It is common for raccoons to take shelter in chimney shuttles that are out of use. It is imperative to get the animals out before they cause damage and or contaminate the area with feces. Other pests will follow.
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Raccoons often invade homes in search of a place that serves as a shelter or den. Commonly invaded areas of your home include your attic and chimney. Although raccoons of any sex will invade your home, the majority of the time the raccoon is a female.
If you find a raccoon living in your chimney, it is likely a female that made her way in to find a safe, warm, and quiet place to give birth to her pups. She is either getting ready to give birth to the pups, or “kits,” or she already has given birth.
Although finding a raccoon in your chimney is never pleasant, it is important to remember that there is a proper way to remove them. Raccoon removal from chimneys requires the help of a trained professional. Failure to hire a professional could mean bad news.
A Professional Approach
There are federal and provincial regulations put into place that protect wildlife, which includes raccoons. Those regulations extend to any young that wildlife have. If you attempt to remove a raccoon from your chimney and inadvertently violate those regulations, you could face criminal charges and a fine.
Instead, it is better to call on the help of a professional. We can provide you with raccoon removal from chimneys using a solid approach and an understanding of restrictions and regulations. Simply give us a call to find out how we can help you.
One of our trained technicians will assess the situation and determine if there are babies present. The method of removing the raccoon will depend on whether there are any pups involved. Once assessed, the professional will work to remove the raccoon and any young she might have safely and efficiently.
What NOT to Do
Spying a raccoon in your chimney may cause you to panic. Keep in mind that raccoons are not aggressive animals. They typically only attack if threatened or provoked. A raccoon in your chimney space is simply looking to keep her babies safe. Female raccoons have a strong surge of maternal instinct.
There are mistakes you should avoid if you suspect that there is a raccoon in your chimney. First, do not attempt to start a fire to flush the raccoon out. In doing so, you could cause unnecessary harm and fear, which is a direct violation of laws and regulations protecting wildlife.
Do not attempt to setup a live cage trap. Although the use of a live cage trap is a humane approach to trapping a raccoon, it is not recommended. You may unknowingly trap a mother raccoon without her babies. If you then move the raccoon to a new location, you would leave the babies to starve, and surely die.
Avoiding an Invasion
Once a professional provides you with removal assistance, there are different steps you can take to keep raccoons out of your chimney. Perhaps the best step you can take is to have a grate made that covers the top of your chimney. The grate would work to keep raccoons out, but still let smoke flow from the chimney when you have a fire lit.
You can also try keeping a radio near your chimney. Let it play on a talk show for as loud as you can stand it throughout the day and night. Avoid music stations because music does not put a raccoon on alert. The sound of human voices, however, is something raccoons would prefer to avoid.
If you happen to have a raccoon in your chimney, the sound of a radio might encourage her to take her young and move on. However, it is always better to hire a professional to make absolute sure. Reach out to us for assistance with racoon removal from chimneys.