Human populations are growing, we need more space to create places for humans to live, work, and play in. This isn’t always good for animals because they have had to move into urban areas.
If you notice a raccoon in your backyard at night you may be wondering how it got there and how to get rid of them, this article looks into it
If raccoons live in your area don’t be surprised to see these animals wandering around your backyard at night. These animals scavenge for food at night and your backyard may simply be a source of food
Table of Contents
Raccoon in backyard at night:
Seeing a raccoon in your backyard in the middle of the night can be bizarre but this should be expected thanks to urbanization. Below are answers to questions you may have if raccoons suddenly make their way into your yard:
What attracted it:
Animals will be attracted to any place that has food, shelter, and water.
Food: Food can sometimes be scarce in the wild, food can be even harder to find in urban areas. If a raccoon smells food from a bird feeder or smells pet food left out, then it will definitely take its chances and wander into your yard looking for food
Water: All animals need water, raccoons included, raccoons may not be too keen on drinking from water sources in cities as these can be dirty and stagnant.
If there is a fresh water source on your property, like water from a clean pond, then raccoons will make their way into your yard to drink some water.
Shelter: In the wild, raccoons look for shelter in rock crevices, hollows of trees, and even under bush piles if they’re desperate enough. These animals will look for shelter on your property that is safe, warm, and isolated. Read more about where raccoons shelter here
Why do raccoons hunt at night?
Raccoons hunting at night is the smartest way to hunt if they want to stay away from predators.
These animals have dark fur and this dark fur is easy for predators to spot during the day. Hunting at night allows them to blend in with the darkness and the shadows
Do raccoons attack at night?
Because raccoons are up at night, most of their activities are done at night. They tend to their young at night, eat at night, and will attack at night if they have to, but they usually don’t
Raccoons are actually very docile animals, these animals have the capability to attack, they have long teeth and claws which can injure skin and flesh, but they generally don’t attack anyone or anything for no reason.
A raccoon will only attack if it is preying on an animal for food. This article looks at what raccoons eat
These animals will likely not attack a human. Raccoons see humans as predators because of our large size. They know that they are small and thus, they assume that they are weaker than us. Thus, they will not try to attack humans. Read more about raccoons attacking humans here
If a raccoon does attack you, the reason behind this may be that it feels threatened and can’t get away, because it is a mother raccoon trying to defend her young, or, the animal may attack if it has been infected with rabies. A rabid raccoon will attack almost anything.
Can raccoons see at night?
These animals have exceptional night vision, but they cannot see that well during the day. They have huge pupils which lets light enter the eye, this allows them to see at night
Is it normal for raccoons to come out in the daytime?
It isn’t particularly normal for a raccoon to be out in the daytime but this can happen. Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, these animals will regularly be out and about in the evening and will be asleep during the day.
However, these animals will come out during the day if they have to. A raccoon will be out during the day if it didn’t find enough food the night before, it will keep searching for food during the day until it has eaten enough.
Raccoons that have been woken up by predators will also be out during the day provided that they escaped the predator. Raccoons will also be out and about during the day if they are rabid
What to do if you see a raccoon at night?
Prevention will not help at this point but there are things that you can do to get a raccoon to leave your property. This is how:
Make yourself seem bigger: If you’re outside with the raccoon then making yourself look bigger and stronger will scare it off or at least keep it from coming towards you. Do this by stretching your arms, making loud noises, and clapping your hands
Spray them: If you have access to a hose you can spray the animal with a hose, this is an easy, no contact way to get the animal to leave you alone and to hopefully leave your property.
Call pest control: If your local pest control company operates at night, then it’s best to call them to remove the animals if all else fails. Raccoons that seem lethargic, are making abnormal noises, or that are aggressive may have rabies, and getting too close to them can be dangerous
This article goes over more actions you can take if you see a raccoon at night
Note: Do not try to chase these animals, if they feel cornered and that they have nowhere to go, then they will try to defend themselves and wind up injuring you
Can you shoot raccoons at night?
You cannot shoot raccoons at night if you don’t have a hunting license. In fact, it is illegal to shoot a raccoon for any reason in certain jurisdictions in the United States and in Canada.
You’d need to check with your local laws to see what is legal and illegal where you are
Conclusion
In conclusion, raccoons may come into your yard at night looking for food, water, or shelter. These animals are generally very docile and will leave you alone but if they attack you, you can become injured.
Ways that you can scare the raccoon away from your property is by making yourself look bigger, using a hose on it, or calling pest control services.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other raccoon related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: What Do Raccoons Eat In The City?, What To Do If You See A Raccoon At Night?