Denver is a city that commonly faces raccoon infestations. Raccoons are native to the Rocky Mountains and they are attracted to homes and urban areas where food and shelter are more abundant. Unfortunately, raccoons can become hazardous pests once they decide to live on your property. Raccoons will typically try to burrow into your home, living in roofs and attics and they can do extensive damage while they are up there.
This is why it's important to identify the signs of raccoons on your property early and plan for an effective, humane removal of the adorable yet dangerous creatures. Raccoon control in Denver has become an ongoing community concern. Fortunately, you can rely on Blue Tick Pest & Wildlife Control for professional Denver raccoon removal services as soon as you notice the signs of raccoon infestation in or around your home.
Raccoons are attracted to urban areas, particularly Denver. Raccoons naturally live in the mountains, foothills and plains surrounding Denver and come into the city to seek warm shelter and easily found food. There are many nooks and crannies and unmonitored garbage that now support a growing urban raccoon population. Raccoons especially like residential properties, which are quieter and more likely to contain food scraps in unsecured outdoor trash. Raccoons can also live on outdoor pet food and hide in wood sheds, but they prefer to burrow into your attic where they can find the best warmth - and do the most harm.
How can you tell if raccoons have started to infest your property?
Raccoons love to live in your attic and are typically most active at night. This makes their nocturnal activities quite audible through your ceiling on the uppermost floor of the house. Certain sounds above can indicate you are hosting one or more raccoons:
Outdoors, you may notice signs of raccoon tracks and droppings. Raccoon tracks look like tiny clawed handprints. You can see them in the dirt, but you might also spot muddy hand-claws on the side of your house where they climb.
Raccoon droppings can look like pellets or cables and are often close to the house where they are nesting.
Raccoons cause a recognizable pattern of property damage to your house and property.
Roof and attic property damage can include torn-away shingles, ripped-open holes in the attic siding, and damaged vent covers. Damage to your yard and garden include overturned trashcans, dug-up plants, and scratch marks on your deck posts, porch railings, and trees.
When raccoons make a nest, they tend to gather materials like dry grass and loose insulation. Look for signs of nests and scraps of nesting-like material that is out of place. Nests are most often built in attics or basements, places raccoons deem to be quiet and out of the way.
In the movies, pets often act nervous or bark at random spots when there are pests behind the walls. This is actually a normal response when your house has an infestation. If your pets act strangely, you may have raccoons scurrying around where only your pet can hear or smell them.
Of course, the clearest sign is when you see a raccoon. Raccoons close to the house often indicate that they have found a source of food, shelter, or both on or near your property.
Direct sightings of raccoons are more likely at night, but they can be active during the day.
While raccoons may be cute, they are also dangerous. Like most wild animals, raccoons can carry diseases and parasites that will put both your family and pets at risk.
Raccoons often have raccoon roundworm, a hazardous parasite, and it is unfortunately common for them to have rabies. Raccoons can also carry other infectious diseases like Giardiasis, Leptospirosis, and Salmonella.
It is important to have raccoons professionally removed from your home to mitigate the health risks. These diseases are also why it is not safe to try and trap or remove raccoons on your own. Professionals have the equipment and skills to humanely remove raccoons without exposing anyone to illness or parasites.
What should you do if you suspect your home has a raccoon infestation? Start by keeping your distance. Do not try to approach or chase off the raccoons directly. Then take the following four steps to ensure the raccoons are safely and quickly removed.
Take the time to document the current signs of infestation. This will help professionals find and remove raccoons safely.
Remove any obvious food sources that the raccoons may be accessing. Lock your outdoor trashcans, bring pet food indoors, and seal any containers that include food or food waste around your property.
Play the talk or rock radio with the volume up for a few days. Sometimes, loud radio sounds during the day will disturb raccoons' sleep, and they will seek a more peaceful home the following night.
Call for wildlife control services like Blue Tick Pest & Wildlife Control. A professional wildlife removal team will safely track, trap, and remove your resident raccoons to protect your property and family.
Hiring a professional raccoon removal service ensures that your family and the raccoons remain safe during the removal process. Professionals know how to lure, trap, and safely remove raccoons from a residential property to prevent further damage or any risk of disease exposure.
When you hire a professional service, the process begins with a property inspection. Your removal team will identify the signs of raccoons on your property, review any evidence you have collected, and find where the raccoons are nesting. They will then lay traps and gently remove the raccoons from your property as safely as possible.
It is also likely that you will be provided with personalized raccoon prevention tips based on the location, design, and features of your property. Some properties are at greater risk of wildlife infestations than others, and the right steps can keep both you and the wildlife safe from harmful encounters or property damage.
How can you prevent raccoons from entering your property in the future? There are a few steps that will make your home less welcoming so local raccoons look elsewhere for their next nest.
Safely Identify and Remove Raccoons From Your Denver Home
If you suspect that raccoons have moved into your home, we can help. The earlier you identify the common signs of raccoon infestation, the sooner you can protect your property and family with professional Denver raccoon removal services. Blue Tick Pest & Wildlife Control is here to provide expert raccoon removal and helpful tips to keep your home raccoon-free in the future.
Contact us today to consult on the raccoon signs you have noticed and book a removal service.
