Dealing With Nuisance Wildlife

The following contains information on dealing with wildlife in "unwelcome" situations and places. Only basic general information is given here. For detailed help, contact your local wildlife rehabilitator or agricultural extension agent.

Armadillos

• remove brush where burrows exist (or for cover)
• control insects and invertebrates (removes major food source)

Bats

• turn off lights and leave an exit open
• after bats are gone, find entry point(s) and seal up (some bats can enter 3/8" cracks)

• provide exit and seal up when gone (don't do during May-August as there may be young still present)
• use a one-way door/bat excluder on the last entrance site, then seal up when you know they are all gone

Beavers

• exclude from an area with a metal fence
• use an electric fence 1 foot high
• shield tree trunks with hardware cloth 3 1/2 feet high
• destruction of the dam with not work as they will just rebuild
• add a culvert through the dam (10-40 ft long, 8-12 inch pipe)

Roosting Birds (Sparrows, Starlings, Pigeons)

• exclude from area with netting
• remove flat surfaces
• install porcupine wire laid in parallel rows on roosting surface
• use repellents such as noisemaking devices, visual stimuli, life-like hawk/owl/snake replicas (must use persistantly until birds roost elsewhere)

Songbirds

• birds attacking people (birds are being protective of a nearby nest)
• avoid the area for the 3 weeks or so that it takes for the babies to leave
• if you can't avoid the area, use an umbrella, wave cloth to scare birds away, etc.

Eastern Chipmunks

• bury hardware cloth (wire) to prevent burrowing
• remove wood and rock piles and other hiding spots
• don't live trap, another will just replace it in the area (same with all animals)

Coyotes

• penning or confinement of livestock
• electric fencing
• guard or herding dogs
• dispose of trash quickly, use ammonia in cans

Deer

• exclusion fencing
• repellants (nylon stocking with human hair inside, hanging mirrors/ tinfoil strips)

House Mice

• exclusion
• remove food sources
• trapping

Moles

• control insect populations in lawns (moles eat grubs and other insects)
• exclusion with burried hardware cloth barriers
• repellents

Opossums

• exclusion
• one way doors
• secure trash containers
• pick up outdoor pet food at night

Prarie Dogs/Pocket Gophers

• crop rotation and alternate planting
• keep lawns watered
• remove cover

Cottontail Rabbits

• FENCE the area (2 foot high 1" poultry wire)
• chemical repellents (available at garden centers)

• apply protective wrap to tree trunks (18 inches high)
• remove cover
• trapping will not work, new rabbits will just come in

Racoons

• use ammonia or bag of mothballs to drive out of chimney
• ensure that all young are out afterwards
• after all are gone, cap chimney

• turn lights on and radio for a few days
• seal entrance once gone

• use scare tactics such as lights/radio

Skunks

• remove attractants such as garbage and pet food, wood/rock piles, and crawl spaces under houses

Gray Squirrels

• bang on rafters, play loud radio in attic
• usually are gone during the day
• install 1-way exit
• seal when hear no more sounds

• hang 1/2 inch thick rope down chimney and attach at top so they can climb out

Woodchucks

• (timid and easily frightened)
• scare tactics
• exclusion
• repellents, removal of brush and cover
• one-way doors

Woodpeckers

• anything that will muffle the sound of the drumming will discourage them
• hang strips of cloth or foil that will flutter in the wind and frighten them
• treat insect infestation of home
• repair holes quickly