Raccoon Identification and Removal

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Raccoons are highly adaptable animals that require only a source of water, food, and a protected area for denning to survive. Their home range sizes in urban areas are surprisingly small (about 3–40 hectares).

• Food Sources: They feed off fruit and insects in gardens, leftovers in municipal waste, and other easily available food sources.

• Sleeping Areas: In urban areas, they utilize many protected spots for denning and sleeping, including hollows in old trees, garages, abandoned houses, and most commonly, attics and roof voids.

• Abilities: The raccoon is known for its excellent climbing abilities. It is also capable of making a variety of sounds, including whistling, shrieking, chattering, clicking its teeth, snarling, and growling.

How to Identify a Raccoon

• Size and Weight: Raccoons are about 2–3 feet long and weigh approximately 10 to 30 pounds.

• Distinct Markings: They are distinctively marked with a prominent black "mask" over the eyes and a heavily furred, ringed tail.

• Color: The fur is a grizzled salt-and-pepper gray and black. Raccoons from prairie areas may be paler in color.

• Life Expectancy: In the wild, their life expectancy is about 1.8 to 3.1 years, depending on factors like traffic volume and weather severity (which you would expect to be on the lower end in Calgary's harsh winters).

PEST PRO EXTERMINATOR SOLUTION

The first crucial step in resolving a raccoon issue is to confirm that you have a raccoon problem versus another pest issue (like squirrels or mice).

• Confirmation Tools: At Pest Pro Exterminator, we use a variety of tools to help identify animals in wall voids, roof voids, and under steps, including thermal cameras, snake cameras, and pest cams.

• Eviction Methods: Once confirmed, the two most common eviction methods include the use of one-way doors and live trapping (where permitted by law).

• Restoration: After the raccoons have been removed from the structure, the entrance point(s) can be safely repaired, and remediation can be done on any latrines (communal droppings) that the raccoons may have created.

• Program Focus: Our pest management programs focus on passive deterrence, exclusion systems, and live trapping for permanent relief.

Ask to speak to your Pest Pro Exterminator service technician to find out the best and safest solution for your structure.

COMMON CONCERNS ADDRESSED

How do I know if I have a raccoon in my roof/attic?

• Visual Inspection: One of the easiest ways is a visual inspection performed by a professional pest control service technician who has the required training and tools to safely enter the roof void or inspect the roof line.

• Tell-Tale Signs: When the raccoon itself cannot be visually spotted, there are often tell-tale signs such as the presence of a latrine (a large concentration of droppings).

• Confirmation Tools: Placing a pest cam in the roof void or the use of thermal cameras are other tools that help confirm the presence of raccoons.

If I hear noises in my attic, what could it be?

Always remember the knock test to help differentiate between small rodents and larger wildlife:

1. Knock firmly on the wall or ceiling where you are hearing the noise.

2. If the noise stops, then reoccurs in the same general area within a couple of minutes, it is probably mice (due to a freeze or hiding response).

3. If the noise immediately flees the disturbance (a loud scurrying that moves quickly and completely away), it is likely larger wildlife (squirrels or raccoons) exhibiting a flight response.