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Although raccoons aren’t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:

• Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting. 

• Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close. 

• Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon’s den to keep them from nesting.

• Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.

• Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.

Identifying the specific animal running on your roof at night can be challenging without direct observation. Common nocturnal roof visitors include raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and rats. Raccoons are bigger and can create heavy thumping sounds. Squirrels are agile and may produce rapid scurrying noises. Opossums tend to move stealthily with less noise. Rats can make scratching or gnawing sounds. To determine the culprit, look for signs like footprints, droppings, or damaged areas near the roof. For accurate identification, consult a pest control professional or set up wildlife cameras near potential entry points.

American badgers sleep in the burrows they dig, which can be extensive, featuring multiple chambers and tunnels. Badgers prefer to excavate their dens in open grasslands, prairies, and fields where the soil is easy to dig. They are solitary animals and usually have several burrows within their territory to use as needed. These underground homes provide them with a safe and secure place to rest during the day and to raise their young.

Yes, deer eat grass. But grass is far from a deer’s favorite food. Grass doesn’t have the nutrients deer need, so it only makes up a fraction of their diet. Deer eat woody plants, vegetation, acorns, fruit, and legumes. If deer are frequently in your yard, however, they will likely pick at the grass.