Long before Butch and Sundance ever thought to commit a crime, the original masked bandit, the raccoon, was pilfering his way across our country. This quirky, cunning, conniving, and sometimes charming, sticky-fingered pest has been around for 25 million years. They were first discovered in Europe and then spread throughout North America and upper South America.
There are six different raccoon species found in the United States, and the Procyon lotor is the most common and recognizable, with its infamous black mask, ringed tail, and bushy gray-brown fur. They are highly adaptable and can adjust to many climates, enabling them to survive and thrive in even challenging environments. As a result, raccoon populations are higher than ever, and they are a prevalent nuisance in the state of Michigan.
Raccoon Behavior And Eating Habits
Raccoons are omnivorous opportunists. In their natural forested habitat, they eat fruit, nuts, grains, vegetables, insects, eggs, rodents, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, worms, and mollusks. Unfortunately for us, they also eat pet food, cheeseburgers, French Fries, candy bars, egg rolls, cookies, cereal, potato chips, and spaghetti. In other words, anything they can find around our homes. Not only do raccoons enjoy the same foods we do, they seem to prefer our junk-food-laden diet to their own, even if it has already spoiled and is sitting in our trash. Indeed, the web is rampant with videos of raccoons eating (and usually, stealing) all kinds of crazy stuff. They raid our garbage cans (hence the nickname trash panda), craftily swipe crullers from doughnut shops, and brazenly enter our homes through pet doors and help themselves to Fido’s dinner.
Yes, their eccentric behavior (like dunking their food in water) can be amusing and downright hilarious at times, but these animals are not meant to be pets. They are messy and destructive, hyperactive, nearly impossible to house train, and unprovoked biters even when “tame.” Most vets will refuse to treat them. They also pose a significant danger to human health, carrying parasites like Raccoon Roundworm and a variety of infectious diseases that are transferable to humans, especially rabies. With confirmed cases of rabies surging to alarming levels in Michigan, this is the last animal you want hanging around your home.
What To Do If You Have A Raccoon Problem
So, how do you know if you have a raccoon problem? Since these animals are nocturnal, you may be more likely to see signs of their presence than the raccoons themselves. Droppings, toppled trash cans, and scratch marks around the exterior of your home as well as near woodpiles are sure red flags. They will also infest your home itself and are attracted to attics, basements, garages, porches, and crawlspaces. Still, more often than not, they are lurking nearby in woodsy areas and waiting for nightfall to perpetuate their mischief. One of the best ways to identify them is by their distinctive tracks around your property, which are small, hand-shaped, and similar to bears in that their entire paw makes full contact with the ground.
The CDC cautions people never to approach or attempt to touch a raccoon for any reason because of the dangers involved. In Michigan, trying to transport a live raccoon is illegal, and a special permit is required to deal with them as a nuisance. The best thing you can do is to contact a professional pest control company immediately to take care of the problem.
When you need assistance dealing with masked bandits of the four-legged variety, you can rely on the top-rated services of Stratex Pest Control. We will swiftly, effectively, and humanely eliminate your raccoon problem and take measures to discourage them from coming back. Our friendly experts are always ready to help, so please don’t hesitate, give us a call today.