Skunks and Criiter Control

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Skunks and other Critters
We as humans have ventured further and further into animal’s natural habitat. Some of these animals have disappeared with their homes others have moved and some have adapted or learned to live with us. Now how do we live with them?
Having critters on the outside of your home can be fun to watch, having them move into your home can be annoying, dangerous and potentially cause damage. Some of the easiest ways to avoid confrontation with an animal is to remove unnaturally occurring food sources. For instance, seal your trash in garbage bins and do not leave anything that can be potentially eaten by them in your yard. Many like raccoons are equal opportunity eaters and will eat garbage or the food you left out for the birds. Second remove their natural foods from your yard. If you have fruit trees, trim them and pick up all fallen fruit. In your lawn spray or have your lawn care service spray for grubs, skunks and opossums seem to dig for them like they were made of gold and covered in candy.

Keeping them from using your home as a den or Motel 6 can be a difficult task. Start by removing any means of easy egress. Screen off any hole or gap in your foundation, deck, soffit or roof vents. On ground level extend this screen or other material at least 8 inches into the ground or they will just burrow to find that nice dry area under your new deck. They also like to live under your woodpiles or other brush so remove any piles you have.
Once you have critters they are not easily removed. You can call a trapper, which is may be the fastest and least work intensive. But many trappers kill the animals and that is a bit too far for me. I would prefer the animals to just take up residence in my neighbor’s house instead of mine. Start with closing off the holes discussed earlier. If the animal is currently in the hole make it difficult but not impossible for it to leave. A dead animal trapped in your walls can be worse than a live one. Once it is out be sure to seal the door. Start with mild repellents like ammonia soaked rags and if that does not keep them away try one of the commercially available repellents that contain the scent of predators. Also place shiny object that move in the wind like pinwheels or Mylar balloons. These may frighten off a critter that is not already comfortable in your yard.

Animal Control in my area will not come out unless the animal has bitten a person or pet. Which is what you want to avoid in the first place. Hopefully some of these tips will prevent that while allowing critters and homeowners to be good neighbors.
Story written by Greg Vazzana