HELP! I have raccoons in my garbage. How can
I get rid of them?
- Always cover composters and garbage cans.
- Keep dumpsters securely closed.
- Use bungie cords or very heavy weights to keep the garbage can lids in place.
- Build a secure enclosure for your garbage pails or composter.
- Sprinkle naphtha flakes or predator urine around the area or hang ammonia-soaked cotton rags near the garbage cans, dumpster or composter. Raccoons dislike strong odors.
- Place bright lights in the area. Additionally, place motion activated devices or flashing lights if you have them. Raccoons dislike bright lights.
- Remember you are dealing with a critter who can practically scale sheer walls, take things
apart in the blink of an eye, and open anything short of a padlocked door (give him the key or
combination, and he will open most locks also).
- Unless it is one recommended by a rehabber, call animal control or pest removal services as a last resort. Very few relocate raccoons and while some may have a rehabber they bring wildlife to, most have no alternative except to euthanize the raccoon. Relocating raccoons is not really the answer anyway. It is far better and easier to use one of the above methods to encourage the raccoons to relocate themselves.
- Remember too that you are dealing with a creature that is increasingly being displaced by humans and finding his environment, and natural food sources, shrinking daily. To shoot a raccoon simply for getting into your garbage is cruel. Please be humane.
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