Pest Control & Bed Bug Service Company Headquartered in Farmingdale, NJ

Recently, I was called out to a home in Farmingdale, NJ, to resolve a raccoon infestation. Raccoons, with their distinctive “bandit’s mask”  of black fur around the eyes, are one of the largest nuisance animals that we deal with on a regular basis. Unlike squirrels, these nocturnal mammals are not rodents, and have more in common with bears. Raccoons are intelligent animals that have adapted well to human habitats. They are omnivorous and able to eat a wide variety of foods including scavenging for the food debris in our garbage. We see raccoons throughout New Jersey in rural, suburban, and urban areas.   

An adult raccoon can exceed two feet in length, excluding their bushy tail, and can weigh 20 lbs or more. They often try to gain access to attics through the roof, and, because of their size, their entry point is usually easy to find. Here, I found a large opening on a gable vent. When wildlife gains access to the roof, I always try to evaluate how they are getting up there. I perform a perimeter inspection of the home to see if I can find their travel route to the roof. Often, raccoons use trees nearby the home, especially if there are overhanging branches. This yard had plenty of opportunities with trees and the  backyard had plenty of tree cover for raccoons. I also found fencing and a low roof in the back of the home. This was another easy route of access and , sure enough, I found some tell-tale “five-toed” raccoon prints. Raccoons have distinctive prints. They have dexterous fingers and are able to twist open doors and pull off garbage can lids. Here, it was apparent that raccoons had hopped up on the fencing and, from there, used the gutter, climbing up the downspout and grabbing onto the corner beam in order to gain access to a low roof. Knowing how the animals has gained roof access helps me set traps in the best locations to trap them. 

I installed a “one way” device over the entry hole. The spring-loaded door allows the animals to leave, but prevent their return back into the house. I also set up traps baited with tempting food and placed them right in their pathway. Every time a raccoon goes up and down from the roof, they will have to go around a trap. I was confident that with the tempting bait inside, it would not take long to trap them. Sure enough, a raccoon was trapped. Another Cowleys wildlife technician was dispatched to remove and relocate the animal to a safe location far away from human habitats. With the animals removed, we will be able to remove the traps and one-way so that the damaged roof can be repaired. 

This homeowner in Farmingdale, NJ found himself with a significant raccoon infestation in the attic. Unfortunately, when maintenance on a home is neglected or postponed, those areas needing repair can be exploited by wildlife  looking to inhabit a structure. For raccoons, attics are private warm locations to nest and escape the harsh outdoor elements, and if you give persistent raccoons the smallest opportunity to gain access inside your house, they will exploit it.. 

Weakened, soft, rotted wood and wildlife infestations often go hand in hand. Raccoons, with their razor-sharp teeth and claws can easily rip through weakened wood and other building materials. Unfortunately, a wildlife infestation compounds the problems and expense for the homeowner. The needed repairs are often made worse by the animals and the homeowner now has to deal with cleaning and sanitizing the areas inhabited by wildlife, not to mention replacing damaged materials, which often includes insulation that has been torn up by the animals and used as a receptacle for their urine and droppings. 

With this home, the roof shingles were in such bad shape that they actually started to slip off the roof simply by touching them. This roof problems made the home not only vulnerable for animal entry, but created a situation for water intrusion into the attic. 

Here, I came out to assess the damage. I’ll be returning soon to trap the animals, and if the homeowner, so chooses, our home improvement division can support roofing contractors in making the necessary repairs to exclude the wildlife and make this homeowner’s attic safe and reusable once again.