With Memorial Day weekend finally here, pools everywhere are opening up and welcoming the summer fun. But unfortunately, we are not the only ones interested in enjoying the cool crisp waters of our swimming pools; so are raccoons. Surprising enough, raccoons love to drink swimming pool water, and sometimes even take a dip! Homeowners and commercial property owners are generally displeased with this nightly behavior since raccoon presence can cause a whole list of problems.
NUISANCE RACCOON PROBLEMS
Not only do they defecate all over the lawn and around the edges of the pool deck, dogs love to roll around in their excrement, making for a very tedious and smelly, impromptu bath time. Furthermore, raccoons love to dig up lawns in search of grubs, which can leave your yard looking like the aftermath of a triggered mine field.
To make matters worse, the presence of raccoons puts your home or building at a higher risk for infestation. Raccoons use attics, crawl spaces, porches, patios, decks, garages, sheds, and more, as shelter. Regardless of season, raccoons are always on the hunt for food, water, and shelter; a property with a swimming pool or other large body of water (i.e. pond, stream, creek, river, etc.) are a prime target for nuisance wildlife. Once inside, raccoons can cause a long list of structural damage, and pose several health and safety risks to people and pets.
GETTING RID OF RACCOONS
The best way to protect your home or property from raccoons is to implement the necessary preventative maintenance techniques to stop them from coming around. If you want them to stop drinking your pool water, this is what you have to do:
Remove All Food and Water Sources
Although you cannot remove your swimming pool just for the sake of preventing wildlife interference, you can install a pool cover to prevent raccoons from accessing the water. Just be sure to remember to cover your pool night after night, as raccoons have excellent memory skills and will remember that your property is no longer a viable source of water. Remove food and water sources like pet food, squirrel feeders, and bird baths. As for gardens, use fencing and pheromones to thwart nuisance wildlife attraction.
Make Environmental Modifications
You must make certain changes to your premises if you want to never attract nuisance raccoons again. There are several methods to choose from, including eliminating shelter and hiding spaces by adding locks and barriers, installing motion lighting or automatic noise devices, and sealing up any openings or gaps around the house or building.
You can also use ammonia. Raccoons do not like the smell or presence of ammonia, which is also strongly present in their own urine, so they will stay far away from it if they can. Simply soak cotton balls in a bowl of ammonia and leave it right next to the areas you notice the most activity. Just be careful not to inhale the ammonia yourself, and to remove it before your pets can get a whiff.
Contact a Professional Raccoon Abatement Company
If you are not sure you can manage your nuisance raccoon problem just by applying the above recommendations, or your problem persists regardless of your attempts, you will need the assistance of a licensed and insured wildlife abatement company that can provide safe and humane raccoon removal and control services.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Never attempt to touch, trap, capture, harm, or kill raccoons. Do not set traps and do not use anything poisonous or toxic. A professional wildlife abatement service is legally permitted to extract the animal and relocate them to a faraway, safe habitat where they can live out the remainder of their lives in nature. You could be heavily fines or prosecuted if you attempt to kill or capture a wild raccoon. Check with your state laws to learn your rights, or contact a licensed and insured wildlife abatement company for professional advice and current information.