Have you ever noticed glowing eyes in your trees at night? Maybe you’ve seen scratch marks on the trunk of your trees. If so, you might be dealing with raccoons.
Raccoons are nocturnal animals native to the United States that are masters at climbing. While most people imagine them rifling through dumpsters, you can often find them sleeping in trees. Sometimes they even create dens inside of trees to hide their young.
Because raccoons are wild animals, you should never attempt to remove them on your own. If raccoons are living in your trees currently, it is best to contact a professional pest control company like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers.
That said, there are some things you can do to deter raccoons from climbing onto your trees. You can trim up tree limbs to make climbing harder, install motion-activated sprinklers, and eliminate food or water sources near the trees.
In this article, you will learn:
- Whether raccoons live in trees
- Why raccoons are attracted to trees for nesting
- How to remove raccoons from trees in your yard
Do Raccoons Live in Trees?
Raccoons are very good at climbing, so you can often find them high up in trees. There are many reasons that raccoons enjoy spending their time in trees. For example, they might use the tree as a resting spot, a hiding place for their babies, or as a vantage point while hunting prey.
Raccoons might also be attracted to trees that have bird nests. They are fond of raiding nests for eggs, baby birds, and even adult birds. They will climb trees to access this source of food at night time.
Weather conditions can also play a role in a raccoon’s attraction to trees. If it is particularly rainy outside, a tree could provide shelter from the storm. Raccoon families might create dens in hollow trees to keep their young safe.
If you are looking to get rid of raccoons living in trees in your backyard, you should contact a wildlife removal company like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers. We use a humane and ethical approach to trapping and relocating animals, which means we will never harm the raccoons.
How to Remove Raccoons From Trees in Your Yard
It is never recommended to remove raccoons from trees on your own because they can be unpredictable and dangerous. They can carry a wide range of diseases, which means getting bitten or scratched by one could lead to an illness among humans and pets. If raccoons are living in your trees, you should call a wildlife removal expert to assist in safe removal.
If you are looking to prevent raccoons from returning to your trees, consider the following tips:
Prune Tree Branches
Trees are easily accessed by raccoons when they have long and sprawling branches. If you commit to regularly pruning your tree branches, you might see less raccoon activity. Pruning tree branches can also prevent raccoons from accessing your roof, which stops them from getting into your attic or crawl space.
Use Motion-Activated Sprinklers
If you notice that raccoons are frequenting your trees at night, you should consider installing motion-activated sprinklers. You’ll want to position them so that they face the trees. When a raccoon attempts to climb your tree, they will be scared away from the sprinkler spraying them.
Eliminate Food and Water Sources
Raccoons will only create nests in trees where food and water sources are available. Because of this, you should ensure that they do not have access to anything they eat or drink.
For water sources, consider abandoning bird baths, koi ponds, and other forms of standing water that a raccoon could drink out of. You can use pool covers to prevent raccoons from drinking out of your pool at night.
When it comes to food, you’ll want to bring pet bowls inside every night. If you have garbage bins in the area, bring them inside of your garage.
Another thing many people forget about is compost bins. If you have compost in your backyard make sure it has a locking mechanism to ensure raccoons cannot access it. You should also fence off or protect any vegetables and fruit that you have growing in the backyard.
Install Mesh Wire
If you install mesh wire on the trees and lower hanging branches, you can prevent raccoons from being able to climb your trees. The mesh wire you choose should be no wider than 3 inches to prevent young raccoons from being able to climb. Galvanized and plastic wire is weather resistant, while stainless steel wire will withstand a raccoon’s strong bite and tearing abilities.
Contact a Professional
Lastly, if you have tried the tips mentioned and are still experiencing raccoon activity in your backyard, it’s time to contact a professional. Wildlife control companies can trap and relocate both baby and adult raccoons.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we use a humane approach that ensures the raccoons will stay safe and unharmed. After trapping them, we will relocate them to a safe area where they can live their lives without coming into contact with humans. If any of the raccoons are sick or injured, we will bring them to an animal rehabilitation facility where they can receive treatment.
Get Connected to Expert Raccoon Removal Services
If you are dealing with a raccoon problem in your backyard or inside of your home, you’ve come to the right place. With years of experience in the wildlife control industry, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers can help you resolve any type of raccoon infestation you are experiencing.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is a full-time wildlife and animal removal company that extends its services to both commercial and residential clients. We have a great team of animal trappers who will work tirelessly to ensure that your home is free of any nuisance critters. We do not use any harmful products and we will focus on humane methods to exterminate the animals. Our trappers are experienced and will explain every stage of the wildlife removal process. We are committed to ensuring that your home is safe and fully protected from the invasion of animals.
Contact us today for more information on our raccoon removal services.
