Raccoons are nocturnal animals immediately recognizable due to their ringed and bushy tails. They can be found throughout the United States, except for areas of the Rocky Mountains with high elevations. It is common to find raccoons in residential neighborhoods, forests, and even in large cities.
Have you woken up in the morning to find the contents of your trash can thrown across the yard? Maybe your garden has been torn up and your fruits and vegetables were munched on? If so, you might have raccoons visiting your property.
Raccoons are nocturnal, so you might not see them in your yard during the daytime. This means the easiest way to determine if you have a raccoon problem is by looking for their droppings. Raccoons leave droppings that are tubular, dark, and 2 to 3 inches long.
If you have a raccoon problem, it is best to contact a wildlife removal company. Because they are wild animals, attempting to remove them yourself could end badly. Instead, contact Nuisance Wildlife Rangers to trap, remove, and relocate them safely and humanely.
In this article, you will learn:
- What raccoon droppings look like
- Signs that raccoons have been in your yard
- How to deal with a raccoon problem
What Does Raccoon Poop Look Like?
If there are raccoons in your yard, they will leave droppings behind. Raccoon feces are tubular and darkly colored. The droppings will have rounded or broken ends.
Typically, raccoon droppings are 2 to 3 inches long and a half inch in diameter. They have a smooth texture and might be twisted or broken apart in segments.
While raccoon poop tends to be dark, it can vary in color based on what the raccoon was eating. You might notice undigested bits of seeds, pieces of insects, or exoskeletons in their droppings. Because raccoons can contract roundworms, you might notice roundworm eggs in their feces.
If you come across raccoon roundworms or droppings, you should wash your hands. These parasites can be spread to humans and household pets.
These animals tend to leave their droppings in a shared location referred to as raccoon latrines. You might find their feces in woodpiles, tree stumps, large rocks, porches or decks, attics, roofs, or garages.
If you notice a strong odor, you might have come across raccoon urine. They tend to urinate in the same areas as they leave droppings. If you think raccoons are urinating and leaving droppings inside of your attic, crawlspace, or garage, you should call a company like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers for assistance.
Other Signs of Raccoons in Your Yard
While looking for animal droppings is a good way to determine if raccoons are in your yard, there are other ways to tell.
The main signs of raccoons on your property include:
Raccoon Tracks
Raccoons have five long fingers on each paw. Because of this, their tracks might look like tiny human handprints. They tend to be about 4 inches long.
Overturned Trash Cans
Raccoons are omnivores and will eat anything they can get their hands on, including trash. If you wake up and notice that your trash cans have been rummaged through overnight, you could be dealing with a raccoon infestation.
Noises at Night
Raccoons tend to make a wide range of unusual noises. They might growl, moan, whistle, and shuffle around. If you wake up to hear any of these noises, raccoons could be the culprit.
Damaged Gardens
Raccoons like to eat fruits and vegetables. If you have a fruit or vegetable garden, you might find that it has been destroyed by an animal. Signs that a raccoon was snacking on your garden include bent corn stalks, clawed open melon rinds, and noticing that other fruits and vegetables are missing.
How to Solve a Raccoon Infestation
While you might be tempted to remove the raccoons by yourself, doing so could be dangerous. Raccoons are known to carry rabies. If you approach a raccoon with rabies, they might attack you and cause you to contract the virus.
Instead of facing raccoons by yourself, you should contact a professional animal removal company. Nuisance Wildlife Rangers has years of experience in trapping and relocating animals like raccoons. Additionally, we will remove them from your property without harming them in the process, as every animal is important to the local ecosystem.
If you need assistance with a raccoon problem in the state of Florida, we are here to help. We serve the following areas and many more:
- Boca Raton
- Bonita Springs
- Brandon
- Cape Coral
- Clearwater
- Coral Springs
- Davie
- Delray Beach
- Dunedin
- Estero
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Gulf Stream
- Hollywood
- Jupiter
- Largo
- Marco Island
- Miami
- Naples
- Palm Beach
- Parkland
- Pinellas Park
- Plant City
- Punta Gorda
- Safety Harbor
- Sanibel
- St. Petersburg
- Tampa
- Tarpon Springs
- Temple Terrace
- West Palm Beach
Whether you need a raccoon or a family of them removed, we are here to assist you. We will also help you put protections in place to prevent raccoons from returning in the future.
Get Connected to a Raccoon Removal Company
If you or a loved one is dealing with a raccoon problem, you’ve come to the right place. Whether the raccoons are in your yard or inside of your attic, we can help you remove them quickly and without doing any harm to the animals. Nuisance Wildlife Rangers uses humane trapping and relocating methods for every animal infestation in the state of Florida.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is one of the largest, privately owned companies, in Florida, which offers professional wildlife and animal removal. We have been in existence for the last 5 years and we provide exceptional wildlife removal services.
Contact us today for more information on our raccoon removal services. We can help you regain control over your property and sleep soundly without the nuisance of raccoons throughout the night.
