1. RaccoonsIntegrated Pest Management In and Around the HomeThe adult raccoon (Procyon lotor) is astocky mammal about 2 to 3 feet longand weighs 7 to 30 pounds. It is dis-tinctivelymarked with a black maskover the eyes and is heavily furredwith alternating light and dark ringsaround its tail (Figure 1). Raccoons areactive year round but may take coverin dens during periods of severe winterweather.BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIORRaccoons prefer wooded areas nearwater and natural habitats. They den inhollow trees, ground burrows, brushpiles, or rock crevices. This nocturnalanimal adapts extremely well to urbanand suburban environments, where itoften dens in backyards, beneath decks,or in accessible outbuildings. Attics,chimneys, and the spaces beneathhouses are also used as dens, if accesscan be gained. Because they are activemainly at nighttime, raccoons are of-tenpresent but may go undetected forsome time.Raccoons are omnivorous, eating bothplants and animals. Plant foods includeall kinds of fruits, berries, nuts, acorns,corn, and other types of grain. Ani-malfoods include crayfish, clams, fish,frogs, snails, insects, turtles, rabbits,muskrats, and the eggs and young ofground-nesting birds, including water-fowl.In urban settings, in addition tofeeding on backyard fruits, nuts, andvegetables, they scavenge from garbagecans and compost piles. Pet food leftoutside overnight ranks high as a foodresource, and some people intention-allyprovide food for raccoons. Birdfeeders provide another dependablefood source for raccoons.Young are generally born in April orMay, but earlier and later litters are notuncommon. Litter size ranges fromthree to six young, averaging aboutfour. Family groups usually remaintogether for the first year; the year-oldyoung begin to assert their indepen-dencethe following year when the newlitter arrives. Because of the availabilityof food and den sites, urban and sub-urbanraccoon populations can becomevery large.DAMAGECommon problems occur when rac-coonslook for nesting sites in build-ings.Females in search of nesting sitesmay rip off shingles, fascia boards, orrooftop ventilators to get into the at-tic.Once inside the attic, insulation onwalls may be torn up and displaced;and insulation on heating and air con-ditioningducts may be ripped off anddestroyed. Raccoons may begin usingan area of the attic for a latrine, and theceiling beneath may become stainedwith urine, accompanied by an objec-tionableodor. Ectoparasites may infestthe attic and migrate to other parts ofthe house. Uncapped chimneys areoften used as den sites, as are spacesbeneath porches and decks. Doorscovering crawl spaces are sometimesdamaged in an effort to den beneaththe house.Raccoon damage to gardens is quitecommon. Sweet corn is particularlydesirable. Raccoons will climb thestalk and tear it down to gain accessto the corn. Damage usually occursright before harvest. Other fruits andvegetables in the garden can also beconsumed. Raccoons often will rollup newly laid turf when looking forworms and grubs. However, they donot typically dig holes in lawns whenlooking for food; if you see conical-shapedholes in your yard, this is likelythe result of skunk foraging. For moreinformation on skunks, see Pest Note:Figure 1. Juvenile raccoon. (L. Fitzhugh, UCWFCB)Skunks. Raccoons are skilled fishers; assuch, they occasionally prey upon koiin backyard ponds.Raccoons are known to carry a num-berof diseases and internal parasites.The raccoon roundworm, an infectionspread to people by the accidentalingestion or inhalation of roundwormeggs from raccoon feces, has causedincreased concern in recent years.Roundworm infection can cause seri-ousdisabilities, and young childrenare thought to be most susceptible.Raccoons are also carriers of rabies anddistemper. Be sure pets are properlyvaccinated to mitigate this threat.LEGAL STATUSIn California raccoons are classifiedas furbearers. The fur harvest seasonis set by the California Departmentof Fish and Wildlife, which furtherdetermines when and how raccoonsmay be taken. Raccoons causing dam-agemay be taken at any time by legalmeans. The California Department ofFish and Game Regulations prohibitthe relocation of raccoons and otherwildlife without written permission ofthe Department. For further informa-tion,contact the Department of Fishand Wildlife.PEST NOTES Publication 74116Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program July 2014

2. July 2014 Raccoons 2 of 4 MANAGEMENTThere are various approaches to re-solvingraccoon problems. In somecommunities the situation has becomeso severe that it is beyond the abilityof the individual homeowner to solvethe problem. In these instances, a com-munityeffort may be the only effectivesolution. City parks, green belts, golfcourses, and highway and street plant-ingsmay serve as reservoirs for rac-coonsby providing them with den sitesand travel routes. Storm drains andstreet and road culverts are commonlyused as dens. Since these areas are un-derthe control or management of thecity, it is often imperative that the citybe involved in finding solutions. Thecity can also invoke and enforce a banon feeding raccoons, help to educatethe public on the best ways to handlean area-wide urban raccoon problem,and discourage individuals from livetrapping and relocating animals, whichonly exacerbates the problem.DetectionRaccoons in the garden may be ob-servedat night or they may come upto a sliding glass door and peer inside.Evidence of feeding, tracks, and drop-pingsmay provide clues to their visits(Figure 2). Of course, noises on the roof,in the chimney, or in the attic may alsoindicate their presence. An occasionalvisit by a raccoon or a family of rac-coonsmay not be a cause for majorconcern; but if these visits becomecommonplace and raccoons are alsoclimbing on your roof, some action isprobably warranted.Habitat ModificationRaccoons are attracted to gardens orhomes because they offer a food re-sourceand potential den sites. Effortsto reduce available food can includeusing metal garbage cans with securelids. To prevent raccoons from tippingover garbage cans, place the cans ina rack or tie them to a secure post. Abungee cord or wire can also be usedto secure lids. Pet food left outdoorsshould be removed before nightfall tokeep raccoons from feeding from petdishes. Pick up fallen fruits and nutsfrequently. Never intentionally providefood for raccoons and discourage yourneighbors from this practice as well; itonly attracts more raccoons.If possible, remove woodpiles or othermaterials raccoons can den in or under.Thinning out overgrown shrubberywill reduce cover. To reduce access tothe roof, tree branches that overhangrooftops should be cut back; if possible,leaving a gap of at least 5 feet betweenthe roof and the tree. Trellises andarbors attached to homes may facilitateaccess to the roof and considerationshould be given to their removal. Whilehabitat modification is often helpful, itis rarely a total solution.ExclusionExclusion is the key to eliminating densites but remember that raccoons arepowerful animals and can become vi-ciouswhen cornered. Their front pawsare handlike, with toes that are long,flexible, and considerably dexterous.Raccoons are known to unhook simplelatches.Prevent access to chimneys by coveringthem with a spark arrester that meetsthe fire code of your area. These capswill keep raccoons, tree squirrels, rats,and birds out of the chimney. The capsshould be tightly secured to preventraccoons from pulling them loose. Besure that no animals are currentlyinside the chimney before covering theopening. If raccoons are currently nest-ingin your chimney, hiring profession-alsis often the only effective option forremoving them.Open spaces beneath structures, suchas porches, decks, and garden and toolsheds, should be tightly screened with10-gauge 1/4- or 1/3-inch galvanizedhardware mesh. The bottom edge ofthe wire should be buried at least 6inches deep, extended outward for 12inches, and then back-covered with soil.Such measures will exclude not onlyraccoons but also skunks, opossums,squirrels, and rats.Ordinary fences will not keep raccoonsfrom gardens or yards, as the animalswill either dig under or climb overthem. Raccoons readily locate weak-nessesFigure 2. Raccoon tracks. (P. Gorenzel, UCWFCB)in fences and will rip off looseboards or enlarge holes in wire fencesfor easy access. By exploiting the rac-coonssensitivity to electric shock, anordinary fence can be made raccoon-proofby adding a single electrifiedstrand of wire 8 inches above theground and about 8 inches out fromthe base of the fence. A pulsating high-voltage,low-amperage fence charger,similar to that used for confining cattle,is used to electrify the fence. Electri-fiedwire wrapped around the trunkof a tree will discourage climbing. Alow, two-wire electric fence can be veryeffective for excluding raccoons fromsweet corn, melons, and other highlypreferred crops. The two wires are fas-tenedon evenly spaced wooden posts;one wire is 6 inches above the groundand the other is 12 inches above theground. The fence charger needs to beactivated only from dusk to dawn. Thistype of low electric fence can be in-stalledaround a newly laid sod lawn toprevent raccoons from rolling back thenew sod in search of insects or grubs.The fence is removed once the turf hastaken root. Such fences around pondsare sometimes used to protect koi andgoldfish from raccoons.Before installing an electric fence, ex-plorethe pros and cons of its use; and,if used, be sure the electric charger isappropriate for the task. Rememberthat electrified fences are not appropri-atefor all situations, must be installedproperly, and should always be identi-fiedwith warning signs. 3. July 2014 RaccoonsFigure 3. Raccoon trap. (A. Tunberg, UCDavis) 3 of 4 FrighteningA variety of materials, gadgets, anddevices designed to frighten raccoonsand other wildlife are on the market.These include flashing lights, sound-producingdevices, and water-squirtingunits, all of which can be activated bymotion detectors. In addition, radios,scarecrows, and flags and windmillsthat spin or flutter in the wind havebeen used. These devices can be effec-tivefor a few days. However, raccoonsoften quickly learn that there is nothreat associated with these devices, atwhich time they cease to be effective.RepellentsThere are a few commercial chemicalrepellents available to repel variousforms of wildlife, but none have beeneffective for raccoons. Mothballs, bloodmeal, and a wide variety of other homeremedies have been tried to no avail, asraccoons are quick to adapt.TrappingFor the average homeowner unfamiliarwith trapping raccoons, it is advisableto hire a professional wildlife controloperator to remove the animal. Theprofessional will have the properequipment to accomplish the task andwill be able to tell if a trapped female isnursing its young. This is very impor-tantbecause you dont want to leaveyoung behind to starve. The profes-sionalwill also have the means toeuthanize the animals, since releasingthem elsewhere is prohibited by law(unless a permit to relocate the raccoonhas been obtained from CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife). Re-leasedanimals may return or presenta problem to someone else; and, in fact,the animal you have trapped may havebeen deliberately released near you.Release of animals is a major factor inthe dissemination of numerous dis-easesto other animals including petsand humans. Some counties have trap-pingprograms for nuisance animals,including raccoons. Contact your localagricultural commissioner to see if thisservice is available.Raccoons are fairly easy to trap; how-ever,occasionally a clever and cunninganimal will be quite elusive. A livecage-type trap is usually the preferredtrap for homeowners (Figure 3), al-thoughothers are available that maybe used by professionals to capture themore difficult animals. The single-doortrap should be sturdily constructedand its dimensions should be at least10 x 12 x 32 inches. Larger 15 x 15 x36 inch traps are even better. Cannedtuna or canned fish-flavored cat foodmake excellent baits but may also at-tractnontarget cats and dogs. To avoidcatching cats, try using marshmal-lows,grapes, prunes, peanut butter, orsweet rolls. Small pieces of bait shouldbe placed along a path leading up tothe trap. The rear of the trap shouldbe covered with 1/2-inch wire meshto prevent the raccoon from reachingthrough the trap from the outside tosteal the bait. Traps should be wellanchored to the ground or weightedto prevent the animal from tippingthe trap over to obtain the bait. Trapsshould be set at night and closed in themorning to avoid trapping nontargets.Remember, raccoons are intelligentand clever animals. They are also pow-erfuland can be vicious when trappedor cornered.Other Control MethodsDogs kept outdoors may alert youto the presence of raccoons and mayfrighten some away; however, someraccoons will attack dogs and causeserious injuries. Since they are usu-allyactive at night when they are mostdifficult to see, shooting is rarely thesolution to nuisance raccoons. Ad-ditionally,most municipalities do notallow the discharge of firearms withintheir boundaries. However, in ruralareas, shooting can sometimes providean effective solution to a persistent rac-coonproblem.REFERENCESSalmon, T. P., D. A. Whisson, and R.E. Marsh. 2006. Wildlife Pest ControlAround Gardens and Homes. 2nd ed.Oakland: Univ. Calif. Agric. Nat. Res.Publ. 21385.University of Nebraska-Lincoln Exten-sion,Institute of Agriculture and Natu-ralResources. 2007. Controlling Raccoonand Opossum Damage. Available onlineat http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1688/build/g1688.pdf. 4. July 2014 RaccoonsAUTHORS: Roger A. Baldwin, Wildlife,Fish, and Conservation Biology, UC Davis.Revised based on a previous versionauthored by T.P. Salmon, D.A. Whisson andR.E. Marsh.TECHNICAL EDITOR: K Windbiel-RojasEDITOR: K. BeverlinThis and other Pest Notes are available atwww.ipm.ucanr.edu.For more information, contact the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension office in yourcounty. See your telephone directory for addressesand phone numbers, or visit http://ucanr.org/ce.cfm.University of California scientists and otherqualified professionals have anonymously peerreviewed this publication for technical accuracy.The ANR Associate Editor for Pest Managementmanaged this process.To simplify information, trade names of productshave been used. No endorsement of named productsis intended, nor is criticism implied of similar productsthat are not mentioned.This material is partially based upon worksupported by the Extension Service, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, under special project Section 3(d),Integrated Pest Management.WARNING ON THE USE OF CHEMICALSPesticides are poisonous. Always read and carefully follow all precautions and safety recommendationsgiven on the container label. Store all chemicals in the original, labeled containers in a locked cabinet or shed,away from food or feeds, and out of the reach of children, unauthorized persons, pets, and livestock.Pesticides applied in your home and landscape can move and contaminate creeks, rivers, and oceans.Confine chemicals to the property being treated. Avoid drift onto neighboring properties, especially gardenscontaining fruits or vegetables ready to be picked.Do not place containers containing pesticide in the trash or pour pesticides down the sink or toilet. Either usethe pesticide according to the label, or take unwanted pesticides to a Household Hazardous Waste Collectionsite. Contact your county agricultural commissioner for additional information on safe container disposal andfor the location of the Household Hazardous Waste Collection site nearest you. Dispose of empty containersby following label directions. Never reuse or burn the containers or dispose of them in such a manner thatthey may contaminate water supplies or natural waterways.ANR NONDISCRIMINATION AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY STATEMENTIt is the policy of the University of California (UC) and the UC Division of Agriculture & NaturalResources not to engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person in any of its programsor activities (Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/183099.pdf).Inquiries regarding ANRs nondiscrimination policies may be directed to Linda Marie Manton,Affirmative Action Contact, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources,2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, (530) 750-1318. 4 of 4 Produced by:Statewide Integrated Pest Management ProgramUniversity of California2801 Second St.Davis, CA 95618-7774