It’s no secret that raccoons are among the cutest wilderness creatures. Something about their fuzzy bandit masks and opposable thumbs simply make them look huggable, and if you have seen the video of a raccoon trying to clean cotton candy only to be shocked when it disappears, you may just fall in love. Unfortunately, raccoons in the wild are not as cute and cuddly as they sometimes appear on television, and the presence of them around your home could mean serious trouble for you, your home, and its trash cans.

The Problems That Raccoons Cause

Remember those opposable thumbs we mentioned? As cute as they are, it is these thumbs that allow raccoons to become the menace that they can be around homes. Their thumbs allow them to get into areas where other pests cannot, and that’s just the start of the problems they cause. On top of this, raccoons are fighters when threatened, and are likely to use their claws and sharp teeth to dish out a fair amount of hurt to anyone, including pets, who causes them to feel threatened.

If you are attacked by a raccoon with rabies, scratches and bites will be the least of your worries. If these threats weren’t enough, raccoons are also known vectors for a number of dangerous diseases, including roundworm, brucellosis, hantavirus, giardiasis, herpesvirus simiae, tuberculosis, and a number of others. These are all reasons why the last thing you should do when seeing a raccoon is hug it as your instincts may tell you to do. We assure you, this is a bad idea.

Why Professional Raccoon Control Is Recommended

All of the dangers above are also good reasons for you not to try to handle your raccoon problems on your own. If you suspect that raccoons are taking shelter in your shed or elsewhere on your property, your safest option is to contact Proven Pest Management. We have the tools and experience needed to properly handle cute but dangerous wild animals. The last thing we want is for you to get hurt when a single phone call could get your property back to raccoon-free status. If you are afraid you will miss their cuteness, take a look online. We assure you, it is a lot safer to admire these creatures from behind a screen.