Racoons
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Raccoons are medium-sized mammals known for their black facial markings, ringed tails, and clever behaviour. They belong to the family Procyonidae and are native to North America. These adaptable animals live in forests, wetlands, rural areas, and cities, where they search for food and shelter.
Although raccoons are fascinating wildlife, they can become a problem when they enter attics, chimneys, garages, sheds, or other parts of a home. They may damage roofing materials, disturb insulation, scatter garbage, and leave droppings in sheltered areas.
Understanding what raccoons look like, where they live, what they eat, and how they behave can help homeowners recognize their presence and prevent unwanted encounters.
This guide explains the most important facts about raccoons, including their physical characteristics, natural habits, reproduction, common signs of activity, and practical ways to protect your property.
What Is a Raccoon?
A raccoon is a mammal recognized by its greyish-brown fur, dark facial mask, pointed muzzle, and bushy tail with alternating dark and light rings. Its scientific name is Procyon lotor.
Raccoons are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Their flexible front paws help them handle food, investigate objects, and explore their surroundings.
These animals are also highly adaptable. A raccoon may use a hollow tree in a wooded area or find shelter beneath a residential deck. In urban environments, attics, garages, sheds, and uncapped chimneys can provide suitable denning locations.
Raccoons usually forage at night and rest during the day. However, seeing one during daylight hours does not automatically mean it is sick or dangerous. Breeding activity, disturbance, and other circumstances can affect when a raccoon is active.
Raccoons generally prefer to avoid people. Problems are more likely when they find a reliable food source, establish a den inside a building, or feel threatened.
What Do Raccoons Look Like?
Raccoons have several distinctive physical features that make them relatively easy to recognize.
1. Black facial mask
The most recognizable feature is the dark patch of fur around each eye. It creates the appearance of a black mask across the face.
This marking contrasts with the lighter fur on the cheeks and muzzle. Although the mask is often associated with a bandit’s appearance, it is simply part of the animal’s natural colouring.
2. Bushy, ringed tail
Raccoons have long, bushy tails marked with alternating dark and light bands. The number and visibility of these rings can vary between individuals. The tail helps distinguish a raccoon from many other mammals commonly found around homes, including groundhogs and squirrels.
3. Greyish-brown fur
The body is generally covered in greyish-brown fur, although its colour may appear lighter or darker depending on the animal, season, and lighting. The coat provides insulation and helps the raccoon blend into wooded environments and other surroundings.
4. Pointed muzzle and rounded ears
Raccoons have a pointed muzzle, dark eyes, and relatively small, rounded ears. Their faces often have lighter fur around the muzzle and ears.
5. Dexterous front paws
A raccoon’s front paws have five long, sensitive digits. These paws help it grasp objects, manipulate food, climb, and investigate small openings. Their dexterity is one reason raccoons can open unsecured garbage containers, move loose objects, and explore areas that other animals may find difficult to access.
6. Stocky body and short legs
Adult raccoons have sturdy bodies and relatively short legs. Their size varies according to age, sex, food availability, and geographic location. Their strong limbs and climbing ability allow them to reach roofs, climb trees, and enter elevated spaces when a suitable route is available.
Raccoon Size and Weight
Raccoons vary considerably in size. Adults are generally larger and heavier than juveniles, and animals in different regions may have different body sizes.
The following table provides a general guide to their physical characteristics.
| Feature | General description |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Procyon lotor |
| Body shape | Stocky, with short legs |
| Fur colour | Usually greyish-brown |
| Face | Distinctive dark mask |
| Tail | Bushy with alternating rings |
| Front paws | Five long digits on each paw |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Activity | Primarily nocturnal |
| Typical habitat | Forests, wetlands, and urban areas |
Weight and body length can vary widely, so size alone should not be used to identify a raccoon. Its facial mask, ringed tail, and overall body shape are often more useful identifying features.
Where Do Raccoons Live?
Raccoons are highly adaptable animals. They can live in natural habitats and developed areas, provided they can find food, water, and suitable shelter.
Forests and wooded areas
Forests provide raccoons with trees for climbing, natural den sites, and a variety of food sources. Hollow trees, fallen logs, and sheltered spaces can offer protection from weather and predators.
Wetlands and areas near water
Raccoons commonly use habitats near streams, ponds, marshes, and other water sources. These environments can provide aquatic prey, insects, plants, and sheltered travel routes.
Farms and rural properties
Rural properties may offer fruit trees, gardens, livestock feed, barns, sheds, and other food or shelter opportunities. Unsecured feed and waste can attract raccoons, especially when natural food is less readily available.
Residential neighbourhoods
Raccoons can adapt to suburban and urban environments. Gardens, parks, green spaces, and residential properties may provide everything they need to survive.
Potential shelter locations around a home include:
- Attics and roof spaces
- Uncapped chimneys
- Garages and sheds
- Spaces beneath decks and porches
- Crawl spaces and gaps beneath buildings
- Hollow trees and other sheltered outdoor areas
The City of Toronto’s raccoon guidance explains how raccoons adapt to city life and how homeowners can reduce the conditions that attract them.
What Do Raccoons Eat?
Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores. They eat a wide range of foods and adjust their diet according to what is available.
Their diet can include:
- Insects, grubs, and larvae
- Earthworms and other invertebrates
- Small rodents and other small animals
- Bird eggs
- Fish, frogs, and other aquatic prey
- Berries, grapes, and other fruits
- Nuts, seeds, and vegetables
- Food scraps and discarded human food
This flexible diet helps raccoons survive in different environments.
Why raccoons search through garbage
Residential garbage can contain easy-to-reach food. Leftovers, meat scraps, fruit, and other organic waste can attract raccoons to a property.
Once an animal discovers an accessible food source, it may return repeatedly. Several visits can make it seem as though raccoons are deliberately targeting one home, when the main attraction may simply be an unsecured bin.
To reduce this problem, use garbage containers with tightly secured lids, clean up spills, and avoid leaving food waste exposed overnight.
Do raccoons wash their food?
Raccoons are often described as animals that wash their food before eating. Their scientific name, Procyon lotor, even refers to washing. However, the behaviour is more complicated than ordinary washing. Raccoons frequently handle and manipulate food with their sensitive front paws, particularly around water. This can make it appear that they are washing food, even when they are exploring or handling it.
Are Raccoons Nocturnal?
Yes. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are generally most active at night.
They often leave their resting places after dusk to search for food. They may travel through gardens, along fences, across rooftops, or near garbage storage areas before returning to a den.
Several factors influence their activity, including:
- Food availability
- Weather conditions
- Breeding and parental care
- Human disturbance
- The availability of safe shelter
Why might a raccoon be active during the day?
Daytime activity does not automatically indicate a problem. A raccoon may be seen during daylight because it has been disturbed, is searching for food, or is caring for young.
However, an animal that appears disoriented, unusually unresponsive, injured, or persistently unsteady should not be approached. Contact local animal services or a qualified wildlife professional for advice.
Never attempt to touch, feed, corner, or capture a wild raccoon.
How Do Raccoons Behave?
Raccoons are intelligent, curious animals that investigate their surroundings using their senses and front paws.
They are excellent climbers
Raccoons can climb trees and other suitable structures. This ability helps them reach elevated dens, escape danger, and access potential entry points around roofs and eaves. Overhanging branches near a roof can provide a convenient route onto a building. Trimming suitable branches away from the structure can help reduce access.
They are good problem-solvers
Raccoons can learn to manipulate latches, lids, and other objects. They may return to locations where they have previously found food. This behaviour is why simply moving a garbage bin a short distance may not solve the problem if the container remains accessible.
They generally avoid confrontation
Raccoons usually prefer to retreat rather than confront people. However, an animal that is cornered, injured, or protecting its young may react defensively. Keep children and pets away from wild raccoons, and give the animal a clear opportunity to move away.
They may use the same den repeatedly
Raccoons use different resting and denning locations depending on availability and their needs. A suitable attic or sheltered space can become attractive because it offers warmth, protection, and limited disturbance. If a raccoon has entered a building, identifying how it gained access is an important part of preventing future visits.
What Is the Life Cycle of a Raccoon?
Raccoons have a seasonal reproductive cycle, although exact timing varies with local conditions.
Mating season
Mating generally occurs in late winter. During this period, raccoons may travel more widely as they search for mates.
Pregnancy and birth
After a gestation period of roughly two months, females give birth to a litter, often in spring. Litter size varies. A female may choose a hollow tree, an abandoned structure, or a sheltered part of a building as a den.
Raccoon babies
Young raccoons, commonly called kits, are born with their eyes closed and depend on their mother for warmth, protection, and nourishment. They remain in the den while developing. As they grow, they begin to explore outside the shelter under their mother’s care.
Growing independence
Kits gradually become more mobile and learn how to find food and navigate their surroundings. They may remain with their mother for several months before becoming more independent.
This life cycle is especially important when raccoons enter an attic or chimney. A female may have young hidden out of sight, even if only one adult animal has been observed.
Never seal an active entry hole without confirming that the animal and any young have left. Doing so can trap wildlife inside a structure or separate a mother from her kits.
For guidance on raccoons using buildings as dens, consult the Ontario SPCA’s information about living with raccoons.
Raccoons Lifespan
Knowing raccoon lifespan helps control their infestation. Their lifecycle is different in different areas. They usually give birth between July and early September. A female raccoon can give birth to an average of 5 to 7 baby raccoons. In Toronto, Ontario, they typically live only 2 to 3 years due to harsh weather, traffic, and other factors. However, in the wild, this lifespan is extended to 5 to 7 years.
Signs of Raccoon Activity Around Your Home
Raccoons may visit a property without entering the building. Other signs can indicate that an animal is using a roof space, chimney, shed, or another enclosed area.
1. Scratching, thumping, or movement overhead
Heavy footsteps, scratching, shuffling, or other noises in an attic may indicate that a relatively large animal is moving through the space. Raccoons are not the only possible cause. Squirrels, birds, and other wildlife can also produce sounds inside buildings, so noises alone do not confirm the species.
2. Damaged roof edges or vents
Raccoons may exploit weak or damaged sections of a roof, loose soffits, unsecured vents, or gaps near eaves. Look for disturbed materials or new openings from a safe location. Avoid climbing onto a roof to investigate an active wildlife problem.
3. Scattered garbage
Overturned bins, torn bags, and food waste scattered around the yard may indicate that raccoons or other wildlife have been feeding there. Secure the containers and clean the area. Avoid approaching an animal that is still feeding nearby.
4. Tracks and disturbed soil
Raccoon tracks may show five long digits on each paw. In lawns and gardens, raccoons may also dig for grubs and other food sources. Other animals can leave similar signs, so consider the location and pattern of the disturbance as well.
5. Droppings or nesting material
Droppings, accumulated debris, and disturbed insulation may indicate wildlife activity in a sheltered space. Do not touch, sweep, or vacuum suspected raccoon droppings. Contaminated material may require careful handling and appropriate protective measures.
6. Repeated visits to the same location
Regular activity near a chimney, roof edge, deck, or garbage storage area may suggest that the location provides food, shelter, or an access route. Recording when and where the activity occurs can help a wildlife professional determine the likely source.
Why Do Raccoons Enter Homes?
Raccoons do not enter homes simply to cause damage. Buildings can offer shelter and access to food, particularly when natural den sites are limited or a suitable opening is available.
Common reasons include:
- Shelter from weather: Attics, sheds, and enclosed spaces provide protection from wind, rain, and cold.
- A place to raise young: A quiet, sheltered space may be attractive to a female preparing to give birth.
- Easy access: Damaged roof sections, open vents, uncapped chimneys, and gaps beneath structures may allow an animal to enter.
- Food nearby: Garbage, pet food, birdseed, and fallen fruit can attract raccoons to the surrounding property.
- Repeated access: Once a raccoon finds a convenient route into a building, it may continue using that route until the access point is addressed.
Homeowners dealing with a confirmed raccoon entry should consider a professional assessment. Acme Pest Solutions provides a raccoon removal service in Milton for property owners who need help addressing raccoon activity.
Can Raccoons Damage Your Property?
Yes. Raccoons can damage buildings and outdoor areas when they search for food or establish a den.
Roof and exterior damage
An animal may disturb loose roofing materials, soffits, fascia, or vents while entering a sheltered space. Existing damage can create openings for additional wildlife.
Insulation and enclosed spaces
Raccoons nesting in an attic can disturb insulation and leave behind nesting debris and waste. Contamination may require assessment and appropriate cleanup.
Electrical and structural concerns
Wildlife activity can expose or damage building materials and, in some circumstances, electrical wiring. If wiring appears damaged, avoid touching it and contact a qualified electrician.
Gardens and lawns
Raccoons may dig through lawns while searching for grubs, disturb garden beds, and damage fruit or vegetable crops.
Garbage and outdoor storage
Raccoons can scatter rubbish, move unsecured items, and disturb outdoor storage areas while searching for food.
The extent of damage depends on the animal’s access, how long it remains, and the condition of the building. Not every raccoon visit results in property damage, but signs of an established den should be addressed promptly.
Are Raccoons Dangerous?
Raccoons are wild animals and should be treated with caution. Most avoid direct contact with people, but close encounters can result in bites or scratches.
They can also carry infectious agents and parasites. Their droppings may create a separate contamination concern, especially in enclosed spaces where waste accumulates.
To reduce the risk of an encounter:
- Never feed or attempt to pet a raccoon.
- Keep children and pets away from wildlife.
- Do not corner an animal or block its escape route.
- Avoid handling droppings or contaminated nesting material.
- Keep pet vaccinations up to date, as advised by your veterinarian.
- Contact local animal services if a raccoon appears sick, injured, or disoriented.
If a raccoon bites or scratches a person, wash the affected area thoroughly and seek prompt medical advice. If a pet has contact with a raccoon, contact a veterinarian.
A raccoon seen during the day is not necessarily dangerous or ill. Its behaviour and physical condition matter more than the time of day alone.
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How to Prevent Raccoons Around Your Property
The most effective prevention measures focus on reducing food sources, limiting access, and removing suitable shelter opportunities.
Secure garbage and compost
Use sturdy bins with tight-fitting lids. Secure them so wildlife cannot easily tip them over or open them.
Clean up food waste and spills promptly, and store bins in an enclosed area where practical.
Remove outdoor food sources
Avoid leaving pet food outside overnight. Clean up fallen fruit, secure birdseed, and keep barbecue areas free of food scraps and grease.
Feeding raccoons can encourage them to return and become accustomed to people.
Inspect the exterior of your home
From the ground, check for visible gaps around eaves, roof edges, vents, chimneys, sheds, and decks.
Repair damaged materials and ensure that suitable openings are protected with durable, wildlife-resistant barriers. Any repair must be completed only after confirming that no animals or young are trapped inside.
Manage access to the roof
Trim branches that provide easy access to the roof where appropriate. Keep sheds and garages closed when not in use, and repair poorly fitting doors.
Maintain the yard
Remove unnecessary clutter near buildings and reduce sheltered gaps where appropriate. Secure compost containers and avoid leaving food waste exposed.
Respond to activity early
If you hear repeated noises in an attic or discover damage around a roof opening, investigate the situation from a safe distance.
Do not assume that an animal has left simply because the noise has stopped. Confirming that the space is empty is essential before sealing an entry point.
For broader prevention advice, the Ontario government’s guide to preventing conflicts with small animals offers additional steps for reducing wildlife access to buildings and food sources.
What Should You Do If a Raccoon Is in Your Attic?
If you suspect a raccoon is living in your attic, avoid entering the space to confront it.
Start by observing from a safe distance. Note the location of suspected entry points, the timing of noises, and any visible damage. Do not climb onto the roof or attempt to handle the animal.
Next, consider whether young may be present. Raccoons can use attics as nesting sites, and kits may be hidden in areas that are difficult to see.
Avoid sealing openings, using smoke, or applying substances that could injure wildlife or trap it inside. DIY exclusion methods may be inappropriate when a mother and young are present.
A qualified wildlife professional can assess the entry point, look for signs of nesting, and determine an appropriate removal or exclusion approach.
Once the space is confirmed to be empty, access points can be repaired and suitable barriers installed. Any contaminated material should be assessed and handled using appropriate precautions.
If you need assistance with a raccoon problem in Milton, contact Acme Pest Solutions’ raccoon removal team to discuss the situation and the next steps.
Areas We Serve:
We offer raccoon removal services in the following areas:
Frequently Asked Questions About Raccoons
What is a raccoon?
A raccoon is a medium-sized North American mammal known for its dark facial mask, ringed tail, dexterous front paws, and adaptable behaviour. It is an omnivore and is usually most active at night.
Are raccoons rodents?
No. Raccoons are mammals, but they are not rodents. They belong to the family Procyonidae, while mice, rats, and squirrels belong to the order Rodentia.
What do raccoons eat?
Raccoons eat a varied diet that includes insects, grubs, small animals, eggs, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and food waste. Their diet changes according to local food availability.
Where do raccoons sleep during the day?
Raccoons rest in sheltered places such as hollow trees, dense vegetation, abandoned structures, attics, and other protected spaces. The exact location depends on habitat and seasonal needs.
Why do raccoons come into attics?
Attics can provide warmth, protection from weather, and a quiet place to raise young. Raccoons may enter through damaged roof edges, loose soffits, open vents, or other accessible gaps.
Are raccoons aggressive?
Raccoons generally avoid people, but they may defend themselves if cornered, threatened, or handled. Keep your distance and never attempt to capture or feed a wild raccoon.
Can raccoons be active during the day?
Yes. Although raccoons are primarily nocturnal, they may occasionally be active during daylight. An unusual appearance alone does not establish that an animal is sick.
How can I keep raccoons away from my house?
Secure garbage, remove outdoor food sources, keep pet food indoors, maintain the exterior of your home, and protect suitable entry points after confirming that no wildlife remains inside.
Should I seal a raccoon's entry hole immediately?
No. First confirm that all animals, including any young, have left. Sealing an active opening can trap wildlife inside or separate a mother from her kits. Seek professional advice if you are unsure.
What should I do if I find raccoon droppings in my attic?
Avoid direct contact, sweeping, or vacuuming the material. Raccoon droppings can pose contamination risks, so the affected area should be assessed and cleaned using appropriate protective procedures.
When should I call a wildlife professional?
Seek professional assistance if a raccoon is living inside your home, an entry point is damaged, young may be present, or you cannot safely determine whether the animal has left. Professional assessment is also appropriate when contamination or structural damage is suspected.
Conclusion
Raccoons are intelligent, adaptable mammals that play a role in natural ecosystems. Their ability to find food and shelter in different environments allows them to thrive in forests, rural areas, and residential neighbourhoods.
Understanding their appearance, diet, behaviour, and life cycle makes it easier to recognize their presence and prevent conflicts. Secure garbage, remove outdoor food sources, maintain your home’s exterior, and avoid direct contact with wildlife.
If a raccoon enters an attic, chimney, or other enclosed space, do not rush to seal the opening. The correct approach depends on whether the animal is still present, whether young are involved, and how it gained access.
When raccoon activity becomes difficult to manage safely, Acme Pest Solutions can help property owners in Milton assess their raccoon removal needs and discuss suitable next steps.