Facts About Raccoon Eating Habits

Posted on July 26, 2021 by admin

Raccoons are common visitors to metropolitan and residential communities. They are smart mammals that have a good memory and remember to go after what they know is accessible. Raccoons have learned that our neighborhoods and cities are perfect spots to grab an easy meal and perhaps some warm shelter as well. For this reason, raccoons have been labeled a nuisance animal in these areas.

Although raccoons are considered nuisance wildlife in urban areas, they are truly delightful critters with many interesting facts to offer. Maybe if you can recognize a raccoon’s diet, you might be able to understand what it is they are after when they trespass onto our properties. With this kind of knowledge, you can perhaps come to respect these mammals, and have a strategy to prevent them from invading your property in the future.

Continue reading to learn just what a raccoon diet looks like, and who to call for professional advice and information regarding raccoon control and more.

Indianapolis Indiana Raccoon Removal 317-535-4605

What Do Raccoons Eat?

Raccoons are opportunistic eaters. They are omnivores that eat many different varieties of plant life, invertebrates, and vertebrates. In nature, raccoons are fond of fish, frogs, nuts, acorns, berries, fruit, insects, worms, bird eggs, and even larger prey like birds, snakes, and lizards. With so many subspecies of raccoon in the world, their diets vary depending on the region in which they live. Raccoon species that live near ocean eat more shellfish and aquatic wildlife, in contrast to the Northern raccoon which feeds mostly on the foodstuffs we mentioned before.

Raccoons in Urban Areas

Raccoons that trespass onto residential and commercial properties are looking for anything and everything similar to the foods we just discussed. For those who like to take the garbage outside the night before trash pickup day, you might experience higher frequencies of raccoons to your property.

Leaving garbage outside is like giving raccoons, and other nocturnal wildlife, a free invitation to an all-you-can-eat buffet in your driveway. Not only does this habit attract nuisance wildlife, but it also leaves behind a huge mess for you to wake up to. And raccoons will remember your home as a means for food and return night after night looking for more hand-outs.

Raccoons Will Eat Your Other Animal Food

Raccoons also like to eat pet food, bird seed, and even squirrel seed. Properties with pet bowls outside, or even pet food in the garage, have a higher chance of experiencing problems with raccoons than properties that do not take part in such activities. Bird feeders and squirrel feeders are also a big attraction for raccoons. Removing these objects from a property with raccoons can greatly reduce their rate of return, and leave other raccoons disinterested in your home.

If you have a problem with nuisance raccoons, never try to trap or harm them on your own. It requires professional training, tools, and licensing to facilitate any type of raccoon removal service. Contact Indianapolis Raccoon Removal at 317-535-4605 for DNR licensed and insured critter control services for raccoons in Central, Indiana.

You Should Also Read:

How to Make Safe and Humane Raccoon Repellents at Home
How to Spot the Signs of Rabies in a Raccoon
3 Reasons a Raccoon is Dangerous to People and Pets

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How to Keep Raccoons Out of the Garden

Posted on July 17, 2019 by admin

Gardens are a great source of nutritious produce right at your fingertips. But at night when they are unattended, gardens are like a free buffet for raccoons. If you are noticing that your gardens are being pillaged by nuisance wildlife during the night, raccoons are likely to blame. Not only are they intelligent and can remember where food sources are located, they have human-like paws that can prick, pry, pluck, and more.

If you want to stop nuisance raccoons from destroying your cherished gardens, continue reading to learn what you need to do.

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Raccoons and Gardens

Why do raccoons love your garden? Because they are opportunistic feeders; they will eat meat, vegetables, fruit, grains, and even the Coco Crispiesâ they find in the trash can. As omnivores, raccoons will take great pleasure in eating everything your garden has to offer, from herb and cabbages, to cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, potatoes, mild peppers, corn, and more.

Raccoon Control

The best way to stop raccoons from pillaging your gardens every night is to implement certain environmental modifications. First, plant things that raccoons hate around the perimeter of your garden, such as spicy peppers, menthol, and marigolds. Then, you must remove all other attractions from your property that raccoons take interest in, namely food and water like bird baths, pet food, and squirrel feeders.

Once you have put these environmental modifications into effect, your next step is to consider some form of fencing around your garden. Chicken wire works well, but many homeowners do not like the look. Another options, as mentioned, is planting a fence of marigolds. Raccoons hate the sticky, prickly vines and foliage of marigolds, and will not try too hard to surpass them.

Another option is professional raccoon control services. Not only can a professional raccoon control company implement these same environmental modifications for you, they can also ensure that your home and adjacent shelters (i.e. barns, sheds, garages, etc.) are not vulnerable to invasion. They will inspect and seal all openings and vulnerable areas so that raccoons cannot enter inside.

Indianapolis Raccoon Removal and Control

Call 317-535-4605 for prompt and professional raccoon removal and control in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding areas. We are DNR licensed and insured wildlife rescue and control contractors who offer residential and commercial raccoon abatement services at the most competitive prices in town, including minor attic restorations for raccoon damages. Get started by requesting a free estimate, today.

Basic Facts Surrounding the Common Raccoon

Posted on June 26, 2019 by admin

Raccoons are clever critters, often studied for this in captive settings. They are remarkably bright and resourceful in nature as well. There are a lot of interesting facts about raccoons, but before indulging in these, it is good to have an understanding of what the raccoon species is all about.

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Physical Description

Raccoons, scientifically Procyon Lotor, are medium-sized mammals with a gray coat of fur and a long striped tail. They are often seen with a black stretch of fur directly over their eyes, giving them the look of wearing a bandit’s mask; hence the nickname, little bandits. They usually weigh anywhere from 8 to 20 pounds, and stands at 1 to 2 feet, on its hind legs. This is at full adult size.

Raccoons are also known as “little bandits” due to their curiosity and cleverness in residential areas. They can snoop and tear through garbage cans and dumpsters looking for food, in the middle of the night, and never get caught. People in these communities wake up to a huge mess in their lawn or drive-way! This is what most people think of when you mention the word, raccoon.

Reproduction

Female raccoons give birth to litters of baby raccoons called “kits”. Their gestation period ranges from a few months, or 65 days. They usually have anywhere from 2 to 5 kits per litter. After about nine weeks, the kits can eat solid food and even leave the den to explore. They are eventually weaned completely by 16 weeks or so. The mother shows them feeding grounds and dens, and the adolescent raccoons then split up and head off on their own.

Diet

For food, they will eat almost anything. They are by far one of the most interesting omnivores known to man. In certain times, they will munch on insects and worms, but will also eat fruits and nuts in other seasons. They are even known to indulge in certain vertebrates like fish and frogs. This diet is good for them, and must be, because raccoons have been known to also live a long time.

Life Expectancy

In captive, raccoons can live past 20 years of age! However, in nature, there are more dangers and threats that affect the life span of a raccoon. In the wild, raccoons only live on average 1 to 3 years. They are in constant threat of predators, destroyed habitats, loss of food sources, and more.

Nuisance Raccoons

Raccoons are highly intelligent and ambitious mammals with dexterous paws. These traits makes it easy for raccoons to access our properties and generate a long list of possible damages. A big-time attraction for all raccoons is food, so trash cans are common targets. If you know raccoons are a problem in your neighborhood, it is wise to take certain preventative measures to keep raccoons away from trash cans, as well as, all other areas of your property.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in Indianapolis

Call 317-535-4605 for 24 hour raccoon removal in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. We are DNR licensed and insured wildlife rescue and control specialists that offer a wide range of safe, non-lethal raccoon removal services and attic restorations. Request a free estimate, today.

The Three Extant Species of Raccoon

Posted on May 29, 2019 by admin

There are 3 different types of raccoon species in the Procyon genus. Continue reading to learn some interesting facts about each one, including what you can do to help abate nuisance raccoon activity around your home.

Existing Raccoon Species Currently in the Procyon Genus:

🦝 The Common Raccoon

Scientific Name: Procyon lotor
Additional Names: Northern Raccoon and Raccoon

Common raccoons have a broad range, scoping from southern Canada to Panama, and everywhere in between. Descriptively, they are a medium-sized mammal with gray fur and a long, ring-striped tail. They are often seen with a black stretch of fur directly over their eyes, giving them the look of wearing a vigilante mask. At full maturity, raccoons can weigh anywhere from 8 to 20 pounds, and stand 1 to 2 feet on their hind legs.

🦀 The Crab-Eating Raccoon

Scientific Name: Procyon cancrivorus
Additional Names: South American Raccoo

The Crab-eating raccoon is native to the Southern continental regions, in Costa Rica and throughout South America. Their scope is also known to range east of the Andes, all the way down to northern Argentina and even Uruguay. Their diets primarily consist of crab, lobster, crayfish and other crustaceans and shellfish, hence the name. Compared to the Common raccoon, they are similar in size, but have shorter fur and long, slender snouts.

🐺 The Cozumel Raccoon

Scientific Name: Procyon pygmaeus
Additional Names: Pygmy Raccoon, Dwarf Raccoon, Cozumel Island Raccoon, and Cozumel Raccoon Bear

The Cozumel raccoon is unfortunately a critically-endangered species. They are native to Cozumel Island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico where there is currently an island raccoon endemic. The Cozumel raccoon is remarkably smaller than both the other Procyon species. At full maturity, they reach an average of 10 inches tall and 9 pounds in weight. Males are typically heavier than females by 20 percent or more.

Nuisance Raccoon Problems

Although it is important to respect and preserve our local wildlife, it is not necessary to allow them onto our properties. If you are experiencing nuisance raccoon activity around your house or commercial building, it is wise to outsource some professional intervention. Contact a local Indianapolis raccoon control company for safe and humane, non-lethal raccoon abatement services you can trust.

Get a Free Quote for Raccoon Control Today!

Call 317-535-4605 for professional raccoon removal and control in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. We are DNR licensed and insured wildlife control specialists that offer a wide range of affordable animal removal services for commercial and residential properties. Call 317-535-4605 to request a free estimate for Indianapolis raccoon control, today.

Here’s Why You Have Nuisance Raccoons on Your Property

Posted on March 28, 2019 by admin

Raccoons are one of nature’s most clever mammals that retain some superlative survival skills. Several features and characteristics of a home can be attractive to a wild raccoon. Harsh weather, breeding, and pure curiosity can all be definite influences for raccoons to take shelter or trespass onto residential properties.

Continue reading to learn some reasons why you may be spotting raccoons more frequently on your property, and how to get rid of them for good.

🐾 Pet Food

Raccoons are most motivated by food; just as any other wild animal. When homeowner’s leave food sources outside or in their garage, raccoons are sure to sniff it out. They are great at hunting down meals, especially easy ones. Edibles such as pet food, garden produce, bird feed, and even dirty grills can all be desirable snacks for raccoons and other wild animals alike. If you have any of these items on your property, it may be the cause of your late-night visitors.

Outdoor pets, such as dogs and cats, should be fed indoors or garages. This prevents the need to leave pet dishes full of food, outside. Raccoons love dog and cat food; it is tasty and provides nutrition and protein. If feeding a pet indoors is not an option, try securing the food dishes at night when raccoons are most active, then replace them in the morning. On the same topic, gardens should also be secured to prohibit entry by raccoons, rabbits, and other garden nuisances.

🗑 Garbage Containers

Trash and garbage cans are another potential food source for raccoons. Many people prefer to take their trash out at night, before the morning of pickup. Although this saves a few extra minutes in an otherwise busy morning, it can be a main attraction for nocturnal wildlife. Raccoons have dexterous paws and long claws that allow them to clasp and grab very well. They can easily open up garbage lids and rummage through leftovers, litter, waste, and other compost. This not only leaves a mess for homeowner’s to clean up in the early hours of the morning, but it creates a rift among fellow neighbors that dislike the unsightly garbage spread all across their curb.

🚪 Easy Access

Another main attraction for raccoons is open access to shelter. Cracks and crevices in rooftops are easy entry points for raccoons. They can gain access to attics, garages, crawl spaces, and outdoor sheds and storage spaces. This easy access is a wide open invitation for raccoons to come inside. As mentioned before, harsh weather conditions and breeding season both encourage raccoons to seek shelter in dens, or in residential properties.

Raccoons will remember where reliable food and shelter sources are, and will return to them night after night. In order to get rid of raccoons from trespassing onto your property, you need to figure out what is attracting them in the first place. These areas above are a great place to start. Next, contact a local wildlife removal company to safely and humanely capture and release nuisance raccoons from your property.

How to Put a Stop to Nuisance Raccoons

Call 317-535-4605 for prompt and professional Indianapolis raccoon removal and control you can trust. We are DNR licensed and experienced wildlife control specialists who only use safe and humane methods to exclude and extract raccoons. We also offer 24 hour emergency service, raccoon cleanup and restoration, inspections, and raccoon-proofing. Call 317-535-4605 to request a free estimate, today.

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