Raccoon In House (What to Do to Get It Out)

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In this article, we’ll answer the question:

“What to do if a raccoon is in the house?”

If you have a raccoon in your home, you need to act quickly and safely to get rid of it. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide explaining what to do if a raccoon is in your house.

Raccoons are medium-sized mammals in the family Procyonidae under the order Carnivora. These omnivores are native to North America but are also distributed across mainland Europe, the Caucasus, and Japan, and are well-known for their striped ring-tail appearance.

raccoon in house

Raccoon In House: What to Do

Step 1: Identify the Entry Point

The first thing you need to do is find out how the raccoon got into your house. Raccoons can enter through roof soffits, edges, vents, plumbing holes, chimneys, windows, doors, or any other opening they can fit through. They can also chew or rip their way through weak or damaged areas of your house.

Look for signs of raccoon activity, such as paw prints, claw marks, feces, urine stains, nesting materials, or chewed wires. Once you locate the entry point, mark it with tape or chalk so you can seal it off later.

Step 2: Call a Professional Wildlife Removal Service

The safest and most effective way to get rid of a raccoon in your house is to call a professional wildlife removal company. They have the experience, equipment, and knowledge to handle the situation humanely and legally. They can also inspect your house for any other raccoons or potential entry points. 

Do not attempt to trap or kill the raccoon yourself, as this can be dangerous and illegal in some areas. Raccoons can bite, scratch, or carry diseases such as rabies or roundworm. They may also have babies that need to be removed with their mother.

Step 3: Keep the Raccoon Contained

While you wait for the professional to arrive, you can try to keep the raccoon contained in one area of your house. This will prevent it from causing more damage or harm. 

You can do this by closing doors, windows, or vents that lead to other rooms. You can also use barriers such as furniture, cardboard boxes, or trash cans to block its path. However, do not corner or provoke the raccoon, as this can make it more aggressive. Keep a safe distance and avoid eye contact with the animal.

Step 4: Remove Any Attractants

Another thing you can do to prevent future raccoon problems is to remove any attractants that may lure them to your house. Raccoons are attracted by food, water, and shelter sources that they can find in your garbage cans, pet bowls, bird feeders, compost bins, gardens, or ponds. 

You can deter them by securing your garbage cans with lids or straps, removing pet food and water at night, cleaning up any spilled bird seed or fallen fruits, installing fences or netting around your garden or pond, and using repellents such as pepper spray, ammonia, vinegar, or motion-activated sprinklers or lights.

Step 5: Seal Off the Entry Point

The final step is to seal off the entry point that the raccoon used to get into your house. This will prevent it from coming back or letting other raccoons in. 

You can use materials such as hardware cloth, metal flashing, caulk, or foam insulation to cover any gaps or holes in your roof soffits, edges, vents, plumbing holes, chimneys, windows, doors. 

You can also trim any tree branches that overhang your roof or touch your house. Make sure you do this after the professional has removed the raccoon and any babies from your house.

Will Raccoons Eventually Leave On Their Own?

Raccoons will eventually leave on their own if they do not find enough food, water, or shelter in your house. However, this may take a long time, especially if there are baby raccoons involved. Raccoons may also return if you do not seal off the entry point or remove the attractants.

Why Do Raccoons Try to Get In Your House?

Raccoons try to get in your house because they are looking for a safe and comfortable place to live and raise their young. They may also be attracted by the food, water, or warmth that your house provides. Raccoons are opportunistic and adaptable animals that can exploit any opening or weakness in your house.

How Long Do Raccoons Live In a Home?

Raccoons can live in a home for as long as they find it suitable and convenient. They may stay for a few days, weeks, months, or even years. They may also leave and come back periodically. The length of their stay depends on factors such as food availability, weather conditions, human activity, and the presence of predators.

Learn More About Raccoons

Now that you know more about what to do if a raccoon is in your house, you may also be interested in these other educational guides on these mammals:

Raccoon In House and What to Do Summary

You now know what to do if a raccoon is in the house.

As you discovered, the steps to take when you find a raccoon in your include: identify the entry point, call a professional wildlife removal service, keep the raccoon contained, remove any attractants, and seal off the entry point.