Raccoon Removal in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts & Vermont

Raccoons destroy attic insulation, rip open gable end vents, tear off roof shingles trying to get into the roof, cause biological hazards with their droppings, get into trash cans, raid goldfish ponds and do many other things that we don’t want.

If you have a raccoon problem, then look no further. We offer raccoon pest control and raccoon removal. Raccoon trapping can be tricky, so leave it up to us.

The mother raccoon is trapped out and the baby raccoons can be brought to a wildlife rehabilitator to receive shots, be raised and be set back out into the wild. Baby wildlife that have never left the nest will not know to return to a house, but wildlife that have lived in a home or other structure will most times return to another structure to live. In states where it is legal to bring baby wildlife to a wildlife rehabilitator, that is what is done.

Raccoons search for dens in the fall. They breed anywhere from December to February and the young are born 9 weeks later in the spring. The litter size is 2–6; most litters are around 3. We have had a few litters with 8, but that is rare.

There will be 1–3 adult raccoons in a denning site, and all of the adults will be females. The lead female can have females with her from previous litters. She will chase all males away because the males will kill the young — because of this, finding denning sites with all males is common. Once the young start to develop, if they are in your house they will make chirping noises that sound like large birds.

The mother at this time will be moving around during the day. Most people think that when they see a raccoon or other nocturnal animal out during the day, the animal is automatically rabid. This is not true — most times it is the mother looking for food to eat, either to keep her milk up for nursing or to bring back to her young once they have started eating solid food.

When the raccoon young are around 2½ months old, they will start to leave the den with her. Mother raccoons will usually leave the chimney, house or building in June, and she will not return until the following November.

Raccoons are vicious animals and are capable of doing so much damage to your home. These animals will usually enter the attic through the roof by damaging the soffit. Roof damage is one of the destructions raccoons can cause to your property, and a gap might let water in and lead to mold growth. With very sharp claws, it’s easy for raccoons to quickly rip through fascia, soffit, roof decking, and shingles. Additionally, raccoons damage wooden structures and HVAC ducts. If you find a raccoon in your attic, here’s how you can get it out.

Step 1: Find their access point

If there are raccoons in your attic, they probably got in through the roof. So, your first assignment is to find out how they got into your attic, and take note of all the damage they caused and what it will take to fix it. After the raccoons have been removed, it will be simpler to quickly fix the entryways if you have these materials available.

Step 2: Find out how many raccoons you’re dealing with

Raccoons will often seek out attics, basements and other cozy parts of a building when they are pregnant and about to give birth. This is because they want a safe, warm and comfortable place to raise their kits. This is most common from February to May, when raccoon activity is at its peak. Therefore, it’s important to discover how many raccoons you’re dealing with before you proceed with an eviction plan. Evicting a single raccoon is often easier than evicting an entire family of mother and kits. The latter requires you to be more delicate with your methods to avoid causing harm to either the mother or the helpless babies. If there are baby raccoons in your attic, you will be able to tell by listening for chirping sounds that sound like bird chirping.

Step 3: Trapping and removing raccoons in the attic

So, how do you successfully trap a raccoon in the attic? First, get the supplies you need:

• A metal raccoon trap
• A good bait for the raccoon: bacon, fresh fruits, canned fish, peanut butter, etc.
• A video camera for remotely monitoring the trap (optional)

If you confirmed that you have raccoon kits, then you should start with them before removing their mother. The safest and most compassionate way to get baby raccoons out of your attic is to trap them. Ensure their safety by picking up the kits while wearing thick gloves and placing them gently into a box. Before you move in to trap the babies, make sure that their mother is out of the attic.

Set your trap in the attic and bait it properly with either canned fish, fresh fruits, peanut butter, bacon, etc. Setting a trap with the kits as live bait works best for removing the mother raccoon.

Make sure that you set the trap properly, so that the door will slam shut once the animal steps inside it for the bait. Installing a remote viewing camera in the attic will help you monitor the cage without going up there yourself. The raccoon will take longer to approach the cage if you frequently go into the attic. But if you’re not using a camera, then you will have to enter the attic to check the trap at least twice a day, morning and evening. You don’t want the poor animal to stay trapped for too long.

After trapping, the next step is to relocate the raccoon. This step also requires that you are very careful and thoughtful about the situation of the poor animal. Make sure you drive to a place that is away from the neighborhood, but also has safe options for shelter and food for the raccoons.

Raccoons are one of the most common nuisance wildlife in North America. With their intelligence and resourcefulness, these masked bandits pose several problems for homes and buildings – from destroying garden crops to the damage they wreak in attics.

Thankfully, live trapping is very effective for putting an end to the frustration caused by raccoons. But trapping itself is an art form that requires a good grasp of raccoon behavior to be successful.

Here’s the process we use at New Hampshire Animal Damage Control to trap raccoons:

The best raccoon traps are live traps. Make sure that you purchase a large and sturdy steel cage. A size of 12 x 12 x 36 is preferable. There are two models of live traps to choose from:

• 1-Door: This has only one entrance. It is favored by professionals because it is easier for large animals like raccoons to get in. It is also easier to bait.
• 2-Door: This has dual entrances at both ends. It is more effective for cautious animals as they get to see through the trap.

A wrongly placed trap will lie around for weeks without catching anything – or worse, catch unintended wildlife. That’s why you need to choose the best spot for your trap. So, how can you decide that?

As a rule of thumb, a good placement is anywhere frequented by the raccoon. That means you need to understand the movement pattern of the nuisance raccoon in your yard. Common locations frequented by raccoons include attics, under houses, trash cans, gardens, sheds, and more.

The next step is to bait your trap. For this, the best options are marshmallows or watermelons, as raccoons love these. Although raccoons also love meat, avoid using meat as bait because it can easily lure an unwanted animal like a stray cat.

When baiting, ensure that the bait is well-positioned, so the raccoon has to fully enter the trap to get the bait. Raccoons are smart, so they may try to tip over the trap in an attempt to get the bait out without entering. To prevent that, place a brick or a heavy object on the trap.

Live traps use a spring mechanism that quickly closes the door once the plate is triggered. Test this mechanism to ensure it is working well.

Now comes the part where you have to wait. But remember, you must not abandon the trap, so you won’t risk torturing any captured raccoon. Since the trap may catch the raccoon in a few hours or days – you just never know – you need to check the trap every day.

Move closer to the cage and use a large cloth to cover the cage. This helps to calm the raccoon. Before handling the cage, make sure you wear thick gloves. This will protect you from injury and disease in case the raccoon tries to scratch or bite. So what should you do next? You have two options: you can either relocate the raccoon at least 10 miles away from your current location, or you can decide to humanely euthanize the raccoon.

Here are some general suggestions to bear in mind when trapping a raccoon:

• Raccoon trapping is subject to local wildlife laws. So, make sure you check with your local wildlife authority before you proceed.
• Why should the raccoon take the bait when it has access to less risky food sources? Eliminate other access to food (like trash cans) before you trap.
• Make sure you wear gloves when handling the trap. This will ensure you do not transfer human scent to the trap.
• Try acquainting the raccoon with the trap by putting in the bait and leaving it open for a few days before you set it for a catch.

In most cases, live trapping does not address the root cause of the raccoon infestation. So, if you need help with not only raccoon trapping, but also putting preventative measures in place to prevent future infestation, you can always count on New Hampshire Animal Damage Control.

Because of the aggressive nature of wildlife, no matter how cute they seem to be, it is best to call us instead of risking harm to yourself or anyone else.

• Raccoon pest control and raccoon removal
• Humane live trapping of adults and kits
• Baby raccoons brought to a wildlife rehabilitator where legal
• Preventative measures to stop future infestations