Despite the mischief this masked mammal can sometimes cause, raccoons play an important role in the ecosystem by serving as gardeners, pest control, and the "clean-up crew", Raccoons are beneficial to ecosystems for the distribution of plant seeds.
Raccoons are often considered violent, aggressive, and dangerous. They forage for food in our trash cans and sneak around our yards at night, creating an unsettling environment for the fearful. They have also been proven to carry rabies in some cases.
Raccoons on Pest Control
The masked bandit isn't just good at thieving, it's also a good hunter. While humans tend to fear mice and rats, raccoons eat them for supper. They're adept at catching these scurrying little critters, helping to tamp down the rodent population.
They are beautiful animals, smart, playful and funny. They are very friendly while young and will run and play like a dog or cat. They will always want to wash their food but will eat dog or cat food readily. They are curious and can manipulate their paws just like hands.
Raccoons are known for their intelligence and problem-solving abilities, making them fascinating companions. However, their wild nature and unpredictability make them high-maintenance pets. They can cause considerable damage to your home and belongings due to their innate curiosity and need for exploration.
Despite the mischief this masked mammal can sometimes cause, raccoons play an important role in the ecosystem by serving as gardeners, pest control, and the "clean-up crew", Raccoons are beneficial to ecosystems for the distribution of plant seeds.
Most people know raccoons are carriers of rabies, which can be deadly to people and pets. Raccoons are dangerous because they can spread other diseases, destroy your home, and potentially attack.
Raccoons are also excellent swimmers, hunting fish, frogs, and crayfish. Raccoons live for around one to three years in the wild. In captivity, where the raccoon doesn't need to worry about finding food or outwitting predators, some have lived as long as 20 years. Raccoons are related to bears!
Raccoon predators include cougars, bobcats, coyotes, and domestic dogs. Large owls and eagles will prey on young raccoons. The average life span of a raccoon in the wild is 2 to 3 years; captive raccoons have lived 13.
Before you think of how to get rid of raccoons, consider the many benefits they provide for the environment and ecosystem. The animals can also benefit more localized ecosystems, like your property. As a predator of mice and rats, the presence of a raccoon near your property could reduce the likelihood of infestations.
Predator Sounds: Playing recordings of the nemesis of raccoons such as coyotes, wolves, and dogs will scare them away. Change the animal sounds and speaker locations frequently to outsmart the raccoons.
Raccoons like to create gift galleries, also known as latrines, thus they repeatedly go in the same place. When handling these gifts, be sure to protect yourself. Raccoon packages can contain roundworms and nasty bacteria. You should wear gloves and a mask before scooping it into a plastic bag.
Head pressing in raccoons is usually a symptom of canine distemper or another central nervous system infection. This is something we see often— raccoons curled up with their heads pressed against the ground, their eyes shielded from sunlight.
Since raccoons have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find convenient food sources, one can take advantage of this feature by using scents they hate. Hot pepper, garlic, peppermint oil, onion, and Epsom salt are a few scents used to repel raccoons.
If you see a raccoon in your yard during the day, don't panic—they're not necessarily sick or dangerous. It's perfectly normal for raccoons to be active throughout the day. They may merely be foraging longer hours to support their young, visiting a garden while the dogs are indoors or moving to a new location.
While raccoons can cause far more problems in urban areas than in the wild, they provide some notable benefits, such as disposing of animal carcasses and roadkill. Other benefits include: Raccoons keep your yard free of pests (like wasps and rodents).
Raccoons are opportunistic feeders and primarily eat insects, fruits, and small animals. While it is rare, raccoons have been known to attack and kill small animals, including cats, especially if they feel threatened or are extremely hungry. However, it is not common for raccoons to actively hunt or eat cats.
In conclusion, raccoons are resourceful animals that can adapt to various environments, including urban areas. They prefer to build their nests in trees because it provides them with a strong shelter that is safe from predators. Common tree species used for raccoon nests include oak trees, maple trees, and pine trees.
Raccoons are generally cautious around snakes and will avoid them if possible to minimize the risk of injury or poisoning.
These critters establish nearby latrines. Raccoon excrement often contains raccoon roundworms, a parasite capable of killing humans. They're also capable of spreading rabies and leptospirosis. Raccoons in your backyard are just one step away from perhaps the greatest danger, home infestation.
Raccoons are nocturnal creatures. They usually sleep during daylight, and spend their nights foraging for food. Most often, raccoons leave their dens soon after sunset. They head straight for the nearest food source.
Raccoons Don't Usually Attack Without A Reason
An exception to this would be if a female raccoon is defending her young. While they are still unlikely to attack, they may become more aggressive. Particularly, if they view you as threatening. Their behavior could include arching their back and growling at you.
Often, it indicates curiosity or caution, as the raccoon assesses its environment and the presence of humans. However, that stare may also suggest that the animal feels threatened or cornered, prompting a defensive stance.
In search of warmth and shelter, they can cause damage to your home as they dig and scratch their way in. If they get comfortable, they'll transfer their litter to your property. Raccoons can spread illness, and not only via stray rabies bites. Their feces can contain diseases, which can spread to pets and humans.