The first thing to understand about raccoons is that despite their cute, fuzzy 
appearance, they are among the most cunning and resourceful nuisance animals. They are known in suburban areas as ransackers of trashcans, thieves of outdoor pet food, and intruders of attics. While garbage and pet food problems are mainly just a nuisance, having raccoons in your attic is a much bigger issue. If left undisturbed for too long, they could cause some serious damage to your home, especially when giving birth to babies.
Raccoon Mothers
Often raccoon mothers will attempt to invade attics in the late winter or spring after they have mated in order to find a safe place to give birth and raise cubs. Because the gestation period of raccoons is a little over two months, many raccoon invasions from April-June will involve mothers giving birth in your attic.
Raccoon kits (or cubs) are helpless for the first few weeks of their life. They are born incapable of seeing and hearing, and will remain that way for about 3-4 weeks. The mother will stick by them to raise them until they are fully weaned about 16 weeks later.
Removal Issues
The tricky part about removing a mother raccoon and her kits from your attic is that trapping is only half the solution. Unless you are willing to wait a couple months for the time when the raccoon cubs can move around on their own, setting a trap in the attic won’t get the job done.
If you do set a trap in the attic and catch the mother raccoon, it is extremely important to check for any kits as well, since they cannot survive without the mother early in their lives. A thorough raccoon control job involves getting all the raccoons out of your attic, and safely relocating the family.
Animal Control Professionals
The Critter Control® experts in Ft. Lauderdale are happy to help you get the raccoons out of your attic. We understand how much damage raccoons can do to homes and the seriousness of the situation. Furthermore, we promise to always use the most efficient tactics to solve the problem as quickly as possible, while still adhering to legal regulations and keeping your family safe. Give us a call today for a free consultation at 954-467-6067.