Description and Identification Extremely smart animals, raccoons are mischievous and eat just about anything. Often referred to as coons, they are stocky mammals usually about 2 or 3 feet long, weighing in at between 10 and 30 pounds (although there are documented cases of raccoons growing to be as much as 50 pounds). Marked with a distinctive furred, ringed tail and a mask over the eyes, raccoons are usually salt-and-pepper gray, though some are actually yellow.

With the exception of specific areas in the Southwest and higher elevations in some mountainous regions, raccoons are found all over America. They prefer to live in hardwood forests, particularly those near bodies of water, however raccoons are highly adaptable and are also seen in human living areas such as orchards, farmsteads, suburban neighborhoods, and gardens. They create homes in haystacks, abandoned buildings, barns, hollow trees and attics.

Since they are almost entirely active at night, raccoons can be present for quite some time in an area before they're detected. Without the proper knowledge about their damage possibilities and feeding tendencies, raccoon control could be tricky.

Damage Potential

Raccoons become a nuisance and cause destruction and damage in a variety of ways. Although it's possible that they will go undetected for periods of time because of their nocturnal nature, they are fairly easily identified once you observe the tracks. Raccoon damage can be extensive, and if it isn't dealt with, can be costly. As compared to damage that is done to a building or house, damage that they can do to gardens is fairly minor, but they're known to hunt for worms and grubs by actually rolling up sod that has been freshly laid.

When they are hunting for a nesting site for their babies, mother raccoons will remove air conditioning ducts and shingles in order to look for shelter in an attic or crawl space. Raccoons frequently search out refuge in houses and other buildings particularly in attics or chimneys and in places where compost piles can be raided. In a lot of suburban and urban communities, raccoons will adapt to make chimneys sufficient alternatives for traditional hollow trees. When the animals begin to use the same places in a building or attic as a bathroom, ceilings below often hold a displeasing smell and become soiled.

Identified recently as a major rabies host in wild life, reports of infected animals have increased dramatically over the past 3 decades. A great deal of the rise in reports is directly related to an increase in raccoon populations in the eastern US.

Feeding Tendencies and Diet

Because raccoons are omnivorous, they acclimate and adapt to places where they have access to food. When they begin to come into human territory, they tend to gravitate toward areas where they'll find pet food or garbage left outside. They are known to eat poultry and birds when that is accessible, and also their eggs. In gardening and farming regions, raccoons feed on produce such as backyard nuts, corn, watermelon, and vegetables.

When raccoon populations become a problem in your business or home, it is crucial that you locate an expert that is practiced and educated in removing them safely. See http://www.birdandanimalcontrol.com for assistance in finding a company to handle your raccoon control issues and raccoon removal in a humane and timely manner.