Raccoon Control in Scarborough, ME

Hearing scratching in the attic of your Scarborough, ME home at night? For Scarborough homes, here's what's likely up there, the right way to get it out, and how to keep raccoons away for good.

Scarborough, Maine cityscape
Scarborough at a glance
47 in.rain a year
72%average humidity
14°Ftypical winter low
78°Ftypical summer high
The short version

Around Scarborough, ME, raccoon control means three jobs: live-trap and remove the raccoon, seal the entry it used, and secure the trash and food that drew it in. For Scarborough homes, raccoons are a rabies vector — keep your distance and call a licensed professional.

  • Around Scarborough, ME, raccoons are nocturnal and den in attics, chimneys, and crawl spaces.
  • They're a primary rabies vector — a daytime raccoon around Scarborough, ME can be sick.
  • Trapping and relocation are regulated, so removal around Scarborough, ME is a licensed professional's job.
  • Seal the entry and secure the trash around Scarborough, ME, or the next raccoon moves in.

For anyone in Scarborough, ME hearing nighttime noises in the attic, seeing raccoons near the house, or finding droppings. If a raccoon around Scarborough, ME is acting sick or aggressive, call animal control first.

What to look for

Around Scarborough, ME, raccoons are heaviest in spring, when females den from March through June, with a second push in fall, and the common raccoon is the only species you'll meet. For Scarborough homes, the real problem isn't the raccoon you hear; it's the entry it found and the food that drew it close. Raccoons don't wander into a Scarborough, ME attic by accident — they're looking for a warm, dry den, especially in spring when females birth their kits.

  • For Scarborough homes, ME, the clearest sign is scratching or thumping overhead at night — raccoons are nocturnal and den in attics.
  • Around Scarborough, torn shingles, a bent soffit, or a damaged chimney cap marks where a raccoon forced its way in.
  • Tipped trash cans and scattered garbage around a Scarborough home are classic raccoon work.
  • A raccoon latrine — repeated droppings in one spot in a Scarborough attic or yard — is a health concern, not just a mess.
  • For Scarborough homes, ME, a raccoon wandering in daylight can signal rabies or distemper, so keep your distance and call.
  • Around Scarborough, noises and young kits crying in the wall in spring mean a mother has denned to raise a litter.

Why it’s worth acting soon

  • Around Scarborough, ME, raccoons are a primary rabies vector (CDC), so a daytime or aggressive raccoon is a genuine safety risk.
  • Raccoon roundworm eggs in a Scarborough, ME latrine can survive for years and cause serious illness if ingested (CDC) — cleanup needs care.
  • A mother raccoon denning in a Scarborough, ME attic in spring will damage insulation and structure raising her litter.
  • Leaving a Scarborough, ME entry open means the next raccoon moves in after the first is removed — the gap doesn't fix itself.
47 inAverage annual rainfall in ScarboroughNOAA U.S. Climate Normals
78°FTypical summer high in ScarboroughNOAA U.S. Climate Normals
72%Average humidity in ScarboroughNOAA U.S. Climate Normals
✅

Do you have a raccoon problem?

Treatment options and typical costs

Inspection and entry mapping

$150–$300

A provider finds every gap a raccoon could use on your Scarborough, ME home — roofline, soffits, chimney, and vents — and confirms whether one is denning now.

Time
45–90 minutes
Best for
Any Scarborough, ME sighting or noise.

Trapping and removal

$300–$600

Live trapping and removal of the raccoon, done legally — Maine regulates wildlife handling, so around Scarborough a licensed operator does this work.

Time
1–3 days
Best for
A raccoon denning in a Scarborough, ME attic, chimney, or crawl space now.

Exclusion and repair

$400–$1,500+

Sealing the entry points and repairing the damage so the next raccoon can't follow — the part that actually lasts on a Scarborough, ME home.

Time
Half day to a full day
Best for
Repeat visitors or a Scarborough, ME home with known gaps.

Cleanup and disinfection

$300–$1,000+

Removing a Scarborough, ME latrine and contaminated insulation safely, with proper gear, so the roundworm risk is handled and the attic is usable again.

Time
Half day to a day
Best for
A Scarborough, ME attic or crawl space with droppings.

Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.

Attic rafters above pink insulation with a soffit vent
Inside, look for flattened insulation, latrines and nesting spots. Leave cleanup to someone with the right gear.

Raccoons around Scarborough.

Around Scarborough, the raccoon you'll meet is the common raccoon — nocturnal, omnivorous, and clever with its paws. For Scarborough homes, it's drawn to unsecured trash, pet food, and the warm, dry space of an attic or chimney, especially in spring when females den to raise kits.

When raccoon season runs around Scarborough.

For Scarborough homes, spring is when you'll hear kits in the wall; fall is the second push as they look for winter shelter. Scarborough is with around 72% average humidity and summer highs near 78°F. Around Scarborough, ME, raccoon activity is heaviest in spring, when females den from March through June, with a second push in fall.

A soffit corner torn open, with splintered wood and a dark hole
Torn soffits like this are typical raccoon damage. Seal with heavy metal mesh once they're gone.

How they get into Scarborough homes.

For Scarborough homes, raccoons enter through the roof — torn soffits, bent vents, uncapped chimneys, and loose shingles are the usual doors. Around Scarborough, overhanging tree branches make those entries easier, which is why trimming them back is part of prevention.

The risks around Scarborough, ME.

Their droppings can carry raccoon roundworm, which is dangerous if ingested. Neither is a DIY situation. Two risks matter. Raccoons are a primary rabies vector, so a raccoon wandering in daylight around Scarborough, ME should be treated as possibly sick.

Getting them out the right way around Scarborough.

For Scarborough homes, the humane, legal method is live trapping by a licensed provider, then exclusion and cleanup. Around Scarborough, a provider will also check for kits — separating a mother from a litter is both inhumane and a mess you don't want in your attic.

The three jobs of raccoon control in Scarborough.

- Close the door on the Scarborough attic: seal the roofline, cap the chimney, screen the vents, and time it after the spring–summer litters around Scarborough have moved out. For Scarborough homes, - Remove the reason: lock the bins, pull pet food in at night, and pick up fallen fruit; Scarborough yards with bird feeders are a steady draw.

For Scarborough homes, a quote usually covers only the first job — ask which of the three it covers. - Every raccoon problem around Scarborough is three jobs in order. - Get the animal out: live-trap and relocate it, legally and humanely. For Scarborough homes,

What raccoon control costs in Scarborough.

For Scarborough homes, published ranges put trapping and removal around $300 to $600, with exclusion, repair, and cleanup adding more. For a Scarborough home, the four things that move the price are the entry points, whether a litter is present, whether a latrine needs cleaning, and the repair work.

What affects the price

  • Whether raccoons are denning in a Scarborough, ME attic versus just passing through the yard.
  • The number and location of entry points on a Scarborough, ME home that need sealing.
  • Whether a litter is present — removal is more involved when kits are involved on a Scarborough, ME property.
  • Whether a Scarborough, ME latrine needs cleanup and disinfection.
  • The repair work required after a raccoon damages a Scarborough, ME roofline or soffit.
  • Emergency or same-day calls around Scarborough, ME usually cost more.
📊

What worries you most about raccoons?

When to call for help

For Scarborough homes, ME, call a professional when a raccoon is denning in the attic, chimney, or crawl space, when you see one wandering in daylight, or when you find a latrine. Raccoon handling is regulated in Maine, and a licensed provider has the right traps, gear, and knowledge to do it safely and legally.

What you can do yourself

What isn't yours is the raccoon itself in Scarborough — trapping and relocation are regulated, and a cornered mother protecting kits will fight. The cleanup is a pro's job too, because roundworm eggs in a Scarborough latrine are a real health hazard. Around Scarborough, ME, prevention is safely yours: secure the trash, cap the chimney, trim the branches, and screen the vents.

Raccoons in Scarborough

Around Scarborough, ME, raccoon activity is heaviest in spring, when females den from March through June, with a second push in fall. For Scarborough homes, raccoons are nocturnal and den in attics, chimneys, and crawl spaces — and because they're a rabies vector, removal belongs with a licensed professional. Scarborough is a city founded in 1658, with summer highs near 78°F.

Local research

Raccoons in Scarborough, ME: what the public record shows

Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which raccoons actually live in Maine, when they are busiest around Scarborough, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.

About 713,000
ORV baits, Houlton project, 2025

Largest single 2025 project.

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services

Raccoon species recorded in Maine

  • Raccoon (Procyon lotor) — Present in all 48 contiguous states; furbearer/game animal in most, with seasons, but nuisance take is generally allowed on one's own property.

When raccoons are busiest around Scarborough

Spring-summer. Pacific Northwest has no raccoon rabies; conflicts are structural and garden damage.

Based on Scarborough’s humid continental climate profile.

For context, nationally

  • 29% — Share of U.S. rabid animals that are raccoons. CDC
  • 10% — Raccoons that expose people or pets and turn out rabid (within endemic range). CDC

Sources: USDA APHIS Wildlife Services; CDC; Pest Notes: Raccoons. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources

Simple ways to keep raccoons away

  • Around Scarborough, ME, secure trash cans with locking lids and take them out only on pickup morning.
  • On a Scarborough home, cap the chimney and screen vents and soffits so raccoons can't climb in.
  • For Scarborough homes, ME, trim tree branches back from the roof — raccoons climb them to reach the house.
  • Around Scarborough, seal gaps under porches, decks, and sheds where raccoons could den.
  • For Scarborough homes, ME, remove pet food and bird feeders at night, which draw raccoons close.
  • Around Scarborough, check the roofline each spring and fall for new gaps before denning season.
A vent pipe sealed with metal mesh beside gloves and snips
Heavy metal mesh keeps raccoons out of vents. Foam and light screen won't.

Did you know?

Around Scarborough, ME, the raccoon's sensitive front paws let it open latches, turn knobs, and untie knots.

A raccoon in Scarborough can remember a solved problem for up to three years.

Raccoon roundworm eggs in a Maine latrine can survive for years in the soil — which is why cleanup needs care.

Questions people ask

When do raccoons den in Scarborough, ME?

Around Scarborough, ME, raccoon activity is heaviest in spring, when females den from March through June, with a second push in fall. Spring is the denning season — females move into attics and chimneys to birth and raise kits — which is when most Scarborough conflicts start.

Are raccoons dangerous around Scarborough, ME?

Raccoons are a primary rabies vector, and a raccoon active in daylight near Scarborough can be sick. For Scarborough homes, their droppings also carry raccoon roundworm, a serious health hazard — so keep your distance and don't handle either. Yes, for two reasons around Scarborough, ME.

How do I get a raccoon out of my Scarborough attic?

Call a licensed provider — in Maine, raccoon trapping and relocation are regulated, and a mother with kits needs special handling. Don't block the entry while the raccoon is still inside your Scarborough attic, or you'll trap it in your home.

What does raccoon removal cost in Scarborough, ME?

For a Scarborough, ME home, published ranges put trapping and removal around $300 to $600, with exclusion, repair, and cleanup adding more. Your final price in Scarborough depends on the entry points and whether a litter or latrine is involved.

Can I trap a raccoon myself in Scarborough, ME?

In most states, no — wildlife trapping and relocation are regulated, and Maine is no exception. Around Scarborough, ME, a licensed provider is required, and doing it wrong can separate a mother from her kits or expose you to rabies and roundworm.

Why do raccoons keep coming back to my Scarborough, ME home?

If the roof gap on your Scarborough home stays unsealed and the trash stays accessible, each removal just makes room for the next raccoon. Seal the entry and secure the food. Because around Scarborough, ME the entry is still open and the food is still available.

What should I do if I see a raccoon in daylight around Scarborough, ME?

Around Scarborough, ME, keep people and pets away and don't approach it — daytime activity in raccoons can mean rabies or distemper. Call animal control or a wildlife professional serving Scarborough to handle it.

Nearby cities

Related guides

Sources (4)

The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Raccoon Exterminator · Updated October 13, 2026 · How we write these guides

Ask about a Scarborough, ME inspection or a quote.

Tell us what you've noticed around Scarborough, ME.

  • Where you’ve seen raccoons or damage
  • When you first noticed it
  • Anything you’ve already tried