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Helpful
Hints for Co-Existence With Wildlife
 Everyone
with a house and a yard, whether in the country or the suburbs,
has a little bit of nature around them. Songbirds, squirrels,
chipmunks, rabbits, opossums, raccoons and deer provide opportunities
to enjoy wildlife. However, sometimes these same creatures
in their search for food and nesting sites can cause homeowners
distress. The following information presents some hints that
will help homeowners co-exist with suburban wildlife, not
surrender to them.
Protecting
Your Gardens
One food
source that many animals readily utilize is your vegetable
garden. Some people choose simply to plant a little extra
for the wildlife. However, when the toll becomes too great,
the best protection is a fence. To be rabbit-, groundhog-,
skunk-, and dog-proof, the fence should be 4 feet high, with
6-8 inches buried in the ground to deter burrowers. Chicken
fencing will work, although galvanized welded wire fencing
with 1 x 2 inch mesh is stronger and will last longer.
For those
not interested in investing in a fence, the following repellents
are recommended, although not guaranteed: a dog, a 3-foot
width of black plastic laid around the garden, fox urine which
can be obtained at a hunting/trapping store or wind flags.
Protecting
Your House
Probably
the biggest wildlife-related headache for a homeowner is animals
that decide to share the house. The best deterrent is preventive
maintenance. Check and replace loose or rotten eaves, fasten
boards and shingles in early spring and fall. These are the
times when animals are most actively looking for nesting and
over-wintering sites. Also screen louvers, air vents, attic
fans or any other openings that provide an entrance for birds
or animals. Usually, heavy-gauge hardware cloth with quarter-inch
mesh will keep birds, squirrels and bats out of attics. To
foil raccoons, however, welded wire fencing, 9-gauge expanded
metal screen or plywood should be used.
 Animals
should be removed as soon as they're discovered to prevent
their having young in your attic. Squirrels and raccoons can
usually be chased out with a broom. Another method is to place
3 or 4 pounds of moth crystals in containers in the attic
in order to make the area uninhabitable. Once the animal is
removed, the entrance hole must be sealed to prevent its return.
Animals
such as chipmunks, groundhogs and, occasionally, opossums
or skunks will burrow under concrete porches or garages. Using
mulch or keeping grass cut short around these areas will make
them less attractive burrowing sites. Once a burrow is found,
search the entire area for other entrances. Plug all the entrances
except one and sprinkle some flour in front of this entrance.
Then, check for tracks leaving the burrow. When the animal
leaves, fill the hole with rocks and cover with dirt. Some
ammonia sprinkled around each entrance will help discourage
animals from starting new dens. If you can't catch the animal
out of its burrow, encourage its leaving by pouring one-half
to one gallon of household ammonia into the den, then spread
the flour and check for tracks.
Chimneys
are another attractive denning site for birds, squirrels and
raccoons. Installing a heavy-duty steel chimney cap with a
9-gauge expanded metal screen is the best way to prevent a
lot of problems. A light-gauge aluminum and hardware-cloth
chimney cap will not keep a persistent raccoon out of your
chimney. These caps are usually available at hardware or department
stores or from chimney cleaning outfits.
If you
discover a raccoon in the chimney, evict it as soon as possible
by opening the damper a little bit and building a small, smoky
fire out of damp newspapers. An alternative is pouring a pound
of moth crystals down the chimney, although this will take
longer to remove the raccoon than smoke. Watch for the raccoon
to leave and immediately install a chimney cap or heavy-duty
spark screen. Care must be taken between April and June in
order not to trap young raccoons inside chimneys. If you suspect
young are in the chimney, consult the local humane society
or wildlife administration office.
If none
of these tricks work on problem wildlife, traps may be a last
resort. Call Reston Association at 703-437-9580 for more information.
Excerpted
from "Helpful Hints for Co-Existence with Wildlife" by
Janet McKegg, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
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