Tips for avoiding wildlife guests:

• Completely seal attics, basements, crawlspaces and garages.
• Trim overhanging tree limbs to discourage animals from climbing onto roof tops.
• Use metal garbage cans with tightly fitted lids, and latch dumpsters.
• Never leave dog & cat food outside.
• Secure lids on garbage containers.
• If animals nest under your house or in the attic of a garage, leave them alone if you can. Most animals nest only long enough to raise their young, usually just a few weeks. When you are sure parents and babies have left, seal all openings.
• If you can't allow the animals to remain, encourage them to leave by placing ammonia soaked rags near the nest, and put a portable radio set to a talk station nearby. Instead of a radio, you can also use a flashlight turned on. Allow the animals enough time to remove all their babies. Raccoons will only move their young after dusk. NEVER seal a crawlspace until you are sure all the animals have left.
• NEVER light a fire beneath animals nesting in chimneys. They are easily overcome by smoke and may fall into the flames.

Above all, keep in mind that the humane answer to spring nesting is to allow the parent and babies to leave the nest on their own, then fix the problem to prevent a reoccurrence!

< Back to Urban Wildlife