Cities are chock-full of raccoon problems with Toronto and the GTA being no different. This blog discusses the common raccoon problems for Toronto GTA homeowners. The information provided outlines their behavior and characteristics to help you understand your options.
Raccoons are quite common in Toronto and have increasingly become a problem not only in the GTA but throughout Ontario as well. Raccoons have no natural predator to keep their population in control and as we continually destroy their natural habitat they have no choice but to adapt to our residential areas. The most common raccoon problems include:
Raccoons can be destructive urban mammals. Their strength alone, combined with their determination to get food and shelter make for a potentially costly combination. Raccoons have a variety of skills that allow them to exhibit a variety of behaviors, most revolving around the basics: foraging for food and seeking shelter. They are very opportunistic animals especially when it comes to meeting their basic needs. They have nimble fingers which allow them to open garbage bins to seek out food. The City of Toronto has introduced new green bins to tackle this issue, you can read further about this on our blog here. Even with the new bins, raccoons adapt very quickly, so it is still a good idea to stay alert. I came home from work one day to find a raccoon in my bedroom. He had opened the balcony door and went into my room. I had a pizza box on my desk and it was tumbled over and the remaining pizza was gone. I found the raccoon behind my bed. I opened the window and left the room closing the door behind me. He left shortly after. Food attracts raccoons! Dog or cat food left outside is pretty much an open invitation to a raccoon, and they may even come in through a pet door to get to the food. Raccoons in many areas have simply lost their fear of people. They are very strong and can defend themselves, in some cases, even against big dogs, so do not corner them. Never corner a wild animal!
How to approach your raccoon problems
One of the most commonly used methods is trapping and relocating. Trapping is were you cover all entry holes the raccoons use except one. A one-way door is installed so the raccoons can exit and not reenter. One they have exited, the final entry-hole is closed. If there are babies involved, different precautions must be taken. The mother raccoon must be removed first in order for the babies to be moved into a insulated heated box which is placed near the hole. The mother raccoon then returns to the babies, relocating them into a new safe site. Never trap a wildlife animal in your home as this is inhumane and illegal. For wildlife removal services, we recommend calling a professional to ensure safety, humane practices and professionalism.
There’s a reason professional wildlife trapping companies exist. Do-it-yourself options for raccoon removal like trapping and releasing them elsewhere leads to the risk of you trapping a family or neighbor’s pet, or even worse a toddler. If you decide to conduct it on your own, check to see what laws are in place regarding wildlife trapping and relocating. It is illegal to kill raccoons in Ontario. There was a very sad case in Pickering where someone set up snares which killed a litter of baby raccoons, one by one. A resident of Pickering had a baby raccoon enter their garden struggling to get out of the snare. It was reported and a $1000 reward for information on the culprit was placed. See the link here. Another Ontario resident set rat poison around a tree to kill off squirrels and ended up killing 3 pet dogs and putting 3 critical ill. It was lucky no children ate the poison. So please be aware when attempting to solve raccoon problems yourself, as there are other risk factors involved.
Professional Raccoon Removal
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated specialize in nuisance wildlife control. We remove unwanted wildlife from homes and businesses, and solve conflicts between people and wild animals. From home inspections to preventative measures, wildlife trapping, we solve raccoon problems with professional expertise.
Do you hear noises in your attic, or hear scratching in the walls or chirping in your chimney? Then it is more than likely that you have wildlife in your home. In these cases the first step is to find out where exactly they are. The second is to figure out how they get in! Knowing what wildlife animal is on your property will help determine where you need to look.
If you have mice on your property, then it will be tricky to figure out exactly how they are getting. Mice have the capability due to their size and dexterity to squeeze tiny entry ways. They are cunning creatures who find ways to enter through tiny cracks and holes. They dart in open doors and even in windows. Mice are good climbers and if you leave your windows open especially on the first floor it is possible they will enter in to your home.
Seal any gaps in your doors, cracks/holes on the outside of your home or any gaps between the window and the frame. Mice may also enter through vents, chimneys or around access holes created for pipes and cables. Sealing holes and cracks and putting screens on vents and chimneys is the best way to keep mice out. And don’t forget to keep your doors closed.
Although larger than mice, rats similar to mice can fit through very small holes. They can inhabit very small nooks and crannies inside a house, from walls to ceilings, crawl spaces and attics. Rats excretion as you will know is very dangerous, so it is vital if you have rats you have them removed and closely inspect for your house for their entry points. It is not always easy to spot entry points, but a brown grease marks is usually an identifier for it if used often. For rats, you may have to crawl into tight spots or in some cases dig which is why it is highly advised to hire a professional to get rid your rat problem.
Raccoons are extremely intelligent animals who have adapted to city and urban life in Toronto too well. Raccoons have different vision from humans. They are able to see the heat escaping from your home and approach that weak area and get inside. They might rip open a soffit or go through an open vent, tear a hole in the wall or even just climb through your pet door. Not only do they have great sight but they have a great sense of smell, so do not leave any pet food about as this attracts them and may lead the raccoons into your home. Below are common areas for raccoon entry. It is recommended to inspect these areas at least twice annually to make sure there are no holes or any weak areas that need to be replaced.
Squirrels, like raccoons enter through holes in the roof, rip soffits, go through an open vent, chimney or through a hole in the wall. Squirrels are usually more frightened of you than you are of it, so try making loud noises or play ongoing music or call a professional. Covering entry holes with metal mesh, capping chimneys and trimming trees back from your home will help keep them out. The above diagram shows entry points for raccoons as well as squirrels. These areas on your roof should be inspected twice annually to monitor and replace any weak areas.
Opossums are pests because they will do anything to break into your home. If a opossum learns you have food, in some cases they will return on a daily basis and cause havoc. Opossums will make a nest in your home by chewing through the exterior of your house to get into your walls, garage, attic etc. If opossums invade your home they can chew through wood, drywall, gnaw on electrics and rip up all insulation in your home. To prevent opossums from entering, remove all food sources, secure your garbage and put a wire mesh around your yard or house buried at a foot deep to stop them digging under it.
Always check for babies before removing an adult, and do not remove an adult and seal off the entry points as the babies will starve and die. The babies need to be humanely removed and reunited with their mother who will take them to another nest.
As explained, services and methods depend on the situation, the type of animal and how they get in. It is highly advised to wildlife proof your home, this involves sealing all vents and weak areas of your home with mesh. Surrounding your home with a foot deep mesh that will help prevent wildlife from digging under your home and gaining entry. You should check your home regularly throughout the year to see if there are any sign of animals trying to enter your home as the best method for wildlife control is prevention.
There are two main options to solving a wildlife problem – do it yourself or call a professional.
As a professional I will always advise using our services than doing it yourself, but that being said I do get a lot of phone calls from customers where it just ends up they only need advice as they can easily solve it themselves with the right knowledge. However this is the main reason I advise hiring a professional – knowledge.
As a professional, with the amount of times I’ve seen things done incorrectly or inhumanely, I would always recommend calling for wildlife removal services. That being said, it is a common occurrence that we receive phone calls from people requesting advice so that they can tackle it on their own. When conducting wildlife removal, it’s always safest to call a professional because one of the main differences between DIY methods and calling a service are two things main things, knowledge and experience.
Handling wildlife problems without experience or knowledge can be dangerous. As recently reported in the Town of Oakville were three dogs who died and three dogs were seriously ill after eating poison a neighbor planted carelessly to get rid of local wildlife.
The individual planted rat poison around trees to get rid of squirrels but unfortunately the neighbors pets were victim. As a huge dog lover and an advocate for the humane treatment of animals, I would be devastated if any animal (or human) got poisoned due to my neighbor’s carelessness.
Without knowledge or experience, anybody can fall victim putting their own and other people’s health and safety at risk. It is unfortunate that a decision made by their neighbor has devastated these houses which could have been avoided with proper research into more humane, non-lethal solutions. You can read more on the story on Global News.
In general SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated takes one of two approaches for wildlife problems (or a combination).
The main and preferred approach is to install one-way doors at entry-points to allow animals to leave the building, and to prevent re-entry.
The second is live trapping. We snare or trap the animal and then release back into the wild a kilometer away in accordance to Ontario rules and regulations.
These approaches sound very easy but it takes experience and knowledge of the animals to do it correctly. If there are babies involved separate precautions must be taken. The mother must be initially removed and later relocated with her babies, the humane method of wildlife removal with babies. If you have a wildlife problem, call us for advice or help – 647-994-9453 or email us at info@soswildlife.ca.
Do-it-Yourself Wildlife Removal Tips
As much as we recommend calling wildlife technicians, we are aware of the stride people take on their own. Below are a couple tips for Do-it-Yourself wildlife removal.
If the animals pose no immediate threat to health and safety, then residents may choose to wait until the adults and any young have left the home or property, and then close the access point to prevent re-entry. Residents taking this approach must ensure that all young animals have left the nest or den, which normally means waiting until the young are weaned.
Read up on your local animal legislation before attempting to do it yourself. Ontario has strong animal welfare legislation, enforcing strong laws and tough penalties. In Ontario it is an offence to cause or permit distress to an animal.
“Their goal is to ensure Ontario’s animals are protected and treated in the humane manner that our society expects”.
Ministry of Natural Resources, 2015.
It’s against the law in Ontario to even own a trap that can catch anything bigger than a rat. Any device big enough to kill a raccoon or any use of poisons to kill these wild animals could also snare the neighbor’s cat or worst case scenario a toddler. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) recommends hiring a licensed professional to trap and remove the animal.
Trapping is a common tactic for urban wildlife management in Toronto, but the most effective way of controlling pests like raccoons, skunks, mice, rats, or squirrels is prevention. Preventing the wildlife from entering your home can be much more effective than live trapping. Please check out our video on wildlife proofing your home.
