Can Raccoons Chew Through Wood In Your House? - Wildlife Troopers (2024)

Raccoons have evolved to adapt to the traits that fitwellwiththeir behavior like tree climbing and chewing through various kinds of material in order to get food.

If raccoons can chew metal, then it goes without saying that they can chew wood,too. They can chew through wood in a house in a matter of minutes. So, do not be surprised when you discoverthat the wooden structurein your house hasahole in it.

Raccoons are not only smart animals but also curious. If your house is made of wood, theywill easily get through by ripping holes in it. Furthermore, they do love attics since it is warm and safe.Typically, the roof and attic have wood that raccoons like to chew.

They are able to tear open anything they find that might lead to food. Thus, raccoons usually enter homes to obtain food that is hidden there,butalso to find a nesting site.

Do Raccoons Chew On And Eat Through The Wood?

Raccoons have very powerful teeth and jaws so they can gnaw on and eat through any wooden materials just to get inside your home. For instance, they will chew on the wood shingles, the wood joistsin your house, or wooden eaves of a roof making holes in them. Theyare commonly known to enter the house and stay in the attic and roofspaces.

Besides, raccoons can chew on the electrical wires. If theycan chew an electric wire, then chewing wood is child’s play. They can break throughthe wood in a very short time. Wood is a very easy material as compared to metal, therefore, it is not hard for raccoons to gnaw on and eat throughit. So if your roof is built with plywood, it is at risk of being destroyed by these animals.

Even though they are unlikely toattack people, raccoons still carry diseases and causeextensivedamagesto houses. These damages can costyou a lot. A small opening on the roof can make the water get through the roof. If the repair isn’t done immediately, then repairing the entire roof will be the only solution.

Also, if the wood chewing activity is prolonged, severe damage might occur that might lead to the weakening of the roof. It can be very expensive to do repairs that result from the long-term chewing of wood in the roof.

To find outif or when the raccoons have invaded your house, you may see holes in your roof if it is made of woodshingles. Besides, you may see holes in the roofthatlead to the attic. This is a sign to alert you that raccoons are already in your home.

Can Raccoons Climb Plywood Or Wooden Surfaces In Your House?

Raccoons areknown to begreat climbers. If there are any walls to be climbed, raccoons are the ultimate animal for such a task.

They can climb plywood or wooden surfaces easily and get inside your house. They havesuchgood climbing skills due to their physical features likeclaws.The claws on their hands and feet are long, sharp, thick, and non-retractable. Also, their claws can easily dig into anything and break through any material such as wood.

Moreover, their climbing instincts make them climb any surface. Because they are highly skilled in climbing, raccoons cango up the walls and other vertical surfacesto find a comfortableand safeshelter in your home.

Can Raccoons Break Through Wooden Structures?

Not only are raccoons strong but also dexterous creatures. They interact with humans and properties frequentlybyliving in the buildings. These nuisance critters can easily break through wooden structures, and it is common for them tobreak into the house and live in the attic. You may also hear them on the roof of yourhouse, or they may work their way to the wall via an attic or anyotherentry point.

In addition, homeowners often wonder how theseanimals can break through wooden fences. But the truth is that raccoons have a great body structure with claws and paws that assists them to climb and breakthrough all kind of surfaces. Raccoons can chewthrough softfences made of wood as they create holes in them. Metal fences are hard for these animals to break through, so theytend to destroyonlywooden structures.

Removing wild animals from your home is a dangerous task, thus, it’s important to hire a professional who will do the job correctly.

So, if you have raccoons that you need to get rid of, our experienced exterminators at Wildlife Troopers can humanely take care of the problem. Contact us today for complete wildlife removal and control in South Florida. We look forward to hearing from you! (

Can Raccoons Chew Through Wood In Your House? - Wildlife Troopers (2024)
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