Raccoons can be destructive, eating produce from the garden, tearing up your trash cans, and even ripping wires out of utility boxes. More importantly, they can also be dangerous. As the primary carrier of rabies in the U.S., raccoons can easily pass the disease and a variety of parasites to you or your pets. Contact animal control to remove the raccoons from your property and use the guide below to prevent them from returning.

3 Ways to Keep Raccoons Away From Your Home

1. Remove Food Sources

Raccoons are urban scavengers who are nearly always out hunting for food. To prevent them from frequenting your property, make it less desirable by removing their access to easy food sources.

Never leave pet food on your porch or out in the open. Keep it inside and within a lidded container. Consider using locking trash cans or store the bins in a secure garage or storage shed to prevent the critters from rummaging through your leftovers.

2. Install Motion-Detection Repellents

Raccoons are nocturnal creatures who do their eating and mischief-making while everyone is asleep. Since you won’t always be able to shoo them away from your house, some motion-detecting devices such as strobe lights, sprinklers, and noise-makers can scare them away.

Set the devices up next to trash bins, chicken coops, or gardens to make the areas undesirable. To prevent them from growing accustomed to the repellent, switch to a different device on occasion. 

3. Use Natural Repellents

If removing their food source wasn't enough, consider making the yard less appealing by using natural animal control methods to repel raccoons without hurting them or any other wildlife. Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne pepper on the ground in areas of noted activity.

If raccoons are eating the plants in your garden, try mixing the spice with water and spraying it directly on the leaves. Black pepper, garlic, and cayenne mixed with liquid dish soap and water are also effective deterrents. 

If you find raccoons on your property, contact the animal control professionals at Pep Co., Inc., in Kearney, NE. Since 1987, their knowledgeable team has provided humane solutions for removing pests such as raccoons, mice, rats, and moles. Contact them today at (308) 236-6103 to schedule an appointment, or visit them online to learn more about their services.