Raccoons are a medium sized animal that is native to North America and can be found across the United States largely due to their outstanding ability to adjust to and take advantage of new environments. In the wild, raccoons are most often found in wooded areas along lakes, marshes or rivers, where they reside in hollow trees and logs. Adult raccoons on Long Island, New York can weigh twenty to thirty pounds and male raccoons are usually twenty percent heavier than females. The most distinguishing physical feature of the raccoon is the mask of black fur that covers its eyes. The dark fur reduces glare and enhances the raccoon's night vision. Raccoons are nearsighted and color blind, but have exceptional night vision. The eyes of a raccoon, are well-adjusted to low light situations. Raccoons have a distinct eye shape and the retinal surface of this nocturnal animal's eye is much larger than mammals that live by day. Nocturnal wildlife have eyes with a tapetum lucidum, which is a mirror-like reflective layer at the back of the eye that is constructed to supply more light to the retina. When illuminated, the tapetum lucidum causes the eyes of the nocturnal animal to glow in the dark. Raccoons are known for their mischievous nature, making them nuisance wildlife, especially when it comes to trash cans. Though usually nocturnal, the raccoon can often be seen searching for food during the day. Raccoons are omnivorous animals, feeding on insects, grubs, earthworms, berries, fruits, nuts, fish, frogs, eggs, poultry, snakes, carrion and squirrels. Raccoons are social animals that live together in groups. In the Spring 4 to 7 raccoon pups are born and are raised by the mother raccoon. The life expectancy of raccoons in the wild is only about three years in part due to Canine Distemper, which contributes significantly to the death of raccoons. Raccoons, are very prevalent throughout Nassau County, Long Island and are among the most widespread wild animals in New York State. Raccoons are more heavily populated in large cities than in rural areas. Every city, town and village in the state of New York has raccoons living within city limits. Long Island raccoon populations, may exceed one hundred per square mile, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The excessive number of raccoons on Long Island is due to the absence of raccoon predators, which normally would include bobcats, cougars and coyotes. Raptors, such as hawks, owls and eagles will prey on raccoon pups. Raccoons have an exceptional sense of odor detection and auditory perception and are even able to hear sounds made by earthworms underground.
The most vital sense for raccoons, is their sense of touch. Raccoons have hyper-sensitive front paws and almost two-thirds of the area responsible for sensory perception in their brain's cerebral cortex is specialized for the analysis of tactile impulses. In urban areas, such as Nassau County, Long Island raccoons will use their hypersensitive front paws to identify weak points through which they will enter a dwelling, or business. Raccoons may proceed to tear a hole in a damaged area of the roof, enter through a gable vent, or push through a soffit to gain access to an attic. In the attic of a Nassau County home, raccoons will damage insulation, central air conditioning ducts and electrical wires, which may result in a fire. Like many animals, raccoons are opportunistic critters that seek a lifestyle that has the greatest reward for the least effort. These creatures will make their home in your attic, crawl space, garage, shed, chimney, under a deck, or porch of your Nassau County, Long Island home. If you suspect that raccoons are inhabiting your home, you need to contact Nassau County Animal Removal, wildlife control experts immediately to humanely resolve your raccoon pest control problem.
Rabid Raccoons - Raccoon Diseases & Parasites
Raccoons may harbor ectoparasites, such as mites, fleas, ticks and lice. Mites are closely related to ticks and are among the smallest insects with most barely visible without magnification. The most common ectoparasitic dermatoses caused by mites is mange and when it is transmitted to humans it is called scabies. The Bubonic plague is the most well-known flea transmitted disease. Murine typhus, cat scratch disease, feline distemper, mycoplasma haemofelis and tapeworms are also transmitted by fleas. Ticks carry pathogens that can cause disease in humans including Lyme disease.
Rabies is a severe viral polioencephalitis that specifically affects the gray matter of the raccoon's brain and central nervous system. Raccoons are considered to be a primary carrier of the rabies virus in the United States. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is almost always lethal if not treated in a timely manner. The rabies virus is carried in the saliva, so rabies can only be contracted by a bite from a rabid animal. In the event that you, or your pet is bitten by a raccoon you need to clean the wound with soap and water and get medical attention immediately for yourself, or your pet. Contact Nassau County Animal Removal and one of our wildlife removal experts will trap the raccoon and have it tested by the Nassau County Department of Health for the rabies virus. Should you see a raccoon wandering about during daylight hours, this doesn't automatically mean that the raccoon is rabid. Lactating female raccoons, who have raccoon pups are frequently seen during the day foraging for food. Rabid raccoons generally will have difficulty walking, stagger as though they are intoxicated, look confused, disoriented and they are lethargic. Rabid raccoons infected with the rabies virus will make repeated high-pitched vocalizations, have weeping of the eyes and frothing at the mouth and the fur on their face will appear to be wet and tangled. A rabid raccoon may become aggressive, or seem to be very tame and displays no fear of people. A rabid raccoon is usually dead within one to three days of becoming infectious.
Canine distemper is a highly infectious disease of carnivores that is caused by a virus. The virus, which is spread through the air and by direct or indirect contact with an infected animal, initially attacks a raccoon's tonsils and lymph nodes and replicates itself there for approximately a week. The virus then attacks the respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. In the initial stages of canine distemper, the major symptoms include high fever, conjunctivitis, and a watery discharge from the nose and eyes of the raccoon. An infected raccoon will become lethargic, anorexic and diarrhea is a clear symptom. In the later stages of the disease, the virus starts attacking the other systems of the raccoon's body, particularly the central nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are affected and the raccoon may begin to wander aimlessly in a circle, disoriented and unaware of its surroundings, suffer paralysis or exhibit other strange behaviors as a result of brain damage. The symptoms of canine distemper are indistinguishable from, and therefore often mistaken for, the signs of rabies. Canine distemper can wipe out entire colonies of raccoons.
Feline distemper also called feline infectious enteritis, cat plague and feline panleukopenia virus is a highly contagious disease caused by the feline parvovirus. This virus affects the rapidly dividing blood cells in the body, primarily the cells in the intestinal tract, bone marrow and skin. Raccoons will have a high fever, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea and severe leukopenia. The disease rarely lasts more than a week and death rates are extremely high.
Canine parvovirus is also called parvovirus type 2 and results in myocarditis and inflammation in the intestines (gastroenteritis) in raccoons. It is closely related to feline panleukopenia virus.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is spread through the urine of infected raccoons. Leptospirosis can get into the water or soil and survive there for weeks to months. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that affects both animals and people. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for other diseases. Some infected persons, however, may have no symptoms at all. Without treatment, leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death.
Baylisascaris infection is caused by the raccoon roundworm found in raccoon feces. The raccoon roundworm can infect people as well as a variety of other animals, including dogs. Although raccoons are usually asymptomatic when infected with the parasite, the larval form of Baylisascaris procyonis can result in death or severe neurologic complications in humans if not treated immediately.
Aleutian disease is also known as mink plasmacytosis. Raccoons are a carrier of this highly contagious parvovirus, which affects fur-bearing animals.
Raccoon Removal Nassau County, Long Island, NY
Raccoon Inspection - This is the first step in the raccoon removal process. Nassau County Animal Removal nuisance wildlife control operators will inspect your property to ascertain what type of animal is inhabiting it.
Raccoon Sounds - Noises coming from the attic at night, maybe coming from raccoons that are inhabiting the attic of your Nassau County, Long Island residence. You may hear loud thumping noises, heavy walking, scratching and growling sounds emerging from the attic. High pitched bird-like chirping sounds coming from the attic is usually indicative of the presence of baby raccoons.
Raccoon Tracks - May be seen in the snow. Raccoon footprints may also be observed on the side of a Nassau County residence, or building. There are five toes on both the front and back feet of a raccoon. The rear foot displays the heel and looks like a footprint made by a small person and is approximately three to four inches long. The front prints of the raccoon have smaller heel marks and are two to three inches long.
Raccoon Poop - Raccoons may defecate on a pile of wood, at the base of a tree, on a patio, on a log, on a deck, on a roof, in a shed, or in an attic of a Nassau County home. Raccoon excrement is two to three inches long and looks like dog poop. What differentiates it as raccoon poop, is the presence of berry seeds. Our Nassau County contractors do raccoon feces removal from attics in Long Island, New York.
Raccoon Damage - Raccoons will damage shingles and tear a hole in a roof of a Nassau County dwelling, to gain entrance to the attic.
Garbage Cans - Overturned, or opened by raccoons as they feed on trash.
Lawns - Raccoons in search of grubs, or earthworms will tear up a lawn. Raccoons have incredible dexterity and can roll up large pieces of sod in search of insects.
Raccoon Repellents - Are not an effective wildlife control method. There are numerous products sold online and in hardware stores that guarantee a quick fix wildlife animal control solution. There are wildlife repellent products that contain predator urine, such as coyote urine, fox urine, bobcat urine, cougar urine and even wolf urine. Predator urine products sold in liquid, or granular form have all been shown to be ineffective in getting rid of raccoons. Mothballs and products containing naphthalene are marketed as magic cure-all critter repellents for every species of animal. Repeated laboratory tests and our own experiences have proven mothballs to be an ineffective raccoon repellent. Ultrasonic pest repeller devices and strobing light machines are also not effective in getting raccoons out of an attic.
Raccoon Trapping - Is an effective wildlife animal control method when attempting to get rid of raccoons. Humane raccoon trapping is the raccoon control method used by Nassau County Animal Removal wildlife trappers. Our raccoon removal Nassau County animal control experts have many years of experience in the field of wildlife management. There are a countless number of humane raccoon traps and raccoon baits that can be used for the removal of raccoons in Nassau County, Long Island. The type of humane raccoon trap and raccoon bait that is used by our nuisance wildlife control operators, is largely dependent upon what time of the year it is. The raccoon removal trapping techniques that our Nassau County wildlife removal professionals use, is also contingent upon the situation and where the raccoons are entering your Nassau County, Long Island residence, or business. Our New York State licensed nuisance wildlife control operators perform raccoon removal in Nassau County in attics, chimneys, sheds, crawl spaces, garages, under porches and decks. Nassau County Animal Removal wildlife control operators know what humane raccoon trap and raccoon bait to use in every raccoon removal circumstance.
Raccoon Exclusion - Upon consummation of the raccoon removal, we will send out a licensed Nassau County contractor to give you a free estimate on any raccoon damage repairs that need to be done to your Long Island residence, or business to keep raccoons out. We also install chimney caps to prevent raccoons, squirrels, birds and bats from coming down the chimney. Nassau County Animal Removal will suggest any modifications that can be made to your residence, or business to prevent future wildlife control problems and Nassau County pest control issues.
