Tips to keep wildlife out of homes, businesses this winter
JACKSON, Tenn. — With the winter season approaching, wildlife may be looking for ways to possibly get into your home or business. Here’s what you can look for and how to prevent these animals from getting into these places.
With colder weather, humans are not the only living things wanting to stay warm.
Animals including raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, or armadillos are currently the most popular animals that will try to get into your home or business with the upcoming season.
These animals are typically heard at night and they like to hide in crawl spaces, attics, air conditioning vents, and even chimneys.
Micah Seavers, with Seavers Beavers & More, has been working with wildlife since he was a young kid, and recommends paying attention to noises at night because it could be an animal.
“Start listening for noises, you know, scratching and bumps in the night, and you kind of want to pay attention to those and not just ignore them,” Seavers said.
Seavers warns that food being left out or not sealing your garbage can attract these animals.
He gave us a detailed demonstration on how to trap a skunk or another animal close to its size if you do come across this issue.
“Go ahead and pre-wrap your trap, go ahead and cover it. We use the construction covering that they use on the outside of homes and we use that, or you could use a feed sack or a dog food bag or really anything that is kind of solid. You want to use that and wrap it up. You don’t have to wrap the bottom just the top sides and the purpose for that is if a skunk can’t see you and you can handle them quietly and slowly they won’t spray,” Seavers said.
“This works on a trigger system rather than a pedal system, and so when these go off the trap closes so the skunk, coon, raccoon, or opossum whatever is in there is going to stay,” Seavers added.
Seavers also suggest taking a five minute walk around your home or business to look for things that may be out of place.
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