How to Attract Raccoons

Raccoons are precocious animals, interesting to watch because of their curiosity, coupled with the dexterity of their front toes. Raccoons usually weigh about 10 to 30 pounds, but they can reach up to 60 pounds. While they are fun to look at, you should not attempt to feed them by hand, approach them or pet them. The animals carry several serious infectious diseases transmissible to humans, including rabies and roundworms.

Instructions

Food and Water

1. Put kitchen scraps out in the evening, as raccoons feed primarily at night. Collect uneaten scraps in the morning to cut down on odor and to avoid attracting pests. Do not use a household container that will be reused by humans and wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the container.

2. Feed the birds. Raccoons are attracted to bird seed. They may destroy bird feeders, so consider feeding on an open platform. They seem to prefer sunflower seeds and corn, but will consume other seeds.

3. Offer a water source. Raccoons feed on creatures that may frequent wet areas (frogs and snails) and they require water to drink (which can be tough to find in some urban locations).

4. Put out food in late winter and early spring to attract raccoons hungry from winter scarcity. Raccoons are attracted to fruits, vegetables and eggs. Fallen fruit from around orchard trees can be collected and piled in the area that affords you the best, safest view.

Cover

1. Allow the grass to grow if you live in a rural area. The additional cover will allow raccoons to come and go without gaining the notice of natural predators. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, owls and eagles both hunt raccoons.

2. Establish suitable cover in areas of your yard. Raccoons use trees and brushy cover, including brush piles. Instead of burning fallen limbs, dedicate an unused corner of your property to stack limbs and allow them to decompose over time.

3. Remove the skirting from around decks. Raccoons may choose to hide or create a den under a deck or porch if given access.

4. Work to protect habitat nearby that favors wild populations of animals. Seek preservation of wooded areas, clean streams and lakes and encourage use of native plants that provide cover and food.

Tips & Warnings

• Break all the rules. Finding ideas to attract raccoons may be difficult, but there are many resources available that discuss in detail how to get rid of the creatures. Simply do the opposite of what is normally recommended for keeping the animals away.

• Leaving the lid off of your garbage can may be the simplest way to encourage a hungry raccoon to take a look at your yard, but may result in a mess of strewn garbage or a trapped animal.

References

• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife--Living with Wildlife
• University of Illinois Extension--How to Prevent Problems with Wildlife
• University of New Hampshire Extension--Wildlife Habitat Improvement: Wetlands and Wildlife

Resources

• Purdue University--Making Your Backyard More Attractive to Wildlife