Raccoons are notorious for their habit of overturning garbage cans in search of food, but many people fail to realize
that they are found inside of home nearly as often as rodents and other invasive critters. This is due in part to the rapidly growing size of Orlando, and the fact that homes provide perfect shelter and an easy source of food and water. Their highly developed senses and incredible dexterity with their paws allow them to easily break into homes, where they often wreak havoc due to their larger size. The key to preventing damage to your home is getting the raccoons out quickly, and the key to that is learning the signs of their activity.
Learn how Critter Control of Orlando can help with any of the following raccoon issues:
4 Signs You Have a Raccoon Problem
Though you may have seen a group of raccoons rifling through a dumpster at some point, they do not travel in groups unless they have babies with them. If you see a raccoon on your property, you should act quickly as they often scout out an area before they try to enter. Look for the following around your home:
- Damage to attic access points like roof soffits or vents
- Unusually alert behavior from pets, as they can often detect the presence of other animals far before humans
- Foul odors coming from your attic or stains on your walls or ceiling from raccoon waste
- Thumps, scratches, or purring noises coming from your attic ā especially during nighttime hours
Keep trash cans locked or inside your garage, make sure pet bowls are brought indoors, and be sure to keep branches trimmed away from the side of your home to discourage raccoon activity further.
Let Us Help With Your Raccoon Issue
At Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando, weāve created and perfected a four-step process that allows us to remove any nuisance animals from your home, repair any damage they may have caused, and prevent future infestations, all while keeping your loved ones out of harmās way. For any questions about our raccoon removal services, or to schedule a consultation, call us today at 407-295-7194.
Raccoons in the Attic
If you hear loud thumping, walking, scratching, or scampering sounds coming from above your head, chances are you have raccoons living in your attic. Raccoons are intelligent creatures and have
no problem living alongside humans in urban environments. They love the warmth and protection your attic provides, especially when needing to make a den site to birth their young. Nicknamed āmasked bandits,ā they also appreciate the easy meals they steal from your yard, garbage cans, and pet food dishes.
How do Raccoons Get into Your Attic?
Raccoons are exceptional climbers. They use their strength along with their long fingers and nails to pry open weak parts of your home and then squeeze their way in. Thatās why itās important to have your home inspected by a wildlife expert like Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando to check for potential entry points.
Here are the 5 most common ways raccoons gain access to your attic:
- Chimney ā Raccoons climb into the chimney and make their den on top of the fireplace damper.
- Plumbing Mat ā Generally, there is a space surrounding the cylindrical vents that are covered with a rubber matting. Oftentimes, raccoons will pull on the mat until it tears, and then squeeze themselves into the hole.
- Roof-Soffit Intersection ā This is where the soffit sits slightly above a section of your roof, where the upper and lower roof comes together. Raccoons use their upper bodies to open the soffits made from flimsy materials such as aluminum or plastic.
- Roof Vents ā Through the vents on your roof are designed to let the air in your attic circulate properly, the coverings are usually thin. Once on your roof, the raccoon feels the air escaping, and pryās its way into the vents.
- Roof Edge ā High amounts of moisture cause wood and roof tiles to deteriorate where the eavestrough meets the house at the edge of your roof. To gain access, raccoons easily tear away the rotting materials.
Rely on the Professionals for Raccoon Removal from your Attic
Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando has over 30 years of experience removing raccoons from the attics of both homes and businesses. Our technicians will perform a thorough inspection of your home to find all possible entry points. Once the animals are safely and completely out, we will offer a solution to ensure the problem doesnāt happen again. If you are having raccoon issues or would like to prevent future invasions, call us today at 407-295-7194Ā for a free estimate.
Raccoon Control
Often, when we hear the word āinfestationā, we think of an infestation of bugs, mice, rats, or even
squirrels. What most people donāt consider, however, is the threat of a raccoon infestation. Despite their larger size, they invade homes much in the same way as other critters and have the potential to leave much more destruction in their wake than their smaller counterparts.
4 Signs of Raccoon Activity
Stopping an infestation before it grows out of control is key to preventing extensive damage to your property, and the easiest way to do that is to be familiar with the signs of a raccoon problem. Because raccoons are nocturnal in nature, you will likely hear their presence more during nighttime hours. Thumping, purring, or scratching coming from your attic or garage is a strong indicator of raccoon activity. Other signs of their presence include:
- Stained and discolored ceiling or walls due to raccoon waste soaking through
- Overturned garbage cans with trash strewn about your property or in your attic
- Ripped up attic insulation
- Chewed up or frayed electrical wiring
Get Raccoons Out, Keep Them Out
Raccoons have a well-deserved reputation for carrying a variety of dangerous diseases like rabies and leptospirosis, which makes it critical that they are removed from your home as quickly as possible. Even if you think youāre able to, do not attempt to remove raccoons on your own. They have a tendency to become aggressive if they feel cornered or threatened and can do some serious damage. The raccoon control experts at Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando can get rid of the nuisance critters from your home quickly while keeping you and your family out of harmās way. For any questions or to schedule a complimentary home consultation, call us today at 407-295-7194.
Raccoon Extermination
Most people want a solution for their raccoon issues that donāt involve harm to the animal. However, many homeowners become so fed up with the problems they cause, that they want the
raccoons gone no matter what method is used, including extermination.
While raccoons can push even the most patient people past their limits, extermination is not always the best option. Killing one raccoon will not keep others from coming on to your property or into your home unless other necessary factors are addressed.
Raccoon Prevention Measures
Raccoons will always seek out homes with available food sources, so the best way to deter them is with prevention. Take the following measures to keep your home and yard as safe as possible.
- Seal garbage cans or keep them indoors until the morning of pick up
- Never feed raccoons
- Block off access points
- Donāt leave pet food outside
- Remove bird feeders
- Pick up any fallen fruit on the ground beneath trees
In addition to being attracted to the food supply on your property, raccoons also love the warmth and protection of your home or shed provides. Avoid having raccoons enter your home by doing the following:
- Inspect your house from top to bottom
- Seal all possible entry holes
- Perform professional-grade repairs
Critter Control of Orlando are Your Trusted Raccoon Experts
At Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando, we pride ourselves on removing all kinds of wildlife in the most humane and safest way possible with extermination being our last resort. If youāre having raccoon issues you canāt seem to get or keep under control, let our trained technicians come out to complete a thorough inspection of your home and property. We will come up with a personalized plan to get rid of the raccoons for good. For more information on how we can help give you and your family peace of mind, contact us today for a free estimate by calling 407-295-7194.
Raccoon Removal
Do you need an expert in raccoon removal? Residents need to look no further than the
professionals at Critter Control. While they may look like cute furry bandits, raccoons are notoriously aggressive and fiercely protect their young. Whatās worse, when they enter your home, they can pass parasites and diseases, including rabies, to your family and pets. Thatās why itās best to call in an expert if you need raccoon removal.
When you place a call to Critter Control, our certified wildlife experts work with you to find a raccoon removal plan in Orlando that fits your budget and specific needs. We offer humane and live trapping options so the raccoons can be released safely back into the wild.
Critter Control is a family-owned-and-operated business that has been performing raccoon removal for more than 20 years. Our expertise and superior service have resulted in an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and Angieās List Super Service Award. We even guarantee our work for three years. Do you have a raccoon emergency? Take advantage of our 24-hour service. If youāre ready to get rid of your pests once and for all, call us at 407-295-7194 to schedule your free home inspection.
Raccoon Trapping
Raccoons are very common in Orlando, mainly because they have adapted so well to living in urban areas. As excellent climbers, they use their strength and nimble hands to tear into areas in
search of food and shelter. While raccoons like to den in trees, they also love to den in attics; especially mothers who are getting ready to birth their young.
6 Nuisance Raccoon Concerns
Because raccoons have gotten used to coexisting with humans, they have learned that garbage cans and trash dumpsters are an excellent place to get food and that houses also provide both protection and warmth. Raccoons can cause significant damage by:
- Tearing holes into the roof of an attic
- Contaminating areas from their waste
- Chewing on insulation, beams, and wires
- Tipping over trashcans, raiding dumpsters, and stealing pet food
- Ripping holes in screens, especially porches where pet food may be
- Crawling underneath houses and gaining access inside the walls
While raccoons are not dangerous creatures, itās necessary to remove them from your property to avoid paying a significant amount for repairs.
Raccoon Removal
The most humane way to remove a raccoon from your property is by using a live trap. Follow these helpful step-by-step instructions to ensure trapping success.
- Pick a trap ā Select a large or extra-large 1-Door or 2-Door raccoon trap
- Determine where to place the trap ā Put the trap on an even surface in the area you found raccoon damage, or where you think the raccoon is living. Raccoons prefer to live in covered areas such as:
- Attics
- Porches
- Mulch Beds
- Sheds
- Woodpiles
- Underneath Structures
- Tree Hollows
- Fence Lines
- Along Walls
- Put bait in the trap ā Place a sweet food inside the trap where a raccoon has to fully enter in order to reach it. For 1-Door traps, place the bait all the way at the end and for 2-Door traps, put the bait in the center. Because raccoons can knock over traps to get the food, you should place a heavy object on top of the cage such as a weight or brick to keep it secured.
- Set the trap ā Follow the trapās instructions on how to carefully set the doors to the open position.
- Regularly check the trap ā You never want to leave an animal trapped for an extended period of time, so itās important to continually check the trap, at least every 24 hours.
- After catching a raccoon ā Once you catch a raccoon, you must follow your stateās legal guidelines on how you can relocate the animal.
Live traps are used to successfully remove nuisance wildlife from your property, but they have to be the correct type of trap used in the right way. If you have found a raccoon living in your attic, it could be a female raccoon, which means you must make sure to locate any potential baby raccoon pups that could also be living in the attic as well.
If you have tried to remove raccoons from your property and were unsuccessful, or would like to hire a professional with years of experience trapping and excluding wildlife, call Critter ControlĀ® of Orlando. We have been performing raccoon removal for over 20 years and even guarantee our work for 3 years.
To schedule your free home inspection, call 407-295-7194.
Raccoon Removal (Frequently Asked Questions)
What time of day are raccoons most active?
Raccoons are nocturnal and most active between dusk and early morning. Loud thumping, walking, or scratching sounds at night often indicate the need for raccoon removal services.
How can I tell if a raccoon is in my attic?
Signs include:
- Heavy footsteps or dragging noises
- Torn roof shingles or soffits
- Strong odors or droppings
- Damaged insulation
These signs usually mean professional raccoon removal Orlando is needed.
Why do raccoon problems increase in spring?
Spring is raccoon breeding season. Female raccoons seek warm, protected areasālike atticsāto raise their young. This seasonal spike leads to increased demand for emergency raccoon removal in Orlando.
What attracts raccoons to residential properties?
Raccoons are attracted by:
- Unsecured trash cans
- Pet food left outside
- Fallen fruit or bird feeders
- Easy roof and attic access
Eliminating these attractants reduces the need for raccoon removal services.
Is it safe to remove a raccoon without professional help?
No. Raccoons can become aggressive, carry diseases, and may be protected by wildlife laws. DIY removal can be dangerous and illegal. Professional raccoon removal Orlando services ensure safe and humane handling.
Do raccoons return to the same home?
Yes. Raccoons have strong nesting instincts and will return if entry points are not sealed. Proper exclusion and repairs are essential parts of effective raccoon removal services.
How can homeowners reduce raccoon activity around their homes?
Homeowners should:
- Secure trash and compost bins
- Trim tree branches near roofs
- Seal attic vents and soffits
- Remove outdoor food sources
Preventive steps reduce the likelihood of emergency raccoon removal.
When should I take raccoon activity seriously?
Raccoon activity should be taken seriously immediatelyāespecially if noises persist, attic damage is visible, or babies are present. Early action prevents costly damage and health risks and avoids urgent emergency raccoon removal situations.