Wildlife management is crucial for the well-being of both homeowners and the diverse array of creatures that inhabit residential areas. Pest control plays a key role in ensuring the safety of your property and addressing wildlife concerns responsibility.
When it comes to squirrel removal and raccoon removal, let’s explore everything you need to know about the Kansas City wildlife you may find in your yard and how to remove them!
Signs of Raccoons or Squirrels in Your Yard
While the most obvious sign of wildlife in your yard is seeing a squirrel or raccoon, it can be difficult to tell if they’re making your backyard their home or simply passing through. Here are some signs that one of these critters has decided to stick around long-term:
- Damage to roof, soffit, windows, doors, or crawl spaces
- Scratch marks on exposed exterior wood
- Garbage or food scraps littering your yard
- Nests built with twigs, leaves, long grasses, and even fabric or paper
- Droppings or urine near nests or damaged areas
- Chewed-up plants and gardens
If one of these critters has made its way into your home, you will probably hear them scurrying around or smell their urine or decay before you see any signs of their presence. Still, be on the lookout for any pest damage such as torn-up insulation, chewed electrical wiring, droppings, and claw marks on exposed wood.
Are Backyard Critters Dangerous?
If you see signs of critter activity in your yard, you should contact pest control and avoid direct contact with the animals. While raccoons and squirrels are not naturally aggressive, they will attack if provoked.
It’s important to keep in mind human contribution to the problem through habitat modification. If your home is in a newly developed area, local wildlife may be disrupted by a loss of their normal habitat, increasing the possibility of raccoons or squirrels in your yard that may still dwell nearby.
If a raccoon has had enough time on your property to consider it their home, they may feel a need to defend their territory if humans get too close. For this reason, you should never approach wildlife in your yard or attempt to remove it yourself. Instead, contact a local wildlife management company to relocate the critter outside of your neighborhood!
Is It Safe to Feed Friendly Wildlife?
Squirrels especially may appear harmless and act more curious than defensive around humans, but this does not mean it is wise to approach or feed them. Even these adorable little critters can carry diseases or attack if threatened. Additionally, feeding them can make wildlife dependent on humans for food and decrease their natural fear of humans. No matter how cute the squirrel in your oak tree may look, you should always keep your distance.
How to Deter Raccoons and Squirrels from Your Yard
The best way to handle wildlife in your yard is to make the area naturally unappealing. Here are a few things you can do to discourage raccoons and squirrels from moving in:
Lock Garbage Bins
Raccoons are especially infamous for their love of garbage. If they can find a way into your trash cans, they will make a mess of trash and scraps while digging around for food and little treasures to carry back to their burrow. Locking lids will keep raccoons from getting in, and rinsing out food containers before disposal will help reduce scents that could attract them in the first place.
Keep Your Yard Tidy
Raccoons may find anything from haystacks and firewood stacks to debris piles to call home, so it’s best not to have these piles in your yard if avoidable. Keep sandboxes covered when not in use, racoons often use sandboxes as bathrooms. You should also regularly rake and maintain your yard to remove nuts, seeds, and fruit falling from trees that may entice squirrels to come over for dinner.
Plant Natural Deterrents
Certain plants and flowers can serve as natural deterrents. Planting mint around the edge of your garden will decrease the likelihood of pests ruining your hard work, and daffodils are a beautiful bud that is naturally toxic and inedible to wildlife. Don’t worry — it’s unlikely that they will even attempt to eat it! Animals are naturally attuned to what they can and can’t safely eat.
Seal Up Entry Points
Pests in your yard are one thing — pests in your house are a whole different ball game! To avoid having to handle squirrels in your walls or raccoons in your attic, call a pest control professional to come to do a thorough inspection to identify and seal up possible entry points such as gaps around utilities or missing roof shingles to decrease the risk of your backyard guests deciding to make a move on your home.
Contact Advantage Pest Control for Your Wildlife Management Needs!
Don’t wait until raccoons and squirrels grow confident invading your property. If you see one of these unwelcome guests roaming around your home, contact Advantage Termite and Pest Control to have them removed as quickly as possible. Call us at first sight – We do it right!
