Raccoons are omnivorous mammals. They tend to live in parks and ravines. They sleep during the day and go out at night as they are nocturnal. Nocturnal animals hunt for food at night which is why they are so good at getting food from human garbage containers, both commercial and residential. They are very quiet and are capable of climbing anything they can grip with their claws. Even the fattest raccoon can scale a tall tree in seconds. They are coloured for the night which is why they have dark circles around their eyes. This is something that football players do to stop the glint of the sun from shining in the eyes of their cheekbones. Especially when they sweat. Raccoons may not have to worry about sweat but seeing them at night is very important. They have excellent eyesight and can see easily in even near pitch dark. If you see a raccoon wandering on your property you can assume it will happen at night. If you are worried about them coming, and there are many reasons to worry, then there are a lot of things you can do to keep them away. The best thing to do is to limit their access to water and food on your property. Raccoons and other wildlife will come to your property to explore. They may try to break something, fall asleep on your deck, or harass your dog. But if they don’t find any food or water then they have no reason to come back and especially, no reason to come to your property to raise their children when the baby season rolls around. Remember baby season lasts for almost half the year and babies have been found as early as February and as late as august. So taking these precautions could save you thousands in wildlife removal and attic remediation fees.
If you want to limit their access then your first step is locking and sealing your garbage containers. If the ones you have gaps that the garbage can be smelled through then you need to buy one that seals completely. They also must be lockable either with a built-in lock or a padlock. Either way, store them in the garage and only take them out in the morning when the garbage is being taken. It’s a small effort that can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Limiting other food access is important. Your barbeque, your pet food outside, your bird feeders and your children are all likely leaving food around the yard. This will still attract wildlife so feed the dog in the kitchen and the children in the dining room and if you want to eat outside, be careful and clean up well.