Wash Bear, Dumpster Squirrel, Sly Cooper, Trash Panda. Raccoons bear many names and seem to be an inseparable presence alongside our own domiciles. This time of year this is particularly true. When the opportunity permits, raccoons bear their young in hollow trees where they can keep them safe. As our habitats and theirs continue to mesh, our homes often serve as theirs… for a time.
Often the first sign a raccoon has chosen a lovely birthing suite in your home is seeing the mother raccoon leaving during the day, hearing an angry toddler rampaging through your attic at night, mass destruction of your siding gracing the lawn or the small chirps of the newborn kits. With the exception of the babies, not all of these are an assurance a raccoon has taken up residence. Raccoons will “knock” on several homes before finding the one that is just right, which if we’re honest only adds insult to injury that your homes siding is now hanging on by a thread and yet something wasn’t good enough for her.
If a raccoon has taken up residence with her young, it’s important to not approach or corner her. Raccoons are fierce mothers who care deeply for their young. There have even been instances of a mother learning how to reenter a one way door to ensure her babies were not left behind. If cornered she will often perform a “false charge” to ward off an unwanted attendant but if pressed will defend her family. In an animal with the strength to tear wood siding off a chimney and stands only at a human toddlers height, the advantage is in her favor.
There are effective methods to remove the mother and her children without harm to the mother, her babies or you. To head off, yes they can be trapped but in most cases this requires euthanizing the mother and her kits on the property. Rehab sites are typically full and raccoons are smart, they will find their way home. If taken far enough, they may transfer diseases to other groups and cause far more harm. This is of course an option you can choose, but it typically doesn’t have a happy ending.
The other option is the use of more natural methods. Male raccoons are predatory to baby raccoons as they seek to force the mother back into heat with the loss of the babies. Their scenting fluid can be applied where the mother is nesting to alert her that the babies are at risk. She will soon after relocate her babies to a new location further away. Once they have left, clean up and repair can be performed. This requires more patience but provides a path to return wildlife to the wild.
I encourage finding a balance with the natural world and providing a chance at life where we can. In the end, the safety of your home is paramount but in most cases that can be assured while supporting a balanced and varied ecology. It just takes a little patience…
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