Independent Animal Care Services LLC

I think I hear an animal in my attic!!! Nuisance wildlife complaints and concerns.

 

With less and less available habitat to support the wild animals that are native to this area, wild animals are becoming more acclimated to living in neighborhoods then in the woods. Nuisance wildlife complaints and concerns are becomming a common problem. Most municipal animal control programs do not cover nuisance wildlife complaints, such as squirrels that may be nesting in your attic, the groundhog living under your shed, or the raccoon that is getting into your trash. IACS will always respond to a report of a wild animal that appears to be sick/injured and poses a treat of rabies.

But if you are hearing a critter in your attic or seeing a groundhog eating everything in your garden you have a couple different options. Below are recommendations on how to deal with a nuisance wildlife issue.


  • Make your property as least of a habitat for wildlife as possible. If you don’t want them there don’t give them a place to eat, drink, or sleep. Overgrown bushes, brush piles and sheds or decks that are raised off the ground provide shelter for animals. Make sure to keep bushes trimmed, brush piles cleaned up, and close off around the bottom of your shed or deck. When doing this, make sure: First, you aren’t trapping anything under there. And second, use a sturdy material like lattice or hardware cloth and dig into the ground about a foot deep around the parameter. To be sure nothing is trapped under there: Close off the whole parameter but a small section, stuff the open section with newspaper and wait a couple days. If the news paper hasn’t moved then you should be good to finish closing the rest. Finally, make sure your trash is kept in sturdy cans with locking lids or keep them in the garage or shed. And make sure anything you may have laying around that can collect water is cleaned up too.
  • Most hardware stores carry a line of products that are used to deter nuisance wild animals. These can be sprayed or spread around areas that you may be having a problem. For animals that may have gotten into your attic, try keeping the lights on for a couple nights and play a radio. This is normally enough to disturb the animal enough to leave and find someone else’s attic to live in.
  • Trapping: The same hardware store that sells the deterrents will most likely sell humane animal traps. Just be aware that you are never going to get rid of all the wildlife that lives around us (especially if you are providing a nice habitat for them). They are native to our area and our suppose to here. We don’t recommend trapping wild animals unless they are causing proper damage. For rules and regulations pertaining to trapping and the wild animals that live around us please visit www.njfishandwildlife.com. If you managed to trap an animal it is your responsibility to relocate it properly and in a timely fashion. I know I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a cage for an extended period of time and neither does the animal that you have trapped. If you have an animal trapped and it is during our normal business hours, we may be able to relocate it for you. We do charge a fee for this service. Give us a call and we will let you know if we have someone available and how much the fee will be.
  • Call a local pest control or wildlife removal company. Most of these companies will be happy to handle your wildlife issue for you. Call around and get some quotes because prices seem to vary with different companies.