ItB次元官网网址檚 raccoon birthing season and B.C. homeowners should be mindful the animals may try to seek refuge where they shouldnB次元官网网址檛.

Lorinne Anderson, who runs Wildaid, a Vancouver Island wildlife rescue operation, said raccoons are known to breed between January and March, with a majority of babies born between March and May.

Damage to insulation is among the problems raccoons are known to cause.

B次元官网网址淣ine times out of 10, what they do is they actually follow rats in,B次元官网网址� said Anderson. B次元官网网址淭hey will get rid of the rats, because rats are a threat to their babies. They will take an opening that a ratB次元官网网址檚 been using, enlarge that and then use that to access a crawl space or a shed or an abandoned vehicle, parked boat or whatever.B次元官网网址�

According to Anderson, raccoons can use space as a B次元官网网址渘ursery denB次元官网网址� for a finite period of time and almost always vacate the area by July. People may not even know raccoons have taken up residence.

B次元官网网址淲hen the babies are little, they make little chirping noises, so people think they have a bird nest up there,B次元官网网址� said Anderson. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not until theyB次元官网网址檙e older that you actually hear normal raccoon noises B次元官网网址� we call it a B次元官网网址榯rill.B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檒l also make almost like a guinea pig sound: B次元官网网址楴eet!B次元官网网址� If the babies feel like theyB次元官网网址檙e lost or separated, theyB次元官网网址檒l make that sort of a noise.B次元官网网址�

Mothers can move babies and often, they will B次元官网网址減ark them somewhereB次元官网网址� halfway between old and new locations. People may mistake the young ones as abandoned, but the mother often returns for the baby the following night, said Anderson.

She hesitates to refer to them as problematic, however.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure some people view it as a problem,B次元官网网址� said Anderson. B次元官网网址淭o me, they are not a problem at all. After raptors, theyB次元官网网址檙e our No. 1 predator against rats. TheyB次元官网网址檙e not dangerous. They donB次元官网网址檛 kill cats B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e one of the few animals that does much better in an urban environment than in a B次元官网网址榝orest environment.B次元官网网址� They are very prolific, but theyB次元官网网址檙e prolific based on food source.B次元官网网址�

Ken Gunderson, owner of Island Wildlife and Pest Control, recommends against leaving out food that attracts raccoons.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest thing is not feeding birds, not feeding other wildlife. A lot of people in the city here definitely do that,B次元官网网址� said Gunderson. B次元官网网址淭he next biggest one is just making sure your roof is in good condition. In almost all cases we see, theyB次元官网网址檙e accessing the attic through a weak soffit vent somewhere. ItB次元官网网址檚 just a matter of getting up there and making sure everythingB次元官网网址檚 sealed on the exterior.B次元官网网址�

Both experts warn health concerns could arise from inhalation of particles from excrement.

B次元官网网址淚n most cases thereB次元官网网址檚 not going to be any health concerns if youB次元官网网址檙e just living in the house,B次元官网网址� said Gunderson. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e actually going up in the attic and youB次元官网网址檙e breathing in the dust from the insulation and the droppings, theyB次元官网网址檙e definitely health concerns. Ring worm is one of them. Leptospirosis (causing organ damage, meningitis and even death) is another one. All that stuff is very rare unless youB次元官网网址檙e doing a big cleanup and thereB次元官网网址檚 a very large amount of droppings in a small area.B次元官网网址�

Anderson said there are misconceptions about raccoons. People generally worry about three things in relation to raccoons, she said.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e worried that the raccoon is going to attack them, or their child, or their pet B次元官网网址� do all sorts of damage and then thereB次元官网网址檚 the ones that just donB次元官网网址檛 think they belong in the city and they need to be moved back to the wilderness,B次元官网网址� Anderson said. B次元官网网址淪adly, all of those things are false. The only time youB次元官网网址檙e going to have a problem with a raccoon is if you corner it. And frankly, I donB次元官网网址檛 care what you are, if anything corners me in an alley, IB次元官网网址檓 coming with teeth and claws.B次元官网网址�

For more information on what to do if you suspect you have raccoons, click .

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