Raccoon

Raccoons are primarily nocturnal (active at night), but can be occasionally seen during daylight hours. They generally mate in late winter and early spring and have litters ranging from 1-8 with a gestation period of 2 months. Raccoons have 1 litter annually. Male raccoons are polygamous and will mate with several females in succession, while females are monogamous and will mate with only one male and will not tolerate other males after mating has occurred. They are generally solitary animals except for after birth where the young will stay with the mother for a period of time. Raccoons are omnivorous and will feed on a variety of plant and meat foods. Raccoons are very opportunistic animals. They have adapted living in close quarters with humans and will take up residence in your attics and crawl spaces. They will feed on foods in and around trash cans and dumpsters. Raccoons can be very destructive when chewing on wood, wires, ducts, and pipes. The noise can be very unsettling in the attics, but it's really the chewing that's a problem. If raccoons chew on electrical wires or water lines in an attic or crawl space, it can create a real potential for fire or flooding problems. There are some health concerns associated with Raccoons and the more common concerns are rabies, canine distemper, intestinal parasites, roundworm and leptospirosis. Roundworm is found in their feces and can infect humans and pets. Canine distemper can be transmitted to dogs with direct contact. The key here is prevention. Keep raccoons out of attics and crawl spaces. If you find raccoon feces make sure you clean it up properly. Do not feed your pets outside, make sure your trash cans are secured and do not leave trash laying around.