Decks are great improvements to any home because they give you a place to relax, have fun, and enjoy the outdoors. But raccoons, which are smart urban scavengers, may also be interested in them. Effective raccoon-proofing methods are needed to keep your deck a safe place for animals to stay outside.
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Keep trash and food safe
Animals called raccoons are known to dig through trash cans and eat extra food. Buy trash cans with locking lids that are resistant to raccoons to keep these hidden thieves away. Raccoons may also come to your deck if you leave pet food or unattended trash piles. They are looking for an easy meal.
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Lock up any entry points
Raccoons can get through surprisingly small gaps, so it’s important to seal any holes under or around your deck that they could use to get in. Look for holes in the structure of the deck, loose boards, or gaps between the support posts. Cover these holes well with stainless steel mesh or hardware cloth. Raccoons are stubborn, so make sure your fences are strong.
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Put in sprinklers and lights that turn on when motion is detected.
Raccoons are nighttime animals that stay away from places that are brightly lit. Putting motion-activated lights around your deck can scare them away and stop them from coming over. You can go one step further by adding sprinklers that turn on when they sense movement and shoot out a burst of water. This sudden dousing works well to keep raccoons away.
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Get rid of places where birds could nest
Raccoons can climb very well and may use your deck as a place to nest. Cut back any tree branches or plants that hang over your deck to make it harder to get to. Raccoons might also try to make their homes in storage areas under your deck, so keep them clean and free of trash.
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Use natural pesticides
Raccoons won’t come near your deck if it smells like certain things. Common raccoon repellents are rags soaked in ammonia, garlic or onion sprays, and store-bought raccoon repellents. Be careful when using repellents because some of them have strong smells or can hurt pets. Also, make sure you keep applying them.
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Regularly get rid of attractants
For raccoons to not get on your deck, it needs to be maintained regularly. Get rid of any fruit, nuts, or bird seed that has dropped on your deck or in the area around it. Raccoons will eat anything, so getting rid of these food sources will make your deck less appealing to them.
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Think about using ultrasonic devices
High-pitched sounds that ultrasonic devices make are annoying to raccoons but can’t be heard by people. Raccoons won’t be able to get to your deck if you put these things on or near it. But they don’t always work, and it may take a while for them to start working.
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Talk to professionals
If rats keep coming onto your deck despite your best efforts, you should call professional wildlife removal experts. They know how to deal with rat problems in a safe and responsible way. You should never try to handle a raccoon by yourself because they can be sick and may get mean if they feel threatened.
Finally, if you want to keep your outdoor space free of animals, raccoon-proofing your deck is a good idea. By using these tips, you can keep raccoons from choosing your deck as their favourite place to hang out. Remember that the best way to keep raccoons out of your home is to be persistent and consistent. If you need to, you can also talk to a professional to make sure the safety of both your home and these smart city animals.
At Raccoon Control Lindsay we offer our neighbors across Lindsay with a high-quality, robust, and reliable set of pest control solutions that include exclusion services and proofing services against all kind of pests and wildlife including the notorious raccoon that roams Lindsay causing all sorts of trouble.