Raccoons are resourceful animals with a strong sense of smell and a knack for finding food. While bins are the most obvious draw, there are many other features around a yard that can bring them closer.
This article is for general information only. Effectiveness of prevention methods may vary depending on location and season.
1. Pet Food Bowls
Outdoor pet dishes might as well be raccoon dinner invitations. These masked visitors can smell kibble from surprising distances and will regularly return to locations where they’ve found food before.
Most pet owners don’t realize that even a small amount of leftover food provides enough incentive for raccoons to visit. Consider feeding pets indoors or removing outdoor dishes after feeding time to prevent these nighttime raiders from becoming regular guests.
2. Bird Feeders
Those charming bird feeders hanging in your yard serve double duty as raccoon magnets. The clever creatures often wait until nightfall before scaling poles or jumping from nearby branches to raid these seed dispensers. Seeds scattered underneath feeders create an easy buffet on the ground.
Many homeowners discover their carefully filled feeders completely emptied overnight, with telltale paw prints as the only evidence of the culprits. Consider bringing feeders in at night or installing raccoon baffles to discourage climbing.
3. Compost Piles
The decomposing vegetable matter in your eco-friendly compost heap smells like a five-star restaurant to hungry raccoons. These curious omnivores will eagerly dig through layers of yard waste to find tasty kitchen scraps. Fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, and eggshells emit particularly enticing aromas.
Without proper protection, your compost bin becomes an all-night diner. A secure lid or enclosed tumbling composter can help keep these masked bandits from turning your environmental efforts into midnight snacks.
4. Water Sources
Raccoons require regular access to water, making your decorative pond or birdbath an attractive pitstop. These nocturnal creatures often use water for both drinking and washing food, a behavior that gives them their scientific name, Procyon lotor, the washing bear.
Even a pet’s outdoor water dish can become a raccoon watering hole. Backyard ponds offer an added bonus of potential meals like fish or frogs. Covering water features at night or using motion-activated sprinklers can discourage these unwanted visitors from treating your yard like a rest stop.
5. Gardens With Produce
Your prized vegetable garden represents a veritable feast for opportunistic raccoons. Sweet corn stands as their absolute favorite, with raccoons often knowing exactly when ears are perfectly ripe, usually the night before you planned to harvest them. Melons, strawberries, and grapes also rank high on their preferred menu.
These crafty creatures have dexterous paws perfect for picking produce. Garden damage often appears overnight, with partially eaten fruits and vegetables left behind. Installing motion-activated lights or temporary electric fencing can help protect your harvest.
6. Outdoor Grills
The lingering aroma of your weekend barbecue sends a powerful invitation to nearby raccoons. Grease drippings and food particles left on grates emit scents that can travel surprisingly far, especially to the sensitive noses of these nocturnal foragers.
Many homeowners discover raccoon visitors have investigated their cooking areas overnight, leaving behind muddy paw prints and tipped-over utensils. A thorough cleaning after each use and keeping your grill covered when not in use can significantly reduce this attractive nuisance.
7. Fallen Fruit
Those apple, pear, or plum trees beautifying your landscape create a natural raccoon buffet when fruit begins dropping. Overripe fruits fermenting on the ground emit strong odors that draw raccoons from considerable distances.
The sugar content in fallen fruit provides excellent energy sources for these opportunistic eaters. Regular collection of fallen produce not only deters raccoons but also prevents other pest issues. Some homeowners install temporary fencing around fruit trees during harvest season to minimize overnight access to this tempting food source.
8. Insect-Rich Lawns
Those mysterious small holes appearing in your lawn overnight? Likely the work of raccoons hunting for protein-packed grubs and insects. The rolling technique they employ, turning over small sections of turf to expose insects underneath, leaves distinctive evidence of their nocturnal foraging.
Raccoons have remarkable tactile sensitivity in their front paws, allowing them to feel grubs beneath the soil surface. Yards with Japanese beetle larvae or other common lawn insects become regular raccoon dining spots. Addressing insect populations through natural lawn care practices can make your yard less appealing to these persistent diggers.
9. Sheltered Spaces
Raccoons constantly seek secure, dark places for daytime sleeping and raising their young. An old hollow tree, the space beneath a deck, or that rarely used garden shed represents prime raccoon real estate. Female raccoons become particularly determined when searching for denning sites in spring before having kits.
They prefer elevated locations with protection from predators and weather. Regularly inspecting your property for potential entry points and sealing gaps larger than four inches can prevent unwanted tenants from establishing residence on your property.
10. Unsecured Chicken Coops
Backyard chicken keepers often discover raccoons are masterful problem-solvers when motivated by the promise of eggs or poultry. These clever creatures can manipulate simple latches and squeeze through surprisingly small openings to access coops.
The rich protein source found in chicken feed and eggs makes the effort worthwhile for hungry raccoons. Successful raids often lead to repeat visits. Predator-proof housing requires hardware cloth (not chicken wire), secure locks, and buried barriers to prevent digging. Motion-activated lights and regularly collecting eggs can further reduce the attractiveness of your coop.
