Raccoons                  

The common name raccoon comes from the Indian word "arakum" or "aracoun", meaning "he scratches with his hands".  Adult raccoons may be up to 3 ft long and weight up to 30 pounds.  They have a black face mask and ringed tail.  Their fur is long and dense and is a grizzled brown, gray and black color. 

Raccoons are generally nocturnal.  During cold weather a raccoon may sleep for several days but they do not hibernate. 

They are monogamous and breed in late January to early February with a gestation period of 63 days.  Live birth occurs in late April to early May with an average of 3 young per litter.  Their eyes open at 3 weeks and they remain in the den for 2 months.  Young stay with the mother until the following spring. 

Because raccoons are so adaptable and tolerant to most human activity, they can become serious pests.  They are known to invade homes creating considerable damage.  They are excellent climbers, second only to squirrels.  They are capable of climbing up gutter spouts, corners of buildings, trees and chimneys. 

Rabies

The primary reason for concern with Raccoons is the potential for Rabies contracted through their saliva or contact with their feces.  It is a viral infection that can affect the nervous system of any mammal, including humans. The disease is almost always fatal to both people and animals. Raccoon rabies spreads rapidly and infects large numbers of raccoons.  The disease often spreads to other wildlife and pets, making human exposure a real concern.

Removal

Live trapping has proven to be an effective means of removing these unwanted visitors.  Frequently, however they will move into chimneys to have their young.  In this case our highly trained technicians will use techniques to persuade the mother and young to move out of the chimney so we can install a chimney cap as a permanent deterrent to reentry.

If you are living with Raccoons call us, we can help!

Schedule Service

1-800-222-2908