Do you hear strange noises coming from within your walls? Sounds like banging or loud scratching noises? Do you hear sounds like muffled chattering or maybe even crying sounds like a baby? If so, you just might have a baby raccoon stuck in your wall!

This can happen if a mother raccoon has given birth in your attic.  Sometimes a baby raccoon can fall through a hole in the insulation and end up in your wall. This is a common situation with raccoon babies. Hearing a pitiful crying noise in your wall can be very unsettling.  However, handling raccoons can be very dangerous, especially if the mama raccoon is nearby. Please call a wildlife professional before you try to open up a wall or rescue a baby raccoon by yourself.

When we get a call, we try to determine what kind of animal we may be dealing with. It is important to understand the different sounds made by animals. This helps us determine the species we are dealing with and how to best approach the situation. Also, determining the age of the raccoon is very helpful. We have to deal with the situation differently with baby raccoons than we do with an adult raccoon.

If a mother raccoon feels that her babies are being threatened, she will attack anyone or anything nearby.  This can be dangerous for the technician and also the homeowners as well.  Sometimes the mother raccoon will be gone when we find the babies.  We do try to relocate the mother and the babies together whenever possible.  Unfortunately, the mother can be killed when out foraging for food, and the babies are left to die of dehydration.

We all know how hot attics can get in Memphis, and for a baby raccoon this can be devastating.  If you think you may have a baby raccoon stuck in a wall, call a wildlife professional immediately!  Minutes count in this sort of situation.

If the technicians find that we are dealing with baby raccoons, we try to get to them as soon as possible because we do not know how long they have been inside the wall. A baby raccoon may have fallen and is hurt. This may happen before it starts to make noise. So by the time it starts making noises, there is no way to tell how long it has been there or when the last time it ate from the mother. We cut out a section of the wall and have a prepared box ready to put the babies in.

Baby raccoons are not aggressive as newborns so we are able to reach in with gloves on and pull them out by hand. They will make crying sounds, but they calm down once they are warm in a box or with their other litter mates. Once we remove them we check to make sure there are no other little ones in the wall area and we may even check in the attic.

At Apex Wildlife Control we use live cage traps and a noose to remove a raccoon stuck in walls. A raccoon stuck in a wall can die within a day or two without food and water. This contributes to a slow and agonizing death, so it is very important we remove the animal as soon as possible. This can seem like an extensive effort to go through to save a wild animal, but it saves you from having to deal with a decaying animal and terrible odor in your home.

An animal stuck in a small tight space is sluggish and exhausted, and will not put up much resistance. The actual animal removal procedure is actually straightforward. First, a noose is wrapped around the raccoon’s body, under the front legs. This keeps the animal at a distance so it cannot attack the technician while he gets it into the cage. A tired raccoon is easily moved into a cage. We then hydrate and feed the raccoons before relocating and releasing them. They may have to fight for territory or find another food and water source when we relocate them so we try to get them healthy before they reenter the wild.

If the technicians find that we are dealing with baby raccoons, we try to get to them as soon as possible because we do not know how long they have been inside the wall. A baby raccoon may have fallen and is hurt. This may happen before it starts to make noise. By the time it starts making noises, there is no way to tell how long it has been there or when the last time it ate from the mother. We cut out a section of the wall and have a prepared box ready to put the babies in.

Baby raccoons are not aggressive as newborns so we are able to reach in with gloves on and pull them out by hand. They will make crying sounds, but they calm down once they are warm in a box or with their other litter mates. Once we remove them we check to make sure there are no other little ones in the wall area and we may even check in the attic.

At such a young age, the baby raccoons are unable to care for themselves so we have to find a wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in raccoons. Wildlife rahabilitators are trained to properly feed raccoons and reintroduce them into the wild at the appropriate time.

If baby raccoons have been handled by humans, mama raccoon will usually reject them and they cannot be returned to her. They are probably still being nursed so they will have to be bottle-fed, slowly transitioned to regular food, and taught to forage. This is a slow process. If you see a raccoon in your yard, we advise you not try to get rid of it yourself unless you are certain there are no babies in the attic or walls of your home.

Sometimes a technician will use eviction fluid to coax the mother to move her little family.  Eviction fluid causes a biological response in the mother raccoon that will make her think her babies are in danger.  This will sometimes cause the mother to move her babies to a new location on her own, but it isn't a guaranteed solution.

After we have safely extracted the raccoon or babies from your wall, we recommend you get a full interior and exterior inspection. You need to know how they are getting in and out of your home so they don’t come back again. If one raccoon gains access to your home, more will surely follow.

We have an extensive list of local rehabilitators who are licensed by the State of Tennesee.  These rehabilitators are incredibly important for the survival of orphan wildlife.  It is best to turn over an orphan to trained professionals who can finish raising the baby in a manner that will allow it to be released back into the wild. 

If you do find an orphaned wild animal, keep your distance for a while.  The mother may be in the process of moving her family, and she may be on her way back to the last of the litter.  The best thing to do in this situation is to stay back and watch for any predators looking to take advantage of the situation.

However, if the mother doesn't come back, cover the baby with a towel to keep it warm and contact Apex Wildlife Control.  Don't try to feed the baby without advice of a wildlife expert.  We can put you in touch with any number of local rehabilitators who will be willing to take another baby in.

Of course, if you simply have an adult or juvenile raccoon stuck in your wall, we can remove these animals as well.  Most adult raccoons can climb back up your wall unless they are hurt or sick.  Juvenile, or "teenage" raccoons are not quite as strong, and they just might end up in a situation they can't get out of.

 Since many raccoons in the Memphis TN area carry rabies and distemper, we always check each raccoon before releasing them into our reserve.  The technician will also check the raccoon for dehydration or injuries that would render them vulnerable to predators.

Once the raccoon is released, it will find food and shelter and begin to live its best raccoon life away from your attic.  Although this funny fellow to the right looks pitiful, he is on his way to a great new life!

So if you happen to hear little crying sounds or odd scratching noises in your walls, give Apex Wildlife Control a call today!  We are here to help!