Raccoons are nocturnal creatures that like to sleep in dark, warm, and cozy spaces that are also close to a reliable food source, such as underneath porches and decks and inside sheds, garages, and attics.

When none of these options are available, raccoons will resort to a more natural den site: tree hollows. Being the smart creatures that they are, raccoons tend to prefer trees that are located on a residential property because this makes it easier for them to scavenge for food at night while also providing them with a safe location to raise their kits.

Unfortunately, raccoons are a nuisance for homeowners. They cause a lot of property damage, make a lot of noise at night and sometimes during the day, and make communal latrines to relieve themselves on your property.

So, what can you do if you find a raccoon or raccoon nest in your tree? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.

Hawkeye’s Raccoon Control and Prevention from Yards, Gardens, and Trees

Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control specialize in identifying and safely removing raccoon nests from residential and commercial properties. Our team of specially trained pest and wildlife handlers has the professional skill set to provide expert raccoon control and prevention methods in a safe and humane manner. We use the following raccoon removal and control techniques to get rid of raccoons in your yard, garden, and tree hole.

One-way exit. We set up an intricate one-way exit path that allows raccoons to leave your property on their own schedule with minimal disturbance and no damage to your property.

Hand-capture. In circumstances that require the raccoon to be removed immediately and when we can safely approach the creature, our team will carefully capture it by hand and place it in a secure transport container.

Cage traps. This is the most common and socially acceptable method used to capture a raccoon in urban and semi-urban areas. It’s easy to use and perfectly safe for both the animal and the handler.

Why Is There a Raccoon in My Tree?

Raccoons are constantly looking for a safe, secure, and warm denning site that’s within close proximity to a reliable and easily accessible food source. It also has to provide excellent support and protection from external elements such as inclement weather conditions and predators.

Tree hollows—particularly fruit trees or trees located in a vegetable or fruit garden—are the ideal location for raccoons to nest with their nurseries. If you happen to have a large fruit tree on your property that also has one or two hollow spots, then don’t be surprised if you come across a raccoon infestation at some point. Raccoons are particularly attracted to sweet, fragrant foods. Ripe fruits such as apples, plums, apricots, peaches, mulberries, and cherries are all favourite food items for both adult and baby raccoons.

Not only do these foods satisfy their hunger, but they also provide excellent nutritional value for growing raccoon families. Initially, raccoons are attracted to fallen fruit from trees because they’re easy targets. Once the raccoons realize that they can nest inside the tree, however, it’s a lot harder to get rid of them, especially since raccoons are extremely skilled climbers.

Why Do Raccoons Make Nests in Trees?

There are several reasons raccoons make nests in trees. As mentioned, raccoons love a variety of fruits and fruit trees provide easy and consistent access to a reliable food source. Other reasons why raccoons nest in trees include:

Tree hollows provide a warm and safe denning site

To shelter themselves from the elements and predators

Raccoons nest anywhere they can and often have multiple dens set up in various locations

Easy access to food

How Do I Get Rid of Raccoons in My Tree?

The safest and most effective way to remove a raccoon or nursery of raccoons from your property is to contact an animal and wildlife control agency like Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control. We have all of the necessary training and credentials to safely remove raccoons from commercial and residential areas.

Don’t attempt to remove or capture the raccoon yourself, especially if they have babies. Adult raccoons will take this as a threat and go into automatic defence mode, which could result in serious injury for you and your loved ones, not to mention extensive property damage.

Plus, raccoons carry diseases such as rabies, canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, raccoon parvoviral enteritis, and pseudorabies—all of which are transmissible to humans. Getting bitten by a rabid raccoon will result in death nearly 100% of the time.

To minimize the risk of personal injury and extensive property damage, we recommend taking the following actions:

Identify the raccoon-infested tree.

Knowing which tree is infested with raccoons ahead of time will make it easier for our crew to do their jobs and map out a plan of action to safely remove the raccoons from your property.

Clear the tree of raccoons.

Once we have a plan in place, our trained wildlife handlers will carefully move in closer to the tree and coax the raccoons out using a variety of proven techniques.

The objective is to quickly try to trap the raccoons before they can make a getaway. Some processes such as eliminating food sources in the tree and cutting off branches so they can’t climb up and down require a great deal of patience.

Raccoon-proof your tree. This is more of a preventative measure that involves trimming tree branches, removing food sources, and sealing tree hollows, so that raccoons can’t nest inside.