Educational Facts about Raccoons

Raccoons are highly intelligent, medium-sized mammals, native to North America. They are a part of the Procyonidae family, and categorized under the Procyon genus. Procyon literally translates to “doglike”; intending to denote the social and physical behaviors of the Procyon Lotor, or raccoon species. They are nocturnal animals that sleep during the day and remain active at night. Raccoons are omnivores, which means they eat everything that a human likes to eat. This includes fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, grains, oats, and more. Although they like to eat these foods, they mostly feed on small animals, insects, and wild vegetation and flora.

Get to Know Raccoons!

Raccoons are very intelligent, as mentioned before; but they are also very intuitive and have excellent memories. This is why raccoons are also known as pests in rural and city areas. They are perfect bandits when it comes to hunting down food and shelter in residential and commercial neighborhoods. They remember where all the good spots are, and how to get the food they want and so desperately need.

Raccoons use their human-like paws to pry open doors, windows, locks, and more. They can gain entry into a home or building in as little as one night. They build nests, breed, and feed their colonies in whichever shelter they find. This can cause a large amount of damage and mess. This is where a professional raccoon control company comes into play. They retain the proper equipment and training to professionally cleanup raccoon messes and provide minor attic or exterior repairs for raccoon damages.

Raccoons are generally medium-sized mammals, but can grow upwards of 40 pounds or more! It all depends on the abundance of food and food sources available to the raccoon, and the environment in which they live. Obviously domesticated raccoons weigh more than wild ones because they have a consistent food source, but wild raccoons can also get large as well. The average raccoon is around three feet tall, or long, and weights between 20 and 30 pounds. One of the largest raccoons was recorded at a weight of 60 pounds!

When it comes to the lifespan of wild raccoons, theories and evidence are inconsistent. A raccoon’s lifespan can vary greatly. It all depends on the resources, environment, and circumstances of the raccoon or its colony. Again, domesticated raccoons are likely to live longer because they have access to veterinary care, food, nutrients, and protection. Wild raccoons, on the other hand, can live long or perish young, depending on the situation. On average, wild raccoons live between 5 and 10 years; whereas, captive raccoons can live up to 20.

If you are experiencing raccoon problems on your property, please keep in mind that they are fascinating and intelligent creatures that just need food and shelter. Instead of harming or loathing them, contact a professional raccoon control company for emergency services. Choose a company that uses safe and humane methods to remove raccoons or stop a raccoon infestation problem, as well as, provide cleanup and prevention services too.

Indiana Raccoon Removal

Call Indiana Raccoon Removal at 317-535-4605 for prompt raccoon control services in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. Our highly trained and DNR licensed wildlife removal experts have decades of experience in the raccoon control industry. We use safe and humane methods to extract raccoons and relocate them to a safe and faraway habitat. We offer raccoon cleanup, prevention, emergency services, and much more. Call 317-535-4605 and request a free estimate for Indianapolis raccoon removal and control, today.

Learning About Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacteria Leptospira, and can affect a wide variety of mammals, but it tends to be most commonly associated with raccoons in the Midwest parts of the country. Raccoons, like all other mammals, are susceptible to several types of disease, including Rabies, Roundworm, and more. Leptospirosis is commonly contracted and passed on by raccoons, bats, and opossum in urban areas. It is a dangerous illnesses that can be contracted by both humans and pets.

What You Should Know About Leptospirosis

There are nearly 200 cases of Leptospirosis reported every year in the United States. It is mostly contracted through water contaminated by an infected mammal’s urine. It is not spread from person to person, and instead, often happens during swimming, fishing, canoeing, and other water-related activities. The infected water must be ingested, or passed through exposed membranes or open wounds in the skin. This includes the eyes, nose, mouth, scrapes, cuts, scabs, and ears. Once contracted, it is common for humans to not experience illness or symptoms at all, while in other cases, people become very sick. This also applies to domesticated animals. It is vital to get immediate medical care for antibiotics to avoid long-term effects and consequences if you suspect you were exposed to Leptospirosis.

Symptoms

Symptoms can sometimes not show up at all, but if they do, it generally takes anywhere from one to two weeks before symptoms show. Common symptoms include high fever, neck and leg pains, severe headaches, vomiting or diarrhea, and fatigue. For more serious cases of Leptospirosis, signs might also include anemia, Meningitis, kidney failure, liver failure, mental confusions, depression, and more.

The symptoms of Leptospirosis can last for several days, or up to several weeks, depending on the severity of the illness. But mostly, human reports of Leptospirosis illness in the United States are all mild cases. People at higher risks of contracting Leptospirosis include sewer workers, farmers, rice and sugar cane workers, adventure racing athletes, veterinarians, miners, slaughterhouse workers, and animal control contractors. Dogs are at higher risk of dying from Leptospirosis, so take them to the vet as soon as they show influenza-like symptoms.

Indiana Raccoon Removal

Call Indiana Raccoon Removal at 317-535-4605 to professionally manage a raccoon problem near your home or office. We are highly experienced, DNR licensed wildlife rescue contractors that provide wide range of services for raccoon control. This include minor attic restorations and repairs, and raccoon cleanup. And we only use safe and humane, non-lethal methods of raccoon control! Call 317-535-4605 for prompt and professional raccoon removal and control in Indianapolis, IN today.

3 Signs You Have Raccoons in the Attic

No one wants their most-prized and most expensive asset constantly compromised by nuisance wildlife. This is why raccoons can cause homeowners immense frustration. They love to take shelter in parts of the home that we don’t frequently occupy; for example, the attic. This is their favorite space to convert into their personal bedroom, bathroom, breeding ground, feeding table, and trashcan. This leads to unimaginable destruction that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair.

The problem is, raccoons are smart. It takes more than a little traditional pest control to fend off wild raccoons. It takes knowledge and understanding of their species to truly master raccoon-proofing and prevention. Continue reading to learn a few of these strategies, and the top three signs indicating you have raccoons in the attic.

Strange Noises

If you are hearing strange noises at all hours of the night that seem to come from your attic, you may have a raccoon colony living up there. Listen for squeaky, high-pitched sounds, scratching noises, and banging. These are tell-tale sounds raccoons make when they are playing, feeding, or nesting. Although raccoons are nocturnal, these sounds may be evident during the daytime hours as well. If you suspect there are raccoons living in your attic or other area of your home, contact a licensed raccoon removal contractor for safe and humane assistance.

Wall and Ceiling Stains

If you start to notice brown-ish, yellow-ish, or off-white stains on your walls or ceilings, it could be an indication of raccoons in the attic. When raccoon colonies live in attics, their urine and feces soaks into baseboards and drywall, and eventually seeps down though ceilings and walls in the exposed areas of a home. Once this occurs, renovations are costly. This is usually a result of long-term raccoon infestations in homes or buildings. Because raccoon droppings can contain harmful contagions and cause disease, it is strongly suggested to have a professional company implement the renovation and cleanup services needed for your home in the case that this happens to you.

Foul Odor

If you start to smell a faint, or maybe not-so-faint, odor in certain areas of your home, it could be a sign that raccoons are somewhere living in your property. After some time, a raccoon colony generates a large quantity of waste that is never cleaned out or managed. This waste consists of their urine, feces, decayed food, birthing debris, and much more. The odor becomes so strong that it begins to seep into the living areas of a home. It requires professional service to remove the damages and mess made from a long-term raccoon infestation like this.

Indiana Raccoon Removal

Call Indiana Raccoon Removal at 317-535-4605 for licensed raccoon removal and control in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are DNR licensed and insured raccoon control specialists with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. We only use safe and humane methods to extract raccoons and prevent their return. We offer free estimates, residential services, commercial services, emergency services, and raccoon cleanup services. Call 317-535-4605 for prompt and professional raccoon removal services in Indianapolis, IN today.

How to Protect Your Property From Nuisance Raccoons

Raccoons are a widely prevalent species of mammal in regions with ample forestry and woodlands, as well as, city urban areas, suburbia, and more. They are very intelligent creatures, with the keen capacity to remember, learn, implement, and survive at all costs. This is why they have become a nuisance pest problem for many home and property owners. Smart raccoons learn and remember places with good food and shelter resources, and also learn and implement how to access these areas. For this, and more, raccoons are more and more a problem for home and property owners. They gain entry into attics through loose roof shingles, broken windows, cracks, crevices, and gaps in siding. They use their nimble and dexterous paws to pry open doors and locks, and make their way into crawl spaces, walls, attics, porches, sheds, garages, and more.

Raccoons cause structural damages to a home and surrounding property, leading to costly repairs and renovations. They use attic insulation to build nests where they breed their young. Breeding leftovers, eating leftovers, and droppings leave behind a mess that will shock you. The odor is strong and distinct, and can linger into the living quarters of a home. Drywall is soiled and wet, which means it is probably also moldy. All of this is also dangerous to our respiratory health.

Airborne spores from infected raccoon droppings, for example, can cause illnesses in humans within the home. Many more health consequences can occur from a raccoon infestation as well; such as rabies virus, Histoplasmosis, allergies, and more. Structural damages and health threats are not the only mischievousness raccoons are capable of. They can also steal food straight from our cabinets, shelves, and even pantries! Leaving behind nothing but ripped open cereal boxes and empty cartons of juice all over the floor and countertops!

Raccoon Removal and Control

So how do people prevent raccoons from trespassing onto their properties? Is this feat even possible? How can I protect my home from wild raccoons? These are common and apposite questions that most certainly come with an answer that makes sense to everyone! Here are some expert tips for protecting your property and home from nuisance wildlife, and who to call for trusted service and professional advice:

• Do Not Leave Pet Food or Pet Dishes Outside
• Install Automatic Sprinklers or Outdoor Lighting
• Take Garbage to the Curb on the Morning of Trash Day
• Remove Squirrel and Bird Feeders
• Implement Needed Interior and Exterior Renovations (i.e. sealing, insulation, siding repair, roof replacement, etc.)
• Install Door and Window Locks
• Purchase an Outdoor Sound Machine
• Hire a Licensed Raccoon Control Contractor to Inspect and Raccoon-Proof Your Home

These messy mammals have become a nuisance in many populated regions of the country; however, raccoons are wonderful creatures that deserve a right to live and thrive. No one should ever trap, harm, or kill a raccoon unless they have proper licensing to do so. If you find a raccoon colony in your home, or an injured raccoon in your yard, contact an Indianapolis Raccoon Removal and Control contractor right away for prompt, safe, and humane service.

Indiana Raccoon Removal

Call 317-535-4605 for licensed raccoon removal and control in Indianapolis, Indiana. At Indiana Raccoon Removal, our highly trained and DNR licensed animal control contractors retain the latest technologies and advanced equipment to safely and humanely extract raccoons from residential and commercial settings. We also provide a wide range of additional raccoon removal services, such as raccoon cleanup, minor restorations and repair, raccoon-proofing, inspections, free estimates, and more. Call 317-535-4605 for prompt, humane, and professional raccoon removal services in Indianapolis, IN.

Are Raccoons Dangerous?

Depending on the situation, raccoons can be dangerous even though they rarely pose a risk to humans. If you ask the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one human in the United States has ever died from a raccoon and that raccoon had rabies. Rabies can be found in any warm blooded animal; however, in the United States, the most common carriers of rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

How to Tell if a Raccoon is Rabid?

Most importantly, please be safe and not be sorry. The information giving is not a full proof plan that guarantees that the animal does or does not have rabies. These are only suggestions on what to look for. The only way to tell, with 100% accuracy, is to get the animal tested by a professional.

Here are 6 Signs an Animal May have Rabies:

1) Walking uncontrollably, or looking funny while walking; such as staggering around, etc.
2) Oblivious to their surroundings and ignoring activities normal raccoons would be aware of; such as a car coming, etc.
3) Discharge or foaming of the mouth
4) Hair around the face is wet or looks like it has been wet in the past
5) May make crazy noises that make high pitch sounds
6) Hurting itself by picking or biting itself

If you see a raccoon or any other type of animal that may have these signs of rabies, please call the Raccoon Removal Specialist in Indianapolis at 317-535-4605 right away.

Rabies is not the only thing that may be dangerous. Raccoons are known to carry infectious diseases that humans are susceptible to. A disease such as Baylisacaris, also known and roundworm, can be found in raccoon poop (feces). This disease not only has the potential to infect humans, they also can infect pets such as dogs and cats. Be sure to keep raccoons out of your house, attic, and crawl spaces. Once they get into your house, these guys or gals are not potty trained. They can destroy the inside of your home within a matter of hours. Another disease known to be carried by raccoons is called Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can be carried through the urine of a raccoon. So if a human or pet were to come in contact with a raccoons urine, he or she may be contaminated. So please avoid touching the urine of a raccoon or any other type of wild animal.

If you suspect a raccoon has entered your house or attic, please contact a wildlife animal removal company as soon as possible. Please be weary of, not only the inside of your house, but also the outside. If you are aware of an area around your home that you suspect raccoons of using the bathroom, you may want to give us a call to help. We not only remove raccoons from the house, we are also experienced at keeping raccoons away from your whole property; not just your home.

The last thing to be worried about when seeing a raccoon is that fact that it may bite. This type of aggression toward other animals and especially humans is highly unusual. Usually when a raccoon bites a human or pet, they feel threatened or their young are nearby. If you don’t corner the raccoon and you leave it alone, the majority of times it will leave you alone as well. However, as mentioned before, if you see uncharacteristic behavior, please be weary of some of the dangers mentioned above. Or to be safe, don’t wait tell you see signs, call an animal removal company to relocate the raccoon as soon as possible.

Exotic South and Central American Raccoon Species

Since the mid-twentieth century, raccoons have inhabited various parts of the world, outside the United States. In fact, species of raccoon were deliberately introduced to parts of Europe and Asia during these times. Now, raccoons are found in Central and South America, regions in Asia, Europe, and even in the Caribbean!

Continue reading to learn some interesting facts about exotic raccoon species found around the South and Central Americas.

Indianapolis IN Raccoon Removal Service 317-535-4605
Crab-Eating Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus)

South and Central American Raccoons

In these parts of the world, several raccoon species can be found. For example, the Crab-Eating raccoon is a commonly spotted species in the jungles and marshes of the central and south Americas. They are scientifically referred to as Procyon Cancrivorus. Its most distinguishable physical characteristic is its short brown and grey-white fur that almost resembles a salt-and-pepper beard. They can grow to be anywhere from eighteen to thirty inches or more; and typically weigh between five to thirty pounds. Crab-eating raccoons obviously eat crabs; but they also hunt, capture, and feed off other shellfish and aquatic insects and invertebrates.

Tres Marias Raccoon

Also found in these regions is the Tres Marias Raccoon. Scientifically referred to as Procyon Insularis; these raccoons live on the Maria Madre Island, off the coast of Nayarit, Mexico. It is similar to the crab-eating species in that it also dines on shellfish and aquatic animals; but they also feed on forest findings like nuts and seeds. The Tres Marias Raccoon has a golden brown hue to its tail, and a pale brown body. According to the Mexican government, the Tres Marias raccoon species is endangered and limited. This makes them a protected species as well.

Guadeloupe Raccoon

Another interesting Central and South American raccoon is the Guadeloupe Raccoon. Although on a French-controlled island, the Guadeloupe Raccoon is a true rain forest dweller. It feeds on frogs, snails, acorns, berries, and of course fish. They have dark gray bodies and bushy gray-white tails; making them appears different than most other raccoon species. They are scientifically called Procyon Minor, particularly because they are smaller than most raccoon species as well.

Indiana Raccoon Removal

If you need Indianapolis Raccoon Removal, call our pros at 317-535-4605 right now. We are DNR licensed and insured raccoon control specialists with more than 30 years of experience safely and humanely removing raccoons. We use state of the art technology and modern methods to extract raccoons safely, without harming them or your property.