You Might Have Bats in the Attic If

Posted on August 12, 2021 by smokywildlife

Nuisance bat problems are often discovered too late because homeowners are not keen on the common signs of an infestation. If you live near wooded areas or bodies of water, it is safe to say that your home is in a prime spot for wildlife activity, which likely includes bats. This means that it is your duty to protect your home from pest and wildlife infestations before they can happen. Not only do bats carry several diseases and parasites, but they are also capable of causing an extreme amount of structural damage and biohazardous conditions.

It is equally important to catch a bat infestation as early as possible, before too much damage is done. The earlier a bat infestation is addressed, the less renovation and decontamination services are required. Bats like to roost in attics, which is why infestations can go unnoticed for so long. So, what can you do to protect your home from bat damages? You can start by learning how to detect bat activity in your home.

Continue reading to learn the common signs that indicate you have bats in the attic or other area of your home.

Hearing Strange Noises
in the Night?
IT COULD BE BATS.

Most Common Signs of Bats

There are various clues that indicate the presence of bats in or around a house. However, it seems that there are 4 specific signs that are the most obvious to spot. Here is what to look for if you suspect bats are living in your attic:

Bat Droppings (Guano)

If you have bats inside your home, you may see bat droppings near or around their entry points, such as windowsills, doors, roofs, decks, porches, eaves, and awnings. Bat droppings look similar to rodent droppings, but if you cannot spot them, you may be able to smell them. Guano gives off a particular odor that is often described to be similar to ammonia. You can also spot milky-white urine stains on window glass, masonry, siding, and more.

Flying Bats at Dusk

If you are consistently spotting bats flying around your house, particularly around sunrise and sunset hours, it is practical to assume they may be inhabiting your home somewhere. In this case, you would want to seek professional bat removal and control services to have a comprehensive inspection done for the purpose of confirming and resolving a possible bat infestation.

Chirping or Screeching Noises

If you are hearing chirping, chattering, scratching, or scattering noises in the walls, chimney, or other areas of your home, it could be bats. However, it could also be birds; so try to couple this particular sign with other bat-related ones to confirm that your issue is indeed bats and not birds. A professional Nashville wildlife control company can help you with this assessment as well.

Mysterious Grease Stains

Did you know that all bats have a layer of oil on their coats? This layer of oil collects dirt and debris, which causes them to leave behind grime and grease stains around the areas they use to enter and exit a home. If you see an odd opening with a stain around it, it could be an entry point for bats. Look for these openings on your roof, siding, walls, porches, patios, awnings, eaves, and more.

Do you need to get rid of bats in the attic or around your property? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for prompt and professional Nashville Tennessee bat removal you can afford. We are TWRA licensed and insured, serving both residential and commercial clients.

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Smoky Wildlife Control Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962

Interesting Facts About Foxes in Tennessee

Posted on July 30, 2021 by smokywildlife

The most common species of fox here in Tennessee is the gray fox. Because of its mellow and pale color, many people often confuse gray foxes with coyotes. In fact, if you have been concerned about a coyote presence around your property, you may actually be spotting gray foxes. Now this doesn’t mean that you should turn the other cheek; gray foxes can quickly become a nuisance, especially because of their potent urine and excessive marking behaviors. Furthermore, foxes like to dig up yards and gardens, and can even pass along infectious diseases and parasites to dogs and cats.

Continue reading to learn some interesting facts about gray foxes in Tennessee, including how to get rid foxes when they start to become a threat to your property.

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Top Facts About Foxes

Foxes are Related to Dogs

Foxes are part of the part of the Canidae family, which means they are distantly related to canines. But no, you do not want to make a stray fox your pet, as they are nothing like dogs. In fact, it is best to admire foxes in nature from far away, and to do your best to protect your property from nuisance fox activity.

Foxes are Omnivorous

Foxes are omnivores, which means they eat both plant material, like fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, like bugs, grubs, small and Fabians, small birds, rodents, and if available, even crayfish. When it comes to nuisance fox activity, this is a downfall because they will basically pillage your entire property for whatever grub they can find, whether that comes from your trash cans or your garden. To make matters worse, a single fox can eat 1 to 2 pounds of food on a daily basis, so you can rest assured that wandering fox is a hungry fox.

Not All Foxes are TRUE Foxes

There are 37 species of foxes in the world, but not all of them are considered true foxes. Of the 37 species, only 12 are categorized as a true fox species because they are part of the genus vulpes and Canidae family. The remaining 25 species of foxes are sub-species to these true fox species. The true fox species are the Red Fox, Arctic Fox, Bengal Fox, Blanford’s Fox, Cape Fox, Corsac Fox, Fennec Fox, Kit Fox, Pale Fox, Rüppell’s Fox, Swift Fox, and Tibetan Sand Fox.

Foxes are Covered in Whiskers

Most animals with whiskers grow them on their face, but foxes are special. They have whiskers on their face and their legs! There whiskers are important because they essentially work like a built-in navigation system or GPS. They help the fox remain alert to predators, hunt for prey, and find their way around their territories.

Foxes Can Climb Trees

Although we mentioned earlier, foxes are distantly related to dogs. But interestingly enough, foxes are quite similar to felines in terms of their climbing abilities. Not many people are aware that foxes can climb trees, which is why they are sometimes found on top of low level roofs and similar structures.

Foxes are Really Fast Runners

A fox can achieve running speeds of up to 45 miles an hour! That’s as fast as a car driving at regular roadway speeds! For gray foxes specifically, they can sprint up to 42 miles an hour, making them one of the faster fox species in the world. Take the red Fox for instance, which can achieve running speeds of up to 30 miles an hour.

Are you dealing with a nuisance fox problem on your property and need to get rid of foxes fast? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for prompt and professional fox removal in Nashville, Tennessee and its surrounding regions. We serve commercial clients, too.

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Make This Non-Lethal Animal Repellent Recipe to Get Rid of Raccoons

Posted on July 17, 2021 by smokywildlife

Nuisance raccoons can be quite the destructive visitors to have night after night. From overturned garbage cans and ransacked pet food bags, to pried roof shingles, pet conflicts, and more, raccoons can create a large amount of damage in a short amount of time, and even pose safety and health threats against us and our pets.

Fortunately, there are some effective methods of wildlife deterrence that work to prevent raccoon activity and subsequent damages. One of these methods of raccoon prevention is using a repellent around your property. Not only is this method safe and humane, it is inexpensive and easy to do right from your home.

Continue reading to learn an Eco-friendly and humane raccoon repellent recipe that can be made using simple household ingredients.

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Safety Tips for Using a Homemade Raccoon Repellent

After you make your homemade raccoon repellent solution, it is important to know how to use it properly. And be sure to wear protective gloves to avoid minor skin irritations. Once the recipe is complete, pour the solution into a clean spray bottle, large enough to hold about two liters.

Administer generously around the perimeter of your property, as well as, in areas where the raccoons have been frequenting the most (i.e. garage, trashcans, under the porch, tree house, etc.).

Repeat this process every three to four days, or until raccoon activity diminishes completely. Since the solution contains some ingredients that can be harmful to children, be sure to keep it out of reach when it’s not being used. As for the solution itself, check out the recipe below!

Safe and Humane Raccoon Repellent Recipe

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES:

▷ Large Spray Bottle (Cleaned & Rinsed)
▷ Fresh Water
▷ Mild Dish Detergent
▷ Ground Cinnamon
▷ Ground Cayenne Pepper
▷ 1 Bottle Tabasco Sauce

How to Make a Homemade Raccoon Repellent Spray

Mix one teaspoon of mild dish detergent with two quarts of water. Add the entire bottle of Tabasco sauce, followed by one small container of ground cinnamon and one small container ground cayenne pepper. The dish detergent, especially at such a small amount, will not have an adverse effect on plants and grass.

Instead, it helps the solution adhere to them, keeping your perimeter intact longer. Allow the solution to sit for a day or two, allowing the spices to merry. This will make the solution stronger. Be sure to not touch your eyes or other vulnerable areas since the recipe calls for heavy pepper sauce. Wear protective gloves and perhaps eye gear as well.

Contact a Nashville Raccoon Control Service if the Repellent Does Not Work

If you are still having a raccoon problem after using your homemade solution for a few weeks, it is in the best interest of your property to call a licensed Nashville TN wildlife control company for professional raccoon removal assistance. They retain the proper tools and training to provide safe and humane raccoon removal services at affordable prices.

Are you ready to get rid of raccoons that have taken over your property? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for affordable and prompt 24 hour raccoon removal service in Nashville, Tennessee and its surrounding counties. We provide residential and commercial animal control.

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How to Get Rid of Woodpeckers in Nashville

Posted on June 17, 2021 by smokywildlife

Woodpeckers are an interesting breed of bird that have earned themselves a bad reputation among tenants, homeowners, and commercial property owners. Although highly beneficial parts of our surrounding Nashville, Tennessee Eco-systems, woodpeckers are a real nuisance for home and business owners. Not only are they noisy, but they also leave behind unsightly structural damage to homes, sheds, buildings, and even trees. If you are experiencing a woodpecker problem in Nashville, it is time to learn how to manage it safely and effectively.

Continue reading to learn more about woodpeckers, and how to get rid of them on your Nashville, Tennessee property.

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Why Do Woodpeckers Peck?

There are three main reasons why woodpeckers peck: foraging for food, marking their territory, and chiseling for shelter. All three of these initiatives are carried out with a different type of pecking manner, the most damaging of which is excavating for shelter. Woodpeckers can cause an extreme amount of damage to siding and wood structures on residential and commercial properties with these pecking behaviors. They leave behind large, hollow pecking holes that are distinctive to woodpecker damage.

How to Get Rid of Woodpeckers Safely

Fortunately, there are some safe and simple ways to get rid of woodpeckers without harming or killing them. In fact, it is important to know that woodpeckers are protected by state and federal laws. It is illegal and highly immoral to trap, harm, shoot, or kill woodpeckers without the proper licenses. The only authorized personnel permitted to deal with woodpecker control is wildlife rescue contractors.

Bird Deterrents That Target Woodpecker Species in Tennessee

You have a few options, in terms of deterrents, when it comes to getting rid of woodpeckers. You can choose to use tactile deterrents, visual deterrents, or sound deterrents to thwart woodpecker activity on your property. All three of these methods are non-lethal to birds and other animals, and relatively inexpensive to purchase.

▷ Tactile Deterrents – There are products available on the market that are designed to adhere to woodpeckers down feather or fluff, preventing them from being able to fly or stay warm. These sticky repellents are not a good option since they put woodpeckers in danger and cause them to suffer. It is only recommended to use these products for extreme cases of woodpecker infestation. Examples of brands available include Bird Stop, Roost-No-More, and Tanglefoot Pest Control.

▷ Visual Deterrents – Also a much safer approach, visual deterrents tend to work very well. Things like aluminum foil or reflective tape strips are frightening to woodpeckers. Hanging strips of aluminum foil, or using products like Irri-Tape, can thwart woodpecker presence overnight. Hang them long enough to blow in the breeze for best results. Also consider hanging windsocks, handheld windmills, and even plastic owls.

▷ Sound Deterrents – Using sound machines that mimic common woodpecker predators, like hawks, can work well. The BirdXPeller Pro sound machine uses a woodpecker distress call followed by a Sharp-shinned Hawk call to scare woodpeckers away. Using sound deterrents works very well, especially when coupled with visual deterrents as well.

Looking for professional bird and wildlife abatement you can afford? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for prompt and professional bird removal in Nashville, Tennessee. We serve all surrounding areas with commercial and residential critter control and cleanup.

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Why You Should Not Feed the Wild Animals Around Your House

Posted on June 7, 2021 by smokywildlife

As children, we have wonderful memories of feeding the ducks at the park pond, or refilling our bird feeders with seed and nectar. Feeding wildlife on separate grounds is consequence-free; but now that you are a homeowner, is it really a good idea to be feeding wildlife from your own backyard? The answer sits on a spectrum, yet tends to veer towards, “no.”

Continue reading to learn why feeding wild animals can cause problems, and what you can do if you are already in over your head with nuisance wildlife activity on your property.

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The Most Common Problems with Feeding Local Wildlife

The animals that are near your property likely include the usual species found here in Tennessee, such as birds, squirrels, raccoons, opossum, and skunks. If you live near wooded areas or bodies of water, then you can expect a much steadier frequency of animal activity. So, when you combine such locations with such species, you can open the door to a world of trouble if you choose to feed wild animals on your property.

Wild Animals Will Come Back for More

These animals are already on a hunt for food every night. And when they find a steady food source, they will remember it for a long time. This means they will cease to stop visiting your property, night after night. And what’s worse is that if they do not find the food that has been provide before, they will continue their search around your property for some. This leads to the consequences we mentioned before.

Wild Animals are Very Destructive

Not only will wild animals remember that your property is a sure source for food and continue to visit each night with more and more friends, but they will also cause a load of destruction. Animals like raccoons have human-like paws that allow them to grip, grasp, rip, and tear. With this advantage, raccoons will rip up lawns in search of grubs, pillage gardens for fruits and vegetables, and even try to access the inner parts of your home through the siding, roof, or garage. Once inside, the level of destruction only worsens; plus, it poses several health and safety risks since wild animals are known carriers of several infectious diseases and parasites.

They Will Make Your Home Their Own

So once animals know your yard is the place to eat, they will begin to help themselves to whatever else they want on your property. This includes shelter. They will make their nests under your porch or deck, in crawl spaces and attics, outdoor sheds and garages, and even tree houses and play sets! Log piles and stationary vehicles are other popular nesting destinations for animals like raccoons, skunks, and opossum.

They Carry Infectious Diseases and Parasites

The biggest threat that goes along with feeding wild animals on your property is the risk of being attacked or infected. As mentioned, wild animals are known carriers of diseases, parasites, and more. They are also capable of attacking curious pets and children if provoked, ill, or protecting their young. It is in the best interest of your home and family to not feed wildlife around your property.

If you insist on feeding animals, try to follow these tips:

☑ Use an animal-specific feeder, such as a bird feeder or squirrel feeder.

☑ Reduce the amount of food in warmer seasons when natural food sources are more abundant.

☑ Place the food in a centralized location to deter animals from walking across your lawn.

☑ If over-crowding occurs, spread out your sources to prevent aggressive or competitive behaviors.

☑ If you see an animal abandoned, injured, or behaving oddly, contact a licensed Tennessee critter control company, ASAP.

Are you having nuisance critter and pest problems at home or the office? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for professional wild animal removal services in Nashville, Tennessee. We provide service in all surrounding counties and districts too.

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What is Tunneling and Digging Under My Lawn?

Posted on May 28, 2021 by smokywildlife

Is your lawn starting to look more like a war zone rather than a grassy pasture due to animal tunneling? If so, now is the right time to act. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to your green, glossy lawn forever. Animal tunneling is a common problem for homeowners in the Tennessee areas, especially those who live close to a body of water. Not only can tunneling activity destroy the look of your lawn, but it will also kill grass, crops, and plants. And the nuisance activity will only persist until someone intervenes.

Continue reading to learn which species of animal usually cause this sort of lawn damage, and what you can do to get rid of them, safely.

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Yard Moles and Groundhogs are Your Top Suspects

The two most common animals that practice underground tunneling are groundhogs and moles. Although voles and other species of wildlife are also known to exhibit the same behavior, their tunnels are not as noticeable from the surface.

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, create complex underground tunnel networks that contain separate entrances and exits. You can distinguish groundhog tunnels from other animals because they tend to be larger and wider, and have large openings around a foot wide.

Moles are subterranean mammals that have been biologically gifted with polydactyl forepaws, which allows them to dig intricate tunnel systems and search for grubs and worms. This activity causes above-ground lawn damage. You can tell you have a mole problem when your lawn has several tunnels that lead to mounds of dirt, known as “molehills.”

Critter Control for Yard Moles and Groundhogs

Regardless of whether you have moles or groundhogs ruining your lawn, it is a problem that must be dealt with as soon as possible. Not only will these tunnels damage your lawn, crops, and plants, they can also temp other animals to use them, such as mice and rats. The best way to get rid of a nuisance animal problem is to contact a licensed Nashville wildlife removal and control company for non-lethal animal abatement services. Never attempt to touch, trap, harm, or kill a nuisance wild animal. There are laws that govern this practice, which is why a professional should always be contacted.

Would you like a pest-free lawn this summer, safe from nuisance animal damages? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for safe and affordable Nashville Tennessee animal removal services for yard moles, groundhogs, and more.

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2 Ways to Protect Your Garden From Nuisance Rabbits

Posted on May 14, 2021 by smokywildlife

This season, stop nuisance rabbits from destroying your flowerbeds and pillaging your gardens. Here in Nashville, rabbits are a common pest for homeowners, as they are infamously known for tearing up lawns and fresh sod, ripping up flowerbeds and pots, and indulging in fresh produce grown in ground gardens. But this spring and summer, you do not have to deal with nuisance rabbits stealing all of your well-earned garden yields; instead, implement some easy and effective rabbit control methods that are both safe for the environment and humane to all creatures.

Continue reading to learn the top two strategies for keeping pesky rabbits out of the garden, and a trusted last-resort option if nothing seems to work for you.

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Animal Repellents

Option one is to use an animal repellent. You have two choices here, to make your own or buy a product over the counter. If you choose to purchase a pre-manufactured rabbit repellent, just be sure it is environmentally safe, and non-toxic to pets and children. In fact, it is strongly recommended to just make your own animal repellent. A homemade solution is humane, non-toxic, and the recipe is simple. Just combine household spices and essentials with water, and transfer into a spray bottle. Use ingredients that are obnoxious and bothersome to rabbits, like ground red pepper, black pepper, menthol, spearmint, eucalyptus, and even cinnamon.

To Apply: Spray perimeter of garden with your solution. Be sure to keep pets and children away from treated areas.

Garden Fencing

Another option for protecting gardens against pillaging nuisance rabbits is to install a garden fence. You will need chicken wire, landscape garden staples, stakes, zip ties, wire cutters, a hammer, and mulch. When installing the chicken wire, be sure to bend the bottom of the wire on the outside of the fence so that it creates a 90 degree “lip” to prevent rabbits from tunneling underneath. Use the zip ties to connect the wire to the stakes, and use the staples every 2 feet or so to secure to the wire to the ground. When you are done installing your rabbit-proof fence, cover the outer lip with mulch.

Additional Tip: Install a motion detection sprinkler system that will scare rabbits away if they get too close!

What to Do When You are Not Seeing Results

If your chicken wire fence falls flat, and your homemade repellent doesn’t seem to be doing the trick, your next step is professional critter control assistance. Contact a local Nashville Tennessee animal removal service that can help critter-proof your entire property. They have the proper training and resources to safely get rid of rabbits without disturbing your premises.

Looking for a trusted critter control company in your area? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for TWRA licensed rabbit removal services in Nashville, Tennessee. We serve residential and commercial clients all throughout Middle Tennessee and its surrounding counties.

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What You Need to Know About Raccoons in the Attic

Posted on April 20, 2021 by smokywildlife

Raccoons are clever and sneaky critters we must control. They are intelligent and agile, which makes them especially good at breaking into our homes, particularly the attic. Attics provide warmth, privacy, and ease of access, which is why they are a common target for raccoons and even other types of wildlife, such as bats, squirrels, and chipmunks. If you have tall trees near your roof, live in a one-level home, or located near forests or wooded areas, your property is certainly on the list of potential raccoon activity.

For this reason, you do not want to let your attic become a raccoon den. It is important to stay on top of attic inspections to ensure it is pest-free. Not only will raccoons cause immediate damage to your house, but the longer they are in your attic, the worse those damages get, and thus, more costly and invasive to repair.

Continue reading to learn what to do if you discover or suspect that you have raccoons in your attic, as well as who you can trust with prompt and professional raccoon removal and infestation cleanup service in Nashville, Tennessee.

Don’t Let Nuisance Raccoons Destroy Your Valuable Attic Space

You Do Not Want Raccoons in the Attic

Raccoons typically dwell within dens or hollow trees, where they hibernate for the winter and breed in the spring. They feed and nest their young and use these spaces as their homes. Due to over-construction and new development, raccoons are being forced to find shelter among our residential and commercial neighborhoods. This is why raccoons are being discovered in garages, sheds, crawl spaces, and attics all over the U.S. They can squeeze through tiny openings in rooftops, siding, and cellars. Raccoons use these entrances to gain access to the dark, isolated, cozy spots within our homes; the most popular space being the attic.

Raccoons are a very serious problem to have because they create huge messes that lead to costly repairs and restorations for homeowners. They chew through electrical wiring, rip down insulation, saturate the area with urine and feces, and much more. The degree of damages depends on the length of time they were living in the attic. Sometimes, the attic dry wall and insulation can become so saturated that it can begin to leak through the ceilings in the main living spaces of the home. It is also known to create unpleasant odors in these same areas.

Hire a Professional Nashville Animal Removal Service

If you notice signs that you may have raccoons living in your attic, then contact a professional Nashville critter control company for emergency raccoon removal services. Common signs of raccoons in the attic include squeaking and scratching noises, lingering indoor odors, wall and ceiling stains, animal scat around the outside of the house, rummaged gardens or trashcans, and related pest infestations like lice, fleas, and ants. You see, a licensed Nashville critter control company can get rid of raccoons in the attic, clean up and decontaminate the mess, and then restore any structural damages they left behind.

Do you think you might have a nuisance raccoon problem in or around your place? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for prompt and professional emergency raccoon removal in Nashville, Tennessee. We serve both residential and commercial clients.

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How to Keep Chipmunks Out of the Garden

Posted on April 7, 2021 by smokywildlife

Now that spring is in full effect, many of you are thinking about your seasonal gardens. There is no greater feeling than growing a lush, verdant, and bountiful garden full of your favorite herbs, vegetables, fruits, and more. But there is no worse feeling than going out first thing in the morning to harvest your beautiful yields only to find that your garden has been pillaged by hungry chipmunks!

If you have dealt with nuisance chipmunks year after year, especially when tending your gardens, now is the time to finally learn how to keep them out of your garden and away from your house. That’s right; chipmunks can be destructive to more than just gardens, so active abatement is necessary for properties with high volumes of chipmunks.

Continue reading to learn how to get rid of chipmunks, including ways to keep them out of your garden.

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Top Strategies for Chipmunk Control Around the Garden

Not only can chipmunks pillage your gardens, taking everything from your marigolds to your strawberries, but they can also damage the roots, thus preventing any future growth. This is a loss of joy and a loss of money. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get rid of chipmunks in the garden, and further protect your property from additional chipmunk damages.

There are various preventative methods you can use to keep chipmunks out of the garden. The most popular are those that are humane and non-toxic. These methods are safe for wildlife, people, pets, and the surrounding environment. The top three chipmunk abatement strategies include homemade, non-toxic animal repellent, environmental modifications, and automatic sprinklers.

Homemade Chipmunk Repellent

There are a lot of scents, spices, and sensations that chipmunks absolutely hate, and therefore, avoid like the plague. These include naphthalene (moth balls) cayenne pepper, menthol, spearmint, capsaicin, oil of black pepper, piperine extract, and anything else that produces the stinging sensation of hot peppers or mint leaves. Simply add any select combination of ingredients to a plastic spray bottle filled with water, mix well, and presto! You have a homemade, non-toxic animal repellent you can spray around your garden to ward off nuisance chipmunks. Just be sure to keep it away from pets and young children, as it can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and mouth.

Environmental Modifications

You can place moth balls, which contain naphthalene, around the perimeter of your gardens to protect them against nuisance chipmunks. They hate the smell, and if they detect it, they will stay far away. You can also install mesh or wire netting over the top of your gardens, but this is usually recommended in conjunction with another chipmunk abatement strategy, like a repellent. Chipmunks can sometimes find their way through the netting, so spraying it with a homemade repellent can help the chances of keeping them out.

Automatic Sprinklers

Chipmunks, like most animals, do not like to be spray with water without notice. By installing an automatic sprinkler system with motion detection technology, you can give nuisance chipmunks quite the unwanted surprise every time they trespass onto your garden areas. You might also consider placing a tape recording of a barking dog or children playing to trick them into thinking there are threats nearby. This is a good overnight strategy for garden protection.

Are you still having trouble with nuisance chipmunks no matter what you do? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for safe and affordable chipmunk removal in Nashville, Tennessee. We also provide squirrel removal and flying squirrel removal.

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Smoky Wildlife Control Welcomes You to Our Nashville Animal Removal Website!

Best Methods for Outdoor Skunk Control

Posted on March 24, 2021 by smokywildlife

We have all smelled a nearby skunk before as residents of Nashville, Tennessee. But when you actually start to see skunks around your property, it is time for some preventative maintenance. Skunks are a nuisance animal, and will cause your house and yard a long list of troubles. From lingering foul odors and lawn damage to potential and serious health and safety hazards, it is best to get rid of skunks before they can cost you.

Continue below to learn the top recommended methods of skunk control, as well as instructions for getting rid of skunks that are in your house or under your porch.

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Skunks Want Food and Water

If you live near a large body of water, such as a lake, river, pond, or creek, you can best your bottom dollar that you will have nuisance animal interference at some point in time. Animals like skunks are survivors, so all they want is food, water, and shelter. Generally, areas near large bodies of water and woods are hot spots for such wildlife, and will require some environmental modifications to prevent skunk intrusions or damages. Even if you do not live near large bodies of water, there can still be local skunk populations around your home or business. In either case, it is wise to implement proper preventative maintenance against wildlife tampering and interference.

Common Damages Caused By Skunks

Skunks love to dig up lawns in search of juicy grubs, but they will also pillage your gardens and destroy your flowerbeds. They will also produce a foul, lingering smells left behind by their urine and droppings. If you have a chicken coop, you can rightly assume that skunks will be around to steal some eggs sooner than later. Furthermore, skunks are known carriers of several infectious diseases that can be easily transmitted to your dogs, cats, or worse, children. February through April is prime skunk breeding season, making sightings much more prevalent in Spring.

Here is how you can protect your property from skunk damages and intrusions:

🦨► Remove or Secure All Food and Water Sources

Skunks mostly want food and water. You will need to modify the exterior areas of your property to prevent skunks from gaining access to any food or water sources you might have, including pet food, gardens, and even trash.

🦨► Remove or Secure All Shelters

Remove or secure all possible shelter locations. This includes under your porch, crawl spaces, log piles, playhouses, sheds, barns, and hollowed trees. You can use chicken wire around your gardens, or plant marigolds around your flowerbeds.

🦨► Apply a Non-Toxic Animal Repellent

You can make your own non-toxic animal repellent spray and apply it around the perimeter of your property. Just be sure not to allow children or pets access to treated areas, as most recipes call for harsh ingredients like cayenne and menthol.

🦨► Contact a Wildlife Removal Service

Professional critter control is the best solution for nuisance animal problems because it is the most effective. It combines all of the above-mentioned strategies, plus adds in professional abatement materials and training.

Do you have nuisance skunks roaming around your house at night? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for safe and affordable skunk removal in Nashville, Tennessee. Request a free estimate or advice, anytime!

You Should Also Read:

The Common Signs of Bats in the House
The Top 4 Methods to Get Rid of Raccoons
FAQS About Animal Damages and Clean Up