Photo Album: Raccoons cause damage in Port Monmouth
Roof damaged by raccoons in Oceanport, NJ
This raccoon tried one area of the roof to gain access, but was unsuccessful. However, her attempt left some fairly extensive roof damage that the homeowner will now need to fix (see photo). After realizing that she wasn't getting in that way, this determined raccoon wasn't about to give up. She simply tried again. This time, she moved across the roof, and pulled down a whole section of soffit. She was in. This homeowner's attic was the new home for this mother raccoon.
Trap set for raccoons in Oceanport, New Jersey
When I arrive to deal with a raccoon infestation, it is critical to know whether there are live babies in the attic and, if so, locate them. Using a few of my raccoon tricks, I got the babies to cry, so that I could locate them Check out the video. Raccoons are extremely vocal creatures. It is estimated that they are capable of making over 200 different sounds. You'll hear everything from purring to screeching like owls. Raccoon babies make their own sets of sounds to gain the attention of their mother, including mewing, whining, and crying. Their sounds can be quite unusual, and it's surprising to hear that they are coming from a raccoon and not some other animal. After successfully locating the babies, it's time to trap mom. You definitely do not want to 'spook' a raccoon mom, and it's important to leave a small footprint as if you were never there. If she senses trouble, she will often attempt to relocate her young to a very hard place to access, such as inside a wall void. Although we sometimes have no choice, we prefer to not have to start cutting into walls to pluck out baby raccoons!
Trap set for raccoons near garbage can
For the mom, I set two traps, one directly above the access and one directly below the access on the ground where I had noticed paw prints on the downspout. It was pretty clear that she was shimmying up and down the downspout to gain access to the roof. Now, whichever way she goes when she leaves to scavenge for food, she will have no choice but to walk right past a temptingly baited trap. I also "marked" the access with Mylar tape. With this tape, I'll know whether she has left the attic because the tape will be broken and there will be fur stuck to it. Everything now is in place. If all goes according to plan, we'll catch the mom fairly quickly, retrieve her babies, and safely relocate the happy family to a place deep in the woods far away from human habitats. We want the mother raccoon to be able to raise her young in peace without being a nuisance or threat to people. It's better for them, and better for us! Wildlife is wonderful, but it can become a serious problem once raccoons or other animals manage to gain access inside our homes.