Raccoon mating season is still in full swing, and will be till around June. So it’s a good time to talk about what to expect when raccoons are expecting.
Why such a long mating season? In part because male raccoons travel long distances to mate with as many females as possible. Once they’ve mated, female raccoons gestate for about 63 days before giving birth to 1 to 8 new pups.
What happens once a raccoon gets pregnant?
Once a raccoon is expecting, she will make finding a safe, accessible den her first priority. She’ll want it near a reliable source of food and water. She’ll want it to be sturdy and she’ll want existing nesting material inside. This is why so many raccoons infest so many Houston attics during mating season.
To get into your home, even a pregnant Mom only needs a hole that’s roughly the size of a grapefruit to work with. 4 inches is all it takes. They have flexible skeletons just like rats do.
And raccoons are smart…if she needs to peel back a little of your soffit and fascia to get inside, she will. Most raccoons know how to make the holes they need.
What happens once a raccoon turns your attic into her den?
Inside, the chewing and clawing will continue as they set up shop for their babies. When their babies come along, they’ll want to chew too. That means wooden beams, insulation, wiring, and duct work are all at risk.
And of course with anywhere from 2 to 9 raccoons living in your attic, the chances that it will soon be full of excrement are extremely high.
This is why you must know the signs that raccoons have taken over your home, especially in the early part of the year. You should also know how to identify raccoon damage in your home.
Will Elite Wildlife Services hurt the baby raccoons?
We get it. Everyone has a soft spot for baby wildlife.
In fact, that’s a soft spot we share.
We use humane raccoon removal methods to get raccoons out of your attic and keep them out. We use exclusion to block them from returning. And we keep Moms and babies together wherever possible.
We return them to locations where they have a great chance of finding new dens and food sources. We want them to live their best raccoon lives…we just don’t want them costing you tens of thousands of dollars while they do it.
Do you think you’re on the wrong side of the raccoon mating cycle this year? If you suspect a new mom has set up shop in your home, contact us. We’ll give you a free inspection and a plan for getting them out again.
