Safest Way to Get Raccoons Out of the Attic

Discovering that a raccoon is living in your attic can be a frightening and stressful experience. You can't just simply wait and hope that it will eventually leave your attic. Raccoons just like the squirrels are clever animals. They will not leave your property until they are forcefully evicted. Any moment that you wait will equate to mess up insulation, foul smelling urine and scratches in your attic.

Getting rid of the raccoons does not necessarily mean that you have to show your supremacy and evict them in a barbaric way. There are safe and humane methods that you can do it.

The first thing you will have to do is to gather all the supplies that you will need. Find a large animal or cage trap which can be purchased on your nearby hardware store. You also need spray foam, pinecone, and peanut butter. Prepare a strand of wire preferably a floral wire, newspapers and a durable pole

After preparing all the supplies, you will have to prepare your attic. You need to find out how the raccoon is accessing your attic. You have to seal this accessible area, or all your efforts will turn out futile. Start by looking for gaps in your soffits or vents especially around your lights, attic fans, and gutters. This hole does not necessarily have to be large. Raccoons can fit themselves into tiny holes. After successfully finding the gaps, fill this up with spray foam.

Cover your pinecone generously with peanut butter. Cut the floral wire at approximately 12 inches. Wrap it around the pinecone until it is securely attached. Connect the other end of the wire to the metal cage. The position of the pine cone is crucial when setting the trap. Place the pinecone near the middle part of the cage. Avoid putting it close to the side, or the raccoon can retrieve it when they are outside the trap. It should also be positioned at the back of the metal cage which will prompt the raccoon to enter the cage and activate the sensor which will trigger the door of the cage.

After preparing the trap, it is now time to take them on top of your attic. Make sure that you will place the trap away from the wires and other clutters. Spread the newspapers below the metal cage. This will prevent the raccoon from creating a mess on the surface especially if they will be trapped there for hours. It is also the easiest way to clean the feces and urine of the raccoon.

It may probably take a few hours or days before the raccoon will check out the pinecone in the metal cage. In case you have a surveillance or remote camera, you may install it in your attic that will allow you to monitor your trap. This will minimize the activity in the attic and will encourage the raccoon to check out the cage.