Raccoons Under Home Frederick
Your crawl space is a great place for raccoons in Frederick seeking shelter: a nice dry, covered area with no humans to bother them. If they are under your home you will probably hear them, mostly near dusk or just before daybreak. You may hear thumping, scratching or even mewling. If you are hearing these noises, there are likely raccoons in your crawl space.
What do I do if I have Raccoons in my Crawl Space?
First, take a look around your home and see if you find an obvious entry point to your crawl space. It is important not to just seal the entry point without making sure the animals are no longer living there. If you seal up the entry point before evicting your unwanted guests the animal could be stuck under your house and die from starvation. Another possibility is that the animal was a mom and you seal the mom on one side and the babies on the other. A mother will be ruthless in destroying your home to get back in the crawl space to her babies. She will create more damage than you have already. If you do manage to keep her out then the babies will die. If an animal dies under your home you will then have an odor issue. If you are not comfortable doing this it is best to call us: 410-994-8881.
If you identify the animal as a raccoon with young babies it is still best to call in a wildlife removal expert. The babies can not leave the crawl space on their own and may not be old enough to enter a trap. Babies most often have to be removed by hand, using safety precautions, like gloves and ensuring the mom is not nearby. Once the babies are removed the mom can be trapped using her babies as live bait or food bait. Also, you will need to remember that these animals can be very aggressive when threatened. It is a very bad idea to approach one if you are not trained to do so.
Trapping Raccoons Under the House Frederick
In many states and counties trapping and relocating a raccoon is not allowed. Once relocated they are now an invader to another’s territory and you have created a turf war. Also you have moved one to another home owners area making it likely they will now have an issue. We know the trapping laws in Frederick County and can help to take care of raccoons in your crawlspace.
Another option is to make the crawl space less friendly. They like dark places so blinking Christmas lights or motion activated lights placed under the house near the entry point may encourage the raccoon to move on. A radio set to talk radio may make them think that too many people are around and move on. This option is working less often as they are becoming urbanized and comfortable around Atlanta. Smells can also make the environment unpleasant.
Vinegar, ammonia, and mothballs are some odors that may make living there uncomfortable for the raccoon. However, the smell may rise through the floor making your house have an unpleasant smell too. There are no repellents that are registered for use with them. Some retailers are selling an eviction fluid made from adult male glands and urine. Because males kill any babies that are not theirs, females will probably not stay near where this fluid has been applied to have her babies or will try to move her babies to a safer location. However, as mentioned the crawl space is not the most likely location for a mom; so this will probably not be effective in this instance.
Once they have been removed it is in your best interest to seal the entry point or make changes to the area that makes it harder for animals to get in. Spending the time and energy to remove an animal only to have another move in could get frustrating. Wire mesh secured around your home is a good option. They can rip open wood lattice so if you like that look use it as an outer layer where the wire mesh is the true barrier. Maryland Wildlife Solutions is experienced with preventing raccoons from getting into your home.
