Racoons are gray with a black looking mask around their eyes. they also have a bushy tail with alternating black and gray rings. Racoons can weigh anywhere around 12-36 pounds and their length ranges from 23-38 inches including their 7-16 inch tail. They are mostly active at dusk and dawn as well as throughout the night. If you see a racoon during the day that does not mean that it is diseased, they may be looking for food. Racoons often live in tree cavities, abandoned underground burrows, barns, chimneys, attics or other structures. Racoons are opportunistic feeders and eat what is easiet for them to find. Some racoons can have rabies that can cause them to be lethargic, have uncoordinated movements and show aggressive behavior.
There are a few things you can do to try and lower your chances of dealing with racoons. keep garbage in a tightly secured container. It is best to put your trash out the morning of trash pickup. If you see any racoons around your home it is best not to feed them because they could lose their fear of people. It is best to feed your pets indoors because racoons could gather at the area you feed your pet. You want to close off potential denning areas such as under porches or buildings. Seal any openings to sheds and if possible cap your chimneys.