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We Provide Humane Raccoon Trapping, Removal and Damage Repair Services
throughout New Jersey and Staten Island, NY
Common Nuisance Situations:
Calls from customers often peak from mid-March through mid-May, when the females are looking for den sites in which to raise their young. From mid-May through July, customers may call about "sick" or "rabid" raccoons that are active during the day. From the late summer through the fall, raccoons may dig through lawns and turf in search of grubs.
Why Are They Damaging My Property ?
 | | Raccoon Tracks |
 | | Raccoon Scat |
- They den in attics, chimneys, sheds, and barns, annoying people with their
noise and odors.
- Their nest materials might block a vent, causing a fire hazard. They also
chew on wires.
- Raccoons can damage buildings, either purposefully, to gain entry or create
a nesting area, or accidentally, because they're heavy enough to bend gutters
as they move through them. Raccoons enter buildings through the roof (using
rain gutters, brick chimneys, and overhanging branches to reach the roof);
push their way through louvers or soffits; or climb directly up the siding.
They may tear shingles, vents, or roofing material to gain entry.
- Raccoons also cause damage as they feed, pillaging gardens and agricultural
crops, knocking over and chewing through garbage cans, getting stuck in dumpsters,
pulling down and chewing holes in bird feeders, and pulling up turf and lawns
for worms and grubs.
- Their scat fouls yards and children's play areas and may present a health hazard (parasites found in scat).
- Disease risks: rabies, raccoon roundworm. Raccoons are currently the main carrier of rabies in New York.
Common Myths About Raccoons:
- A raccoon that's active during the day is not necessarily rabid. It may
be a healthy female that's feeding more often than usual, because of the demands
of her young.
- In raccoons, the symptoms of canine distemper can be easily mistaken for
rabies. This leads some people to overestimate the number of rabid raccoons.
Description:
Coat long and thick, grizzled grayish brown. Black mask below white eyebrow. Legs medium-length; paws buffy; flexible toes used for climbing trees and washing food. Tail N body length, thick, banded with black rings. Swims well; can run up to 15 mph. Omnivorous; feeds in upland and aquatic habitats; raids trash bins.
Breeding: Usually 4 young April/May.
Sign: Den in hollow tree or crevice. Tracks: flat-footed; hindprint much longer than wide, 4"; foreprint rounded, 3"; claws show on all 5 toes.
Habitat: Woods and scrub near water; towns.
Activity: Mainly nocturnal, but sometimes seen in daytime. Winter: dens up; active in milder periods.
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See Our Services Section for Humane Raccoon Removal
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