Who was that masked critter that just darted under the street lamp as you walked the dog, sending Fido into fits?
It was the elusive neighborhood raccoon. And he likely has plenty of friends: Raccoon populations may be near an all-time high across the nation right now. In states like Missouri, raccoons average 20 per square mile — “but that was an average, so you might have some areas of 50 per square mile,” says Bob Pierce, extension wildlife specialist for the University of Missouri.
There are just a few problems with them living so close: Raccoons often trash attics, crawl spaces and gardens in their search for easy food and nesting sites. They can spread disease. They can get aggressive if they don't get the food they expect, or if they run into Fido. Avoid run-ins by keeping them away from your home. (Bing: Is it legal to trap raccoons?)
First, meet the neighbors
Raccoons are about three feet long, including their bushy, ringed tail. They’re often 10 to 30 pounds, but have been seen as large as 60 pounds. They’re also very intelligent — they come out higher than domestic house cats in some testing, says Sam Zeveloff, chairman of the Department of Zoology at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and author of “Raccoons: A Natural History.” That intelligence and five dexterous toes on each front foot make them formidable opponents.
What's more, "raccoons are basically everywhere," Zeveloff adds. Just about the only places in the nation that don’t have them are parts of the Great Basin and elevations above 5,000 feet. One reason is that they have piggybacked on the growth of suburbs.
The night-loving creatures aren’t dangerous so long as they’re kept out of homes, not fed and not cornered, experts say.
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Trouble is, raccoons have adapted well to the world we've created. (Your reporter recently spotted one among some trees in New York City’s Central Park.) They're omnivorous. (Zeveloff has a picture in his book of about 10 raccoons sharing a found pizza.) And they really like our homes — potentially nesting in them, having offspring in hidden places such as attics, tearing up insulation and defecating there, says the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program.
Raccoons also can carry a form of rabies that's particularly dangerous to humans (mostly in the East and Midwest), as well as distemper (in the same regions). Raccoon feces may also contain the eggs of roundworm, which can be harmful and even fatal, especially to children.
Keeping the critters out
Don't feed 'em. Some folks think it's cute to have raccoons around and will feed them, says the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a good primer on dealing with raccoons. But the animals very quickly become used to getting food from humans and will lose their fear of them and possibly become aggressive if they’re not fed. So don’t start.
Also, make sure you’re not feeding raccoons by accident. “Feeding pets outside is not a great idea,” says Gregg Granger, operator of Wildlife Ranger in Orlando, Fla. If you do, “don’t leave full food bowls on a porch or patio” for an extended period of time, Granger says. Zeveloff adds: “They will be very bold and aggressive in coming right up to the back door if you don’t have the food out for your pet that you usually leave out.”
Tighten the lid. Raccoons will keep returning to a food source such as a garbage can that they can open. If food isn’t easily obtained, that will encourage them to move on. So buy trash cans that lock or are otherwise secured. “A $2 bungee cord will save you a ton of hassle,” Granger says.
If the raccoons are even more aggressive at going after the trash, buy garbage cans that sit in a carriage and won’t tip over. Or drive wooden stakes into the ground to prevent them from tipping over, the wildlife department says. Or, simply put out the trash in the morning after raccoons have gone back to their nests.
Don't feed 'em, part II. Raccoons will look everywhere for food, so think again what opportunities you’re giving them: Don’t put food in open compost piles. If you are putting any food scraps in any compost bins, cover the scraps with at least eight inches of soil, the wildlife department says. Clean barbecue grills completely after use.
