Hearing loud noises at night coming from your ceiling? Noticing scratching or scurrying along your roofline? You may have a raccoon in your attic.
Spring and summer are when raccoons are most active. They’re mating, foraging for food, and raising their young. During this time, they look for quiet, sheltered spaces to build a den, and attics are a common choice. If you’re hearing activity, it’s best to assume it’s not just one raccoon. There’s a good chance a mother has moved in and is raising her babies.
If you live in the Northern Virginia area, you can contact Summit Wildlife Removal for a free inspection by calling (703) 884-2124 or complete our contact form .
Do NOT Use DIY Trapping Methods
If you suspect a raccoon is in your attic, it’s tempting to try to handle it yourself. There are plenty of DIY trapping methods online, but for your safety and the animal’s well-being, it’s best to avoid them.
Mother Raccoons Can Be Aggressive
A mother raccoon is highly protective of her young. If she feels threatened, she may growl, hiss, or even charge. Without proper training and protective equipment, this can quickly become a dangerous situation.
Risk of Rabies
Raccoons are the most wildlife species diagnosed with rabies in Virginia, and 45% of rabies cases in Virginia are caused by raccoons. Rabies is spread most commonly through bites, so if a DIY trapping method were to go horribly wrong, it could result in rabies being passed on to you. A professional wildlife removal service like Summit Wildlife Removal has the training, knowledge, and equipment to safely and humanely remove raccoons from an attic.
Risk of Putting Babies in Danger
One of the biggest risks of DIY raccoon trapping is separating a mother from her babies. During spring and early summer especially, raccoons commonly build dens in attics to raise their young.
If you trap and remove only the mother, you’ve left behind her babies in the attic.
Baby raccoons depend entirely on their mother for feeding and protection, and aren’t able to survive on their own until they’re around 12 weeks of age. If left on their own, they quickly become weak, dehydrated, and may not survive.
Wait to Seal Entry Points
Homeowners often don’t realize that they have babies in their attic. If the mother is removed and entry points are sealed afterwards, the young are trapped inside. Mother raccoons are highly intelligent and persistent, so she may try to get back into the attic causing even more damage than before.
Humane Removal Is A Must
When a raccoon family moves into an attic, proper removal isn’t just about getting them out. It’s important that the situation is handled carefully to protect both the animals and the home. Professional wildlife removal focuses on keeping the mother and her babies together whenever possible.
One common method is called a “reunion box.” If babies can be safely removed from the attic, they are placed into a secure container with soft material to keep them warm. The box is then placed near the original entry point. The mother will then be encouraged to leave the attic, sometimes by luring her out with the scent of the babies.
After it’s confirmed that the attic is critter-free, the entry point is then sealed. When the area is quiet, the mother will return to the box and relocate her babies one by one to a new den site.
This approach ensures that the raccoon babies aren’t separated from the mother for too long, and prevents unnecessary damage from the mother trying to get back inside.
Professional Wildlife Exclusion Services To Prevent Re-entry
Removing raccoons or other wildlife is only half the job. Long-term protection comes from proper exclusion.
After humanely removing a critter and any babies from the home, a professional wildlife removal company will identify and seal all entry points, repair damage caused by the intrusion, and address contaminated areas like soiled insulation. Without this step, it’s only a matter of time before another animal finds its way back inside.
If you need wildlife removal and exclusion services in Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, or the surrounding Northern Virginia area, contact Summit Wildlife Removal for a free inspection. Call (703) 884-2124 or fill out our online contact form.
