Why Getting Rid Of Raccoons Needs a Professional Touch

Raccoons are feisty little creatures that can be as aggressive as they are cute. But there’s nothing cute about a raccoon living in your attic rent-free. Here are some reasons you need a professional to get rid of raccoons in your home.

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First, raccoons can be aggressive, especially if they are protecting their pups. People know what they can do to garbage bins at night. Children at home and expensive items can be at risk with these critters on the loose. Handling them yourself can get you scratched and bitten in the process.

Removing the animal yourself can also get you infected with rabies. This alone makes it a very bad idea. Rabies is a pain to deal with, and if not treated quickly, can easily turn into a fatal condition.

Raccoon repellants rarely work the way they are advertised. These animals are smart creatures who will simply avoid these repellants thanks to their keen sense of smell. Products like coyote and fox urine, as well as ammonia balls, simply do not work.

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You can also do the animals harm by undertaking removal yourself. Without experience on how these creatures can react, a homeowner could possibly kill these creatures and their pups. Professionals deal with this problem in a humane way through trapping methods, and return them to the wild. They will also help proof your home to prevent human-raccoon encounters in the future.

Baystate Wildlife removes raccoons, skunks, bats, and squirrels in a gentle manner, as the last thing the catchers would want to do is hurt them. The company follows an extensive process which locates both present and future entry points. They seal these to prevent wild animals from re-entering. Learn more about the company’s services here.

Reasons Wild Animals Are Not To Be Kept As Pets

To begin with, they’re not called “wild” for nothing. Think about it this way: whenever we bring wild animals to our homes, we are denying them their natural instincts. This is especially true for adults who’ve spent their lives away from humans.

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As for babies or juveniles, keeping them as pets and then deciding later to set them free is very stressful, forcing many rescuers to even opt to euthanize them instead of returning them to the wilderness, since they’ve lost their ability to live without human guidance. 

Of course, we have dogs and cats as typical pets, and these animals have more or less evolved to coexist with human companionship. But other animals like raccoons or foxes cannot adjust to living in our households; we are just sentencing them to a life of loneliness and stress, a life away from their skulks and kind. 

More importantly, we may not be allowed to keep them in the first place, as often it’s illegal to keep wild animals in our homes. This is because some of them are destructive or dangerous to keep or try to tame. A scratch mark or a bite from, say, a squirrel or a snake can lead to serious illnesses and can even be fatal. On a lighter note, just think about the headaches caused by, say, a pet fox ripping your carpets and chewing up your sofas. 

Finally, consider that these animals may not even need rescuing in the first place. Often mothers leave their young ones alone for hours as they hunt or look for food. Don’t just grab the “abandoned.” Think hard if what you’d initially thought as rescue was more of a form of kidnap.

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Baystate Wildlife specializes in the humane and safe trapping, removal, and exclusion of wildlife, including bats, racoons, and squirrels. Visit this website for more on the company.