24/7 Cell Phone: 239-829-5372
Naples Florida Raccoon Control Situation: Hi David, Ok here's my situation, a few months ago I noticed a raccoon in our trash, very common. We moved our trash simply to the garage. Problem solved. Then a few weeks ago I hear stray cats in my alley between my house and neighbors. I think great these cats are about to fight, make tons of racket, wake my dogs, they bark, then wake my 1 year old, then all goes downhill from there. So I go down stairs turn my porch light on ( my so called front door is on the side of house in alleyway) look out the window and see two cats vs a good 30 lb raccoon. I live in northern ca. So they get big. :) I open the window and give a good "hey!" They all disperse and I go back to bed. Last two weeks my husband and I hear a very light knocking noise near our door in Cape Coral. We thought oh the delivery guys run is late he won't knock ( due to our no knocking sign ~ waking baby reason) and just drops box on porch. Sounds exactly that, and sometime is, but times we look and no package we scratched out heads. Turns out we have a side house vent that leads to under our home has been ripped off! Screws, paint, sealer, bent, the whole bit! Obviously it's raccoons, mud tracks left on the house wall leading under home. And there very good hand skills. ;)
So technically it's not a crawl space it's a very narrow vent. I could get in, but I rather not. So I'd do the good old mirror and flashlight trick after I live trap them outside the house when they come out at night. Since its spring I hope there is not babies yet. I know the sooner I get them out the better. Now I am a reserve animal officer in the next city over and we attend to these calls all the time, very routine in trapping or catch pole the male raccoons. Mostly in attics, garages, etc. in apartments or condos. never had under the house. Now I live the next town over where its a different county and if course this county's shelter doesn't work with wildlife. S they want me to call a professional and the rates are unbelievably high. My eyes pop out seeing $500+ when I in the city do it for free!!!! Even though I'm not quite a professional I'm considering my self experienced in Naples raccoon control. My family back in the country laugh and say too bad you don't live here still you could just shoot em and eat em! I roll my eyes and say well I'm not out to shoot them here in my neighborhood, I love the wildlife and know we co exist with them so live trapping is the best way and only way for me. We rent our home, but out landlord is cheep and I don't trust her on how she would take care of this situation. Ultimately it wouldn't be humane and I just can't allow it and I would make a formal complaint on her and she would face criminal charges. So I don't want any trouble and best way is to avoid that. So here I am with my personal experience, gear in hand ready to get my coon and release it in a distant location.
My question to you would be any advise on this? I think setting the trap near the hole opening. Right before sunset to try and avoid trapping an alley cat. Use bread, and wait. Now I'm unsure how many. I'm thought of hooking up my child's nighttime video camera up on the porch and watch it tonight and see how many go in and out to get an idea. If I set one trap I want to make sure I get a successful trap of this hopefully one raccoon, but my concern is what if there's more? If I catch one in the one trap I have go off and freak the others out and they will out smart me the next night? And if there is more and they go inside the house after I trap one, will relocating one family member be a bad idea for Fort Meyers raccoon trapping. Of course if its a new mother it's a whole different game, but if its a male, pregnant female I should be fine. The hole will have to be then sealed up again and I want everyone out before I do. So it would stay open till I get them all. I don't know what it's like under the house (yet) so any tips on how I know they are gone besides looking? And does ammonia really deter them or shall I say evacuate them???? Thanks, I hope this all makes sense and anything suggestions will help.
My response: It sounds like you are self-sufficient. Ammonia won't work. Babies are likely this time of year - check for any visible nipples on any raccoon you trap, and if they are there, either release the mother or crawl in the crawlspace and remove the babies by hand. You can try that camera you mentioned, or cover the hole with newspaper to see if any are coming in or out. Great idea. Thank you so much for being so fast to respond.
If I did trap a mother and there is babies. Would I just keep her in the trap while I go get the babies and release all together? Or should I release her and use the babies as the bait and release later together? Would it make a difference?
If it's a female, try to keep them all together for release. If not, the babies will die. If you trap a female first, your best bet is to work hard to find the babies.
Fort Meyers raccoon removal. Naples Zoo, formerly known as the Caribbean Gardens, is located in Naples. However, you don't have to go to the zoo to spot all sorts of amazing wild animals. Naples is full of them. Some of them are so amazing, that they can tear their way into your attic or eat out of your garbage can. If you want these animals trapped and removed, give us a ring. Some of the areas we service include Everglades City, Marco Island, Naples, and rat control in Chokoloskee, East Naples, Golden Gate, Goodland, and extermination services in Immokalee, Lely Resort, Lely, Naples Manor, Naples Park, Orangetree, Pelican Bay, and rodent removal in Pine Ridge, Plantation Island, and Spicey Vineyards.
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 Collier County, Florida, call us at 239-829-5372, and ask to talk about raccoons in the attic in Naples, FL.