Raccoons may seem cute from a distance, but they can cause lots of problems if they decide to stay on your Polk County property. Ponds are especially attractive to raccoons because they provide both a food and water source. Raccoons can swim and will hunt for animals living in your pond, including fish and turtles. If nuisance raccoons are causing trouble on your property, here are a few tips to keep raccoons away.
Tips to Keep Raccoons Away
- Build a deep pond.
While raccoons like to swim, they don’t like deep water. Protect the fish in your pond by creating a steep drop right off the bank. By removing a shallow place for raccoons to swim and hunt, you can allow your fish to safely live at the bottom — out of the raccoons’ reach.
- Get rid of raccoon food sources.
In addition to the fish in your pond, there are also other tasty snacks that attract raccoons to your property. Pet food, fallen berries and nuts, and even trash are all attractive sources of food to raccoons. If you eliminate them, it’ll make raccoons less likely to stick around. Bring your pet’s food inside when they’re not eating, and keep the area around your pond tidy. Also, either store your garbage cans inside, or consider putting a lock or tightly sealed lid on your trash cans when they are outside.
- Scare them off with raccoon deterrents.
Raccoons will run away at the slightest sign of danger. Use this to your advantage by scaring them off at night when they’re most active. Motion-activated spotlights are available at most hardware stores and can easily be placed around your pond’s perimeter. The sudden flash will startle the raccoon, make it think it’s being hunted, and activate their instinct to flee.
- Hire a raccoon removal professional to keep raccoons away.
While raccoons may look harmless, they can bite and scratch if they feel threatened. Instead of risking your personal safety by approaching or attempting to trap a raccoon on your own, choose the most effective way to keep raccoons away from your property by contacting the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County.
Reliable Raccoon Removal Services in Lake County, FL
At Critter Control® of Polk County, our experienced technicians use non-toxic and environmentally friendly methods to remove nuisance wildlife quickly and safely from your property and keep them from returning. For more information on our raccoon removal services or to schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.
