Year after year raccoons have been invading residential properties around Mississauga causing all sorts of problems. They dig up lawns in search for grubs, damage roofs so they can live inside, wreak havoc on garbage day and, in rare cases, can even spread diseases to you and your pets such as rabies or roundworm. At first sight, raccoons are very cute animals, especially when babies are present. Don’t be fooled though, they are quite aggressive if confronted and can cause damage to your property which will be quite costly to repair. Best to keep them away from your home and enjoy them from a distance when you come across them in nature.
If you’ve had your fair share of run ins with raccoons in Mississauga there are several things you can do to reduce these circumstances. In this article we will give you tips on how to deter raccoons from coming onto your property. Even if you follow this advice, however, there is still a chance of raccoons invading your property, especially during the spring when they are looking for a safe place to raise their young. In this case, it is best to hire a company that has experience with raccoon control in Mississauga to ensure that all raccoons are removed and safely returned to the wild.
Understanding Raccoons
Before going into details of how to deter raccoons from damaging your property and invading your home, lets start with some basic info about raccoons so you can understand their strengths and motivations. If you can think like a raccoon, you will be better equipped to keep them at bay. Being omnivores with a great sense of smell, raccoons eat a large variety of foods including insects, other small animals, fruits and vegetables. As a result, residential properties in Mississauga are a gold mine for them, giving them easy access to food in your garden, on your lawn and from your compost bins.
In the wild, raccoons often live in covered areas such as hollowed out trees and underground dens. When they find similar areas in residential properties, such as attics, under porches and inside sheds, they are quick to move in as this provides a safe place to live near an easily accessible food source.
How To Keep Raccoons Away From Your Lawn & Garden
Most people focus their raccoon deterring efforts to their garbage and compost bin, not knowing that the lawn and garden are also excellent food source for raccoons. They love feeding on grubs found in your lawn, creating holes along the way, and they are never shy to pick fruits and vegetables directly out of your garden either. Here are some tips for keeping them from destroying your lawn and garden:
- disperse soap flakes on your lawn to reduce attractive scents of grubs and larvae
- sprinkle diluted hot sauce on fruits and vegetables in your garden to create an unattractive smell
- place motion sensor lights around your lawn and garden to scare them off at night when they are most active
How To Keep Raccoons Away From Your Garbage & Compost
The main reason there are so many raccoons in Mississauga neighborhoods is from the attractive odors given off by garbage bins and, even more so, compost bins. These bins are an easy food source that raccoons can count on daily if they are not secured properly. Even with covered bins, raccoons can still get the goods out thanks to their incredible dexterity. To stop them from making a mess on your property, follow these simple steps:
- place your bins in areas with motion sensor lighting to scare off any tempted raccoons
- keep bins inside your garage or other enclosed space until garbage day
- use bins with a locking lid and place a weight on top to ensure they can’t tip it over
How To Deter Raccoons From Moving In
If having raccoons eat up your garden and make a mess of your compost bin isn’t enough, raccoons will move into covered areas around your home if the opportunity presents itself. They are known for getting into uncapped chimneys, openings in attics, under decks and inside sheds. To ensure that you don’t end up with an unwanted room mate, try some of these tips:
- remove large branches that are touching your home so they can’t climb up to your roof
- seal off any openings in your shed, under your deck, into your garage or anywhere else that a raccoon family may decide to live
- put 1 meter high metal barriers around anything that raccoons may be able to climb
Sources
City of Toronto website – Animal Services – Wildlife in the City: Raccoons
