Ah, racoons—the little mammal that can cause big problems! Despite their cuteness, these carnivores do not belong in your home.
Raccoons are vectors for diseases and have sharp claws, making them less than ideal family pets. That’s why it’s important to trap this pest before it damages your home. Note that we’re talking about trapping raccoons, not killing them, which is completely illegal in Quebec!
In order to trap them properly, you should brush up on everything there is to know about raccoons.
How to trap a raccoon
Raccoons are intelligent animals that have adapted to live alongside humans, making them all the more difficult to trap. These animals tend to hide in hard-to-reach places, like in your home’s attic or eaves. These hiding spots make raccoons tricky to track down.
It’s therefore necessary to have a lot of experience trapping wild animals—and why it’s not so easy to do yourself.
Who should trap raccoons?
While it is possible to trap a raccoon yourself, most who fall victim to this pest will find it quite difficult. If you are positive there is only one raccoon in your home, and you feel up to the challenge, you can very carefully try to trap it.
However, it’s a great idea to use a professional extermination service to get rid of the raccoons and avoid putting you or your family at risk. Raccoons should never be harmed or killed, so if you don’t have the experience or necessary skills, it’s best to leave it to raccoon removal experts.
Do you have a question? Take advantage of a free consultation with our experts!
What materials do you need to trap a raccoon?
In the past, many different traps have been used to “capture” raccoons. However, these traps would actually kill them. Once again: it is illegal to kill raccoons in Quebec and this offense is punishable by a fine.
Today’s traps are cages that capture the animal without harming it. If you want to capture the raccoon yourself, you can find these cage traps on the internet or in specialized stores.
These cages work the same way as those used to capture and exterminate rats: bait attracts the raccoon to the cage. When the spring is activated, the cage door closes and the animal is trapped.
These cages are usually made of wire mesh and reinforced steel, so they are resistant to rust and animal claws. They also have unsharp edges which protect you and the raccoon.
That said, it’s much more convenient to directly enlist an expert who already has the necessary materials and knows how to use them. After all, if you notice a raccoon has taken up residence in your house, the last thing you’ll want to do is wait for the trap to be delivered.
You’ve captured the pest: now what?
Once you’ve trapped the raccoon, you need to release it far enough away from your home so that it doesn’t come back—i.e. at least 20 km away. You can also contact your local SPCA for advice on where exactly to free the raccoon.
If you don’t want to have to worry about releasing the animal yourself, raccoon removal experts will do it for you.
Elite Pest Control will trap your raccoons and simplify your life!
It is possible to remove a raccoon yourself if it is the only one. Most likely, the raccoon you trapped and released was not on its own.
Enlist the help of raccoon trapping experts to make sure you have professionals handling the trapping, release and decontamination of your living spaces.
In order to remove the pests for good, Elite Pest Control’s specialists do not simply catch them. They also analyze any potential entry points to seal off the pest and prevent other wild animals from getting into your home.
For more information on raccoons or for the advice of pest control experts, contact our team. We are available to handle these pesky pests ASAP!
