Spring is getting closer, along with the warmer weather and the mating season for many animals. Birds, squirrels, groundhogs and many other animals mate in spring. Others like bats and raccoons have mated during fall or winter and are now ready to welcome new family members. What does this mean? The term “nesting” describes it all. Also applicable to humans, this term essentially means to ensure safe and suitable conditions for the babies. And for animals this often means setting up a nest in your attic, under porch, in the shed or elsewhere on your property. How do you prevent this? Here are a few tips from our Maryland wildlife removal specialists.
Don’t Disturb Existing Nests
If you keep up to date with home maintenance, soon you will probably dedicate a weekend to cleaning up your yard from winter debris, pruning trees and taking out your patio furniture. As you move things around, watch out for existing animal nests under brush, in the trees or in the ground under your firewood stack or the pile of lawn chairs. If you disturb a nest, for one you may endanger the family living there. And you could also send the animals looking for an emergency shelter, which could happen to be your attic or your shed.
Check Chimneys and Vents
All sorts of critters like to nest in chimneys and vents. Birds are some of the most common offenders, but squirrels and raccoons can also get comfortable in these tight spaces on occasion. Walk around your home and check your dryer vent, gable vent or other appliance vents for any visible damage. It’s possible there are already nests in there. If not, make sure that all vent covers are intact. If you don’t have vent covers installed, now is the time to install them! There are also vents on your roof. Be careful if you decide to check those yourself. Or you could always hire a roofer—it’s probably about time to inspect the whole roof to make sure there is no damage from snow and ice.
Inspect Your Attic
As you climb up to your attic this spring to take out Easter decorations, carefully look around. See if you find animal droppings or see a pair of shiny eyes in a corner. Don’t try to approach an animal if you find one—it’s best to call an animal removal expert like Mid-Atlantic Wildlife Control. If you don’t find any wildlife in your attic, that’s good—let’s keep it that way. Examine the roof from the inside and look for gaps where light comes through. While all attics are ventilated, you shouldn’t see any visible holes or gaps, especially on the top portion of the roof. If they are present, this could mean that either your roof has deteriorated or it was damaged by wildlife or the elements. Get it fixed as soon as possible! Hopefully, these tips will help you keep the backyard wildlife in the wild this spring. And if you do encounter a problem, you know you can always rely on us to remove the nuisance wildlife from your property safely and humanely!