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El Paso Texas Raccoon Control Situation: Raccoons
Raccoons belong to the family of mammals called Procyonide. They are mainly found in America and a native of North America. They are also found in Canada and northern regions of South America.
Physical appearance & Biology
Raccoons have a small stature and are covered with grayish brown fur. The thick fur has fat beneath to provide insulation in winter. The male is slightly larger than the female. Younger raccoons have a darker coat than mature ones. Raccoons have a sharp nose and small round ears. They have an average weight of about 15 pounds. Their paws have 5 fingers and resemble a human palm print. The front paws are used to grasp food and objects. Their 2 hind legs are longer than the front legs. Raccoons have two distinctive features. They are a black fur mask around their eyes surrounded by white fur and a long thick tail with about 10 black and brown circles arranged alternatively.
Life Cycle
The mating season of a raccoon is between January and March. After an incubation period of 2 months the female has a litter of 3-5 babies. Babies stay with their mother till the net spring. They can stand when they are 6 weeks old. They are weaned after 10 weeks and they accompany their mother on hunting trips. Babies are protected by their mother from predators. The mother leaves her young only after she has taught them hunting and gathering food.
Habitat
Raccoons are nocturnal animals and hunt at night. They rest during the day in their dens. They make their shelter in hollow tree trunks, caves or underground holes. They are usually found in areas near water. Raccoons adapt well to environments and can now be found near human habitation also. Raccoons are excellent swimmers and can easily hunt underwater. Raccoons are great tree climbers. They can go up and down with equal ease. They have a distinct feature of being able to go down with the head or back first. Raccoons have very mobile front legs and can open door handles and bolts using their paws.
Diet
Raccoons are omnivores and can feed on insects and plants. They are known to eat anything edible and hence feed on a wide variety of foods. Being good swimmers they feed on frogs, fish and crabs. As great climbers they eat fruits, berries and nuts. They also dig underground and eat insects and worms. Raccoons have been observed washing their food before eating. This is probably to make the food softer before eating. Raccoons have adapted well to environments and can be seen foraging garbage cans near human habitations.
Behavior
A raccoon is generally a solitary animal. Males usually live alone. Females live with their young ones when they are small. Recent studies have shown that females of a same tribe live in a common area. Unrelated males have been found to live in groups of 4.
Raccoons do not hibernate during winter. They may however sleep for weeks in their den.
If you wish to learn more, click on the How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Attic home page. For wildlife control, animal trapping services, and raccoon control in El Paso County, Texas, call us at 915-503-2570, and ask to talk about raccoons in the attic in El Paso, TX.