You might never spot a raccoon in broad daylight, but that doesn’t mean they’re not nearby. These clever, nocturnal animals are most active at night, scavenging, climbing, and sometimes causing damage around homes and businesses in Southern Louisiana.
During the day, raccoons retreat to hidden spots, sometimes dangerously close to where people live. Knowing where they go and why they choose those places can help you prevent unwanted visitors.
In this guide, we’ll cover where raccoons hide, how to spot signs of an infestation, and what steps to take to keep them out of your home.
Key Takeaways
• Raccoons are nocturnal and hide in quiet, warm spots during the day, such as attics, crawl spaces, hollow trees, and storm drains, often very close to homes.
• Urban areas in Louisiana attract raccoons due to easy access to food (like trash and pet food) and shelter, especially in cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
• Signs of a raccoon problem include nighttime noises, droppings, damaged vents, and a musky odor, even if the animals aren’t seen directly.
• Professional removal is the safest option, sealing entry points, using deterrents, and eliminating food sources are key to preventing raccoon infestations.
Where do raccoons sleep during the day?
Raccoons don’t just disappear when the sun comes up; they retreat to safe, quiet spots where they can sleep and avoid predators. These daytime hiding places are typically warm, dry, and close to food sources. Common spots include:
• Hollow trees or logs: Perfect natural shelters, especially in wooded areas.
• Crawl spaces and attics: These mimic the dark, secure dens raccoons seek in the wild.
• Rock crevices and brush piles: Often used in rural or suburban areas with less human activity.
• Porch and woodpiles: Raccoons use the cover and warmth they offer.
• Storm drains and dumpsters: More common in urban areas where natural shelters are limited.
If you’re a homeowner, these spots may sound uncomfortably close to your living space, and they are.
Where do raccoons live in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, raccoons thrive in wooded areas, swamps, and neighborhoods with easy access to food and shelter. While they originally preferred natural habitats, such as forests and wetlands, urban expansion has brought them closer to people. So if you’re wondering where raccoons live now, it’s often right in your backyard, especially if there are woods, water, or trash nearby.
Why raccoons pick homes and buildings
In places like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the surrounding towns, urban sprawl gives raccoons more opportunities to live near people. Easy access to food sources like pet food, trash cans, and bird feeders makes homes especially attractive. If you have garbage cans or dumpsters outside that aren’t tightly sealed, you may unintentionally invite them in.
Raccoons are skilled climbers, so reaching roofs, attic vents, and overhanging branches is no challenge for them, even if your home seems sealed off from the ground level.
Adult raccoons, especially mother raccoons during mating season, look for quiet, protected places to raise their baby raccoons. Your attic or crawl space can seem like the perfect spot.
Signs a raccoon may be hiding around your home
It’s not always obvious at first. Raccoons are sneaky critters. But over time, you might notice:
• Unusual noises (especially at night or early morning)
• Damaged entry points like soffits, vents, or loose boards
• Scratches or droppings near porches, sheds, or the attic
• A strong, musky odor from raccoon feces
If you see raccoons during the day, it doesn’t always mean something’s wrong. But it could mean they’ve been disturbed, or they’re sick. Healthy raccoons usually stick to their sleep schedule, so any daytime activity is worth keeping an eye on.
Are raccoons dangerous?
Raccoons aren’t just cute little masked bandits. They’re wild animals, and when they live close to people, problems follow. Here in Louisiana, raccoons can carry roundworm and other diseases that pose a threat to your family and pets. They’ll also tear up insulation, wiring, and ducts if they get into your attic. And if they’re sharing the space with other animals, skunks, opossums, or even coyotes, the damage multiplies.
How to get rid of raccoons and keep them out
You might be tempted to trap a raccoon yourself, but in most cases, it’s safer and more effective to work with wildlife removal professionals. At LaJaunie’s, we start with a full inspection, checking everything from entry points to insulation damage, droppings, and more.
Here’s what we typically recommend:
• Seal entry points after removing the animal to prevent re-entry.
• Use deterrents around your home, lighting, motion-activated sprinklers, or noise machines, can help.
• Remove attractants: Store pet food indoors, secure trash cans, and clean up fallen fruit or food scraps.
• Schedule animal control or wildlife control services if raccoons are already inside your home.
Some raccoons will go into a lighter version of torpor (a kind of mini-hibernation) during colder months, making them even harder to detect until the problem becomes bigger.
Know when to call in the pros
If it’s the first time you’re dealing with a raccoon problem, don’t wait too long. The longer raccoons stay, the more likely they are to do real damage. Whether they’re crashing in your attic or nesting under the house, we can handle raccoon removal and help make sure they don’t come back.
We serve homeowners across Southeastern Louisiana, and we’re here for same-day and Saturday service. If you’re hearing noises overhead or spotting raccoon tracks around your garbage cans, let’s take care of it before the babies arrive.
Need help keeping wild animals out of your home? We’re just a call away. Our team at LaJaunie’s is trained in humane raccoon removal, and we’ll make sure your home stays safe, clean, and quiet, day and night.
