How to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Trash
Raccoons have adapted well to humans and many make their homes in urban and suburban areas. Being adaptable omnivores, raccoons are skilled at making use of any available food sources. Unfortunately for homeowners, these food sources include table scraps in the trash. Raccoons are among the animals liable to make a complete mess getting the scraps out of the garbage cans. To keep them out, you have several options, most of which center around making your garbage cans raccoon-proof. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Place all food scraps into plastic bags, such as disposable shopping bags, and tie tightly. Place these bags into your regular refuse sacks. Raccoons are less likely to make determined efforts to obtain access to garbage cans if they can't smell delicious things inside. Alternatively, keep food scraps, especially pungent ones such as fish, in indoor bins until collection day or freeze them.
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Stop feeding pets outside. Cat food and dog kibble looks like raccoon food to raccoons and gives them a good reason to hang around your yard, where they might investigate other potential food sources such as the trash cans.
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Store trash cans in a garage or shed until collection day, if you can. Don't put out trash cans the night before collection day; raccoons are nocturnal and this is when they'll be roaming the neighborhood looking for food. Instead, put the cans out in the morning.
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Secure cans that must be left outside with rope or bungee cord. Heavy rocks on top also deter wildlife. If all else fails, consider investing in animal-proof garbage cans. Such cans keep out all urban wildlife, including foxes, seagulls and raccoons, but are easy for you and collection services to access.
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References
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