The Villages is a popular and growing Central Florida community that is home to an abundance of wild animals such as raccoons. However, as the city expands, natural habitats are diminished which forces displaced wildlife to find new homes and sources of food and water. Unfortunately, their search often leads them to residential neighborhoods and commercial business districts — where they can cause quite a bit of damage.
Here are some of the destructive signs that raccoons have invaded your property in The Villages and ways that Critter Control® in The Villages can combat it.
5 Exterior Signs, You Have a Raccoon Infestation
About the size of a large cat, raccoons are known as scavenging bandits with dexterous abilities that allow them to easily open and rummage through trash cans and dumpsters in search of food. Raccoons are also in search of shelter from the elements and predators and generally seek refuge in the following locations:
Attics
Crawl spaces under homes
Debris and woodpiles
Front and back porches
Storage and utility sheds
6 Interior Signs, You Have a Raccoon Infestation
While they commonly stay outside, raccoons can access your home by managing their way through roof openings, pet doors, and window screens. Signs of an interior raccoon infestation include:
Scratches, purring, or thumping noises coming from your attic – especially at night
Damage to roof vents, soffits, or other attic access points
Strange behavior from your house pets
Foul odors coming from your attic or walls
Raccoon waste stains on your interior walls or ceiling
Visible droppings along attic floorboards
Removing a Raccoon Infestation
Due to a raccoon’s large size, large 1- or 2-door traps must be used to live-capture the animal. However, because of the aggressive nature of a cornered raccoon and its potential to spread infectious disease through bites and scratches, raccoon removal is best left to a professional wildlife control technician.
Call Critter Control of The Villages for Expert Raccoon Removal
The state of Florida has established laws regarding the proper removal of raccoons. To avoid legal consequences, rely on the professional services of Critter Control® of Lake County to handle the job effectively and legally. Our team of licensed and trained experts will not only solve your raccoon problem, but we can also instruct you on how to prevent other wildlife from approaching your property in the future.
