC SPCA: Raccoons
Got raccoons? How to encourage them to move along
First, consider the time of year as babies may be in dens starting as early as March. The best time to address resident raccoon problems is before March or after August as the potential to separate a mother from its young is too high. Use mild harassment techniques that are not harmful to the raccoons or their babies. To start, ensure that all potential food sources are eliminated and determine where they may be residing on your property.
Do-it-yourself exclusion techniques are humane and inexpensive, but may take a little patience:
Place a flashlight or work light in the den site
Play a radio (with a talk radio station) near the den site
Place ammonia-soaked rags in a plastic container, tape-shut the lid and punch enough holes in the lid so the smell permeates. Place one or more containers in the den or at the entry points if inside is not accessible. Refill the ammonia as needed every couple days if effect is not working.
In most cases such techniques disturb the raccoons enough that they will want to move out and mothers will even take their babies, one-by-one, to a back-up den site. But you must give them sufficient time to move their young and double check the den before closing up the site.
To prevent raccoons from climbing fruit trees, wrap two-foot-wide sheet metal around the truck of trees at two feet above the ground and trim branches that are providing other access, such as from rooftops or fences.
Raccoons will frequently roll up new garden sod while looking for bugs. Use non-toxic natural Diatomaceous Earth on your lawn to ensure there are no bugs to be found. If a raccoon is raiding your pond, try placing PCV tubes at least 2 ft in length in your pond so the fish can hide inside. Ponds are free buffets for raccoons, herons and other wildlife and none of them know how much you spent on your exotic fish! Nets are dangerous and electrical fences can be harmful. Understand that the wildlife only see your fish as an easy meal so challenge yourself to outsmart them!
No luck on your own? Call the experts – contact a nuisance wildlife management company that uses only exclusion practices and does not trap!
Below is probably not important to this crowd...sounds like some here enjoy killing wildlife. But in case...
Trapping is not the solution
Trapping is inhumane, ineffective and restricted by regional wildlife regulations. Even if you use a live trap, relocating a raccoon to another location is usually a death-sentence. The raccoon will be in danger because it is likely now in the territory of another raccoon as they are widely distributed. A large percentage of wildlife that is removed from the city generally does not survive and just moves the problem to someone else's backyard. Raccoons can be injured in traps and even if they were removed, it will only be a matter of time before another raccoon moves in to claim the existing food source and shelter. Poisoning is also inhumane and could also kill other wild animals or pets.
We want to achieve a raccoon population balance within the urban environment based on available natural food supply. In order to do this we need to keep the food supply restricted by cleaning up garbage, and preventing access to pet food. We can learn to live with raccoons by respecting that they are wild animals and treating them as such.
