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A Few Tips for Getting Rid Of Raccoons
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Getting rid of raccoons can be a very frustrating thing to manage if you don't make the best decisions. Patience and clever thinking are a 'must' when confronted with such a delicate situation. This article contains some helpful tips and advice. By Angelina Diaz Getting rid of raccoons can be a very frustrating thing to manage if you don't make the best decisions. Patience and clever thinking are a 'must' when confronted with such a delicate situation. Raccoons are known to adapt very easily to a changing environment. That is why many people have problems with the damages caused by these creatures. Raccoons have bad habits: they vandalize garbage cans, fish ponds, and even your kitchen pantry - due to the fact that many homes (especially in the United States) have a pet door, which for a raccoon is like an invitation. Besides this, raccoons invade attics, chimneys, porches, and other similar locations. Cities and suburbs offer these creatures a developed underground roadway system for those intelligent coons who have discovered storm sewers. These raccoons not only invade your privacy, but they also cause damage; for example, they can get into crops, or just by simply occupying your chimney they make annoying little sounds that threaten to drive you crazy. The first thing you should do is to find out if you are truly having problems with raccoons, because many people have the tendency to blame raccoons for damages when in reality, the perpetrators are actually dogs, cats, or other 'friendly' animals. If you don't have the opportunity to observe these animals directly, the best thing you can do is to identify their tracks. In order to accomplish this you should use flour or nontoxic powders such as cornstarch. These substances will help you to check out footprints on hard surfaces. A useful tip: raccoons that use chimneys or attics usually begin to make noise when it is getting darker, and they become quiet in the morning, when the sun makes its appearance. The sounds that raccoons make when they are moving can help you to detect them more easily. Also, if you hear purring noises, be aware that young cubs are present. Usually, you will hear these noises when their mother comes back to the den. Attics A wise thing to do if you have problems with raccoons is to simply wait; in other words, many of the problems made by raccoons (for example: occupation of a building) resolve themselves within a few weeks or - if you are lucky - in a few days. If cubs are also causing you problems, you should know that they won't leave your attic until they are nine weeks of age, because until then, they can't take care of themselves; they won't venture into an unknown environment where they will be helpless. Chimneys When it comes to chimneys: if yours is uncapped, raccoons will probably use it for denning, as well as giving birth and raising cubs. You might try using some harassment techniques so that you can 'hurry' their departure. Also, you might try to leave the attic lights on or turn on a radio tuned to a talk show and leave it a high volume. Once you are certain that all the raccoons are gone, you should install an approved chimney cap so that in the future, raccoons won't be able to invade your privacy. A very important note is that you shouldn't use fire or smoke to make the animals come out of chimneys - because by doing so, you will most likely kill the youngsters as they aren't able to get out on their own. Yards and Gardens When it comes to yards and gardens, in order to discourage garbage vandalizing, you should place cans at the curb when the day of garbage pick-up has arrived. Be sure to secure the lids using bungee cords or weights. Don't forget that raccoons are often attracted by birdseed and suet, and they usually cause a lot of damage to garden fruits and vegetable gardens, especially corn and grapes. Garden vandalizing will often occur when the foods are ready to be picked - so you should be more attentive during those periods. All in all, raccoons can cause a lot of problems, so some safety precautions should be taken in order to avoid these problems in the first place - which can become very annoying if ignored over a long period of time. About the Author: Angelina Diaz has been dealing with raccoon issues for years. You can visit www.coonhuntinginfo.com to find not only the latest tips and tricks about how to get rid of raccoons, but also very useful coon hunting info. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com |
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