Animal Rescue South Florida

Raccoons in the Garbage

Uncovered garbage cans provide an open invitation to hungry raccoons. Trash needs to be better contained to stop garbage raids. Some options include securing the trash lids with bungee cords, getting an Animal Stopper brand garbage can (equipped with a built-in locking mechanism), putting the garbage out the morning of trash pick-up or getting an outdoor storage container for trash cans from a home building store. Trapping won’t work to solve the problem because as long as there’s a food source, wild animals will keep coming to it.

Raccoon Seen in Daytime

This is not necessarily cause for alarm. Raccoons are active by day when people leave out pet food or when the raccoons have hungry young to feed. Assess whether the raccoon is acting strangely—is she circling, dragging herself, acting injured, lethargic or unusually aggressive? If yes, then call SFWC at 954-524-4302 for assistance.

Raccoon Disoriented, Falling down, Circling or Showing Unprovoked Aggression

Call SFWC at 954-524-4302 for assistance.

Raccoons Eating Cat Food

It’s no wonder raccoons are responding to the free buffet. Who wouldn’t? The best solution is to make a practice of feeding cats indoors. If the cats must be fed outside, feed them only at a certain time in the morning or midday, and then quickly take away any uneaten food. The cats will get used to the new schedule and modify their behavior accordingly. Trapping the raccoons won’t help since other wild animals will continually be attracted to the cat food—and baby raccoons will be left behind to starve when and if their mothers are trapped.

Raccoon in Bird Feeder

There are effective squirrel baffles that also work to keep raccoons out. A good one is shaped like a stovepipe and placed on the pole portion of the bird feeder. This allows the raccoon to climb up the pole and into the closed pipe, but she can go no further. The pipe must be at least 24 inches long to prevent the raccoon from climbing over it and set at least four feet off the ground (to the bottom part of the baffle) to keep her from jumping over it.

Raccoons in Your Garage

If a raccoon recently wandered in through an open door, remove access to food (example: bird seed bags) or trash. Then open the garage door before dusk and sprinkle an 8-inch band of white flour under it—and watch for exiting footprints. Close the door once the raccoon is gone. If this problem occurs in spring or summer, and the garage door has been open for a longer period, it is most likely a mother with babies. She is likely to be in the rafters or on a high shelf with her cubs, and you don’t want to separate her from her babies. In this case, Either let them stay until they leave on their own (the kindest and best option), or call SFWC HWS at 954-524-4302 for assistance.