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Raccoon Removal in the Birmingham, Alabama Area

Young raccoon in a cage trap looking toward the camera at the animal removal technician who trapped and removed the raccoon from a house.

Raccoons are medium-sized, stocky animals that are easily recognized by their "masked" appearance. They're primarily nocturnal; in fact, if you see adult raccoons during the daytime, there's a chance that they're sick.

A lot of folks believe that raccoons are rodents, but they're not. They're actually more closely related to pandas than to rodents. They also score very highly on scales of animal intelligence, and are able to figure out things like how to open gate latches or how to open the lids of "animal-resistant" garbage cans.

They also have occasionally been observed making use of rudimentary tools, such as using a stick to open a latch.

Raccoons also have excellent dexterity in their front paws. Although not fully opposable, their thumbs are dexterous enough to allow them to manipulate prey and objects, as well as to get into places where they're not exactly welcomed with open arms.

They also have nerve endings in their hands that become more sensitive when they are wet, which is why raccoons "wash" their food before eating it. When their hands are wet, they can more easily detect whether the food is fresh and edible.

Raccoon Behavior

Three raccoons in a tree

In nature, raccoons often live aloft, in high branches or hollow trees.

Raccoons are incredibly resourceful animals who are able to learn and remember the solutions to problems, making them a real challenge to control.

In nature, they prefer living in hollow trees (usually in the upper part of the tree); but when hollow trees are hard to find, they'll often take up residence in caves, burrows abandoned by other animals, and of course, human-occupied buildings. When they decide to move into a human home, raccoons may choose to live in the attic, the chimney, the crawl space, the roof soffits, or pretty much anywhere where there is sufficient space and they don't think they'll be disturbed.

In terns of diet, the raccoon is one of the most omnivorous of all animals. There are few things that they won't eat. In nature, they prefer invertebrates such as insects and earthworms, small vertebrates such as frogs and fish, and plant foods such as fruits, nuts, and berries.

As their natural habitat continues to shrink, however, raccoons have easily adapted to living among humans and eating our leftovers, frequently raiding our garbage cans and dumpsters.

Raccoons and Health

When raccoons get into homes, they create a health hazard. Like most other wild animals, raccoon droppings can harbor an assortment of insect pests, along with disease-causing fungi. Their parasites (fleas, lice, ticks, and mites) are also capable of transmitting diseases.

Raccoons also have fairly high incidences of rabies and distemper, and should be avoided when encountered in the wild. You should especially avoid raccoons that seem sluggish, unsteady, or "friendly." Any of these symptoms might mean the animal is infected with rabies.

Wild raccoons may also attack humans if they're cornered or surprised. Although raccoons will run away from humans most of the time, if they are trapped, cornered, surprised, or defending their young, they may attack -- and they are strong enough and fast enough to put a serious hurting on a human.

Raccoon Removal and Control

Poorly-done DIY raccoon exclusion in Birmingham using window screen

This D-I-Y raccoon control job in Birmingham didn't work out too well...

Raccoon control consists of trapping the raccoons, and then raccoon-proofing the home so they can't get back in. In addition, it's helpful to practice good sanitation practices (especially choosing high-quality garbage cans with lockable lids) to make your home less attractive to them.

Because raccoons are highly intelligent, very strong, very dexterous, and very adaptable, raccoon-proofing a home can be a real challenge, even for skilled animal control operators. Raccoons can figure out how to get around any but the most well-done exclusion techniques. You really need to go over an entire house with a fine-toothed comb to keep raccoons out -- which is exactly what we do, of course.

The point is that raccoon control is not a do-it-yourself job. They are strong animals with the potential to hurt you, they have a high rate of infection with several serious diseases, and they are comfortable at heights that make most humans dizzy. So please, don't even think about trying DIY raccoon control. Seriously. Your chances of success are very low. Your chances of hurting yourself, however, are very high.

Call us instead. We've done thousands of raccoon removal and exclusion jobs, and we have the equipment and personnel necessary to do it right, and to do it safely.

Raccoon Control Gallery

Here are some pictures of raccoon-removal and exclusion work that we've done in Birmingham and throughout the area.

Left pointing arrow. Right pointing arrow.
Lifting a shingle reveals a gap of about three inches in the edge of the roof sheathing that raccoons further enlarged by gnawing through the fascia to get into the attic of a Mountain Brook, Georgia home.
Raccoon damage to the roof in Mountain Brook
Raccoons tore a hole about the size of a football through the water damaged roof trim to get into the attic of a house in Alabaster, Alabama.
Raccoon hole through the roof trim in Alabaster
Raccoons tore large, irregular holes through the thin plywood soffit panel to get into the attic of a house in Irondale, Alabama.
Raccoons tore through a soffit panel in Irondale
A very young raccoon in a cage type trap looking at the camera with an uncertain expression on its face after being trapped and removed from the attic of a house in Chelsea, Alabama.
Young raccoon removed from an attic in Chelsea
A raccoon trap with a screen under it to protect the shingles and a plastic cover over it to keep rain out of the trap on the roof of a house in Leeds, Alabama.
Raccoon trap on the roof of a house in Leeds
Raccoons tore a hole about the size of a football through the shingles and sheathing to get into the attic of a house in Oxford, Alabama.
How raccoons got into this attic in Oxford
A triangular gap about four inches in length on the long edge in the soffit panel at a roof junction that allowed a young raccoon to get into the attic of a house in Birmingham, Alabama.
Raccoon gap at a roof junction in Birmingham
A pile of scat in the insulation between the joists is evidence of raccoons that need to be trapped and removed from the attic of a house in Bessemer, Alabama.
Raccoon scat in the attic of a house in Bessemer
Raccoons tore a hole about the size of a melon through the water damaged wooden roof sheathing in the nook under the overhang at a roof junction to get into the attic of a Vestavia, Alabama home.
Raccoon damage to the roof sheathing in Vestavia
An irregularly shaped hole about 10 inches at the widest point that raccoons made in the soffit panel of a brick house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Raccoon hole in the soffit panel in Tuscaloosa
The hand and tattooed forearm of a wildlife control technician pointing out that raccoons pulled the five inch high fascia right off the roof of a house in Vestavia Hills, Alabama.
Raccoons pulled off the fascia in Vestavia Hills
Raccoons tore an elongated hole about ten inches long by six inches wide through the shingles and sheathing to get into the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Raccoon hole in the roof of a Tuscaloosa home
The metal soffit panel is bent because of raccoons that were living in the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Raccoon damage to a soffit panel in Tuscaloosa
Scat in the insulation between the joists is evidence of raccoons that need to be removed from the attic of a Tuscaloosa, Alabama home.
Raccoon scat in an attic in Tuscaloosa
Pulling up on a shingle reveals a large gap over a timber with claw marks on it that raccoons used to get into the attic of a Birmingham, Alabama home.
Raccoon gap into the attic of a Birmingham home
Raccoons split the roof fascia lengthwise along an existing crack in the wood to get into the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the roof fascia in Tuscaloosa
Looking from inside the attic at gaping holes through the wooden siding and the sheathing behind it that raccoons made to get into the attic of a house in Birmingham, Alabama.
Raccoon damage to a house in Birmingham
Raccoons tore off the metal soffit vent and made a hole a little bigger than a football through the plywood soffit panel to get into the attic of a house in Hoover, Alabama.
Raccoon damage to a soffit panel in Hoover
Raccoons tore the shingles off the edge of the roof of a house in Hoover, Alabama causing water damage to the sheathing underneath the shingles.
Raccoon damage to the roof of a house in Hoover
Raccoon prints in the dust on an insulated heating duct in the attic of a house in Vestavia Hills, Alabama.
Raccoon prints in the dust in Vestavia Hills
Raccoons tore a hole about a foot and a half wide through the dry rotted wooden fascia to get into the attic of a house in Birmingham, Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the fascia in Birmingham
The triangular end cap is missing from the soffit and the resulting hole allowed raccoons into the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Raccoon gap in the soffit of a Tuscaloosa home
Raccoons made a hole about the size of a football through the wooden roof trim to get into the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the roof of a Tuscaloosa home
Raccoons enlarged an existing gap to create a hole through the edge of the roof sheathing right behind the fascia to get into the attic of a house in Tuscaloosa Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the roof of a Tuscaloosa home
Raccoons tore about two feet of the soffit panel out of the soffit to get into the attic of a house in Birmingham Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the soffit in Birmingham
A young raccoon looking relaxed lying down in a cage type trap after being removed from the attic of a house in Leeds Alabama.
Raccoon removed from the attic of a house in Leeds
Raccoon scat in the insulation between the joists in the attic of a house in Birmingham Alabama.
Raccoon scat in an attic in Birmingham
Lifting the shingle and flashing exposes a hole that raccoons gnawed through the wooden roof sheathing to get into the attic of a house in Leeds Alabama.
Raccoon damage to the roof of a house in Leeds
Raccoons gnawed through the bottom edge of a plastic roof vent hood to get into the attic of a house in Birmingham Alabama.
Raccoon damage to a roof vent hood in Birmingham
Three young raccoons climbing the outside of the brick chimney of a house in Tuscaloosa Alabama.
Young raccoons climbing a chimney in Tuscaloosa

For more information about flying raccoon-removal or any of our quality services, please call us today.

 

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Spending this Sunday resting up for a big week ahead.
by Chad W.
Sep 10, 2023 08:32:59 am.

We have a crew from our Birmingham office heading out to trap and remove raccoons from the attic of a Mountain Brook, Alabama home. They'll also be repairing the damage the raccoons did, animal-proofing the house to keep wildlife out of the attic, and replacing the attic insulation.
by Webmaster
Sep 05, 2023 07:38:52 am.

Finished up an exclusion before it for too hot outside. Perks of getting up early and getting started.
by Chad W.
Aug 26, 2023 11:03:43 am.

Resting up for another full week of critter ridding.
by Chad W.
Aug 20, 2023 06:11:58 pm.

There is nothing like waking up and looking forward to going to going to work. I love my job and am blessed to be in the position I’m in.
by Chad W.
Aug 19, 2023 07:28:21 am.

Headed to Birmingham to do a raccoon quote. Got another raccoon quote in irondale. Squirrels will be active soon. Call Ridacritter for your free exclusion quote.
by Chris Scott
Aug 18, 2023 09:57:39 am.

A dentist office in Stone Mountain has a dead animal smell that needs checked out this morning
by Chad W.
Aug 16, 2023 07:11:34 am.

Sun’s out in Marietta. Getting hot
by Chad W.
Aug 14, 2023 02:51:31 pm.

Sun’s out in Marietta. Getting hot
by Chad W.
Aug 14, 2023 10:59:56 am.

Headed to Birmingham to seal a bottom transition that snake are entering through. We have a big bat exclusion in sylacauga today.
by Chris Scott
Aug 11, 2023 09:45:07 am.

Raccoons tore a hole about the size of a football through the water-damaged roof trim to get into the attic of a house in Alabaster, Alabama. The wildlife technicians who are trapping and removing the raccoons are repairing the damage and sealing the house to make it animal-proof.
by Webmaster
Aug 10, 2023 08:26:01 am.

Installed some crawlspace vent covers in Cartersville then checked out some gutters in Big Canoe
by Chad W.
Aug 09, 2023 02:13:17 pm.

Villa Rica to get some materials, Cartersville to screen some crawlspace vents, then Big Canoe to clean out a gutter for a customer. Busy day
by Chad W.
Aug 09, 2023 06:04:59 am.

Raccoons tore large, irregular holes through the thin plywood soffit panel to get into the attic of a house in Irondale, Alabama. The wildlife-removal crew who are trapping and removing the raccoons will also repair the damage and animal-proof the house.
by Webmaster
Aug 07, 2023 09:45:06 am.

Started with bats I Talbotton Ga, Bats in the attic in Manchester Ga. Now to Tyrone Ga for rodents in a home.
by Jason Arruda
Aug 01, 2023 12:52:34 pm.

Here's a Picture of a Cute Young Raccoon Removed from the Attic of a Chelsea, Alabama Home
by Webmaster
Jul 31, 2023 10:34:33 am.

Taking this Sunday to rest up for a big week. Gonna be a hot one
by Chad W.
Jul 30, 2023 08:20:46 am.

The Second Video in Today's Double-Feature is of Raccoon Removal and Wildlife Exclusion at a Birmingham, Alabama Home
by Webmaster
Jul 21, 2023 10:25:02 am.

A wildlife-management crew working out of our Birmingham office just removed the last of the raccoons from the attic of a Leeds, Alabama home. Now that the raccoons are gone and the house has been made animal-proof, they'll be removing and replacing the attic insulation, which is contaminated with raccoon wastes.
by Webmaster
Jul 19, 2023 09:40:41 am.

Mountains this morning to check out some carpenter bee and woodpecker damage then to Atlanta to trap a raccoon that’s trying to break in
by Chad W.
Jul 18, 2023 06:42:06 am.

Headed to College Park to seal a house then to Loganville to remove some squirrels from a trap
by Chad W.
Jul 18, 2023 06:21:22 am.

A crew from our Birmingham office is doing raccoon removal and wildlife exclusion at an Oxford, Alabama home. The raccoons tore a hole about the size of a football through the shingles and sheathing to get into the attic. We'll repair the damage as part of the animal-proofing work.
by Webmaster
Jul 17, 2023 10:32:27 am.

Mountains this morning to check out some carpenter bee and woodpecker damage then to Atlanta to trap a raccoon that’s trying to break in
by Chad W.
Jul 17, 2023 06:12:21 am.

Headed to Tuscaloosa. Going to quote a client that has rats and bats. Got a few traps to check around the Birmingham area. Then to Lincoln for a flying squirrel quote.
by Chris Scott
Jul 13, 2023 08:23:51 am.

Villa Rica this morning to pick up some material then to Cartersville to look at a house with problems in the crawlspace
by Chad W.
Jul 12, 2023 05:50:08 am.

Quoting exclusions today, Tifton Ga bats this morning and more bats in Americus Ga this afternoon. Bats in the attic, bats in the house!
by Jason Arruda
Jul 11, 2023 01:35:50 pm.

Headed to Loganville Ga this morning to seal a house and install ridgeguard. Then to Duluth to check some traps
by Chad W.
Jul 11, 2023 06:30:46 am.

Another happy customer in Duluth Ga
by Chad W.
Jul 09, 2023 11:27:57 am.

Atlanta this morning to seal a house and do some ridgeguard. Then to Cleveland Ga to seal some carpenter bee holes
by Chad W.
Jul 07, 2023 06:46:37 am.

In Anniston to look a customer’s chimney. I believe he has chimney swifts nesting in the flue pipe. Going to Leeds after that to set some mouse traps. Couple stops in Birmingham for squirrels and rats later today.
by Chris Scott
Jul 05, 2023 09:10:06 am.

Another good day in the critter industry in the south ga region. Time to call it a day.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 28, 2023 05:53:20 pm.

We will be going around removing traps and deodorizing now that we have stopped all critter activity. Love seeing happy customers!
by Brandon C.
Jun 28, 2023 06:41:28 am.

The Birmingham, Alabama office of Rid-A-Critter provides raccoon removal and damage repair in Birmingham, Alabama and the the entire Metro Birmingham area including Anniston, Bessemer, Brighton, Chelsea, Fairfield, Heflin, Homewood, Hoover, Hueytown, Irondale, Jasper, Leeds, Midfield, Moody, Mountain Brook, Oxford, Pell City, Trussville, Tuscaloosa, Valdosta, Vestavia, Warrior, and their surrounding areas. We are fully licensed and insured.

#raccoon #trapping #removal #birmingham #alabama

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