What is wildlife?
Wildlife pests that you experience in Gaithersburg can vary, but three of the most common are:
- Raccoons — These animals are between 2 to 3 feet long, gray and black fur covering their round bodies, a ringed tail, and mask-like marking across their eyes.
- Squirrels — Their appearance varies depending on the species, but the most common is the eastern gray squirrel, which is about 10 ½ inches long, has an 8-inch bushy tail, and gray-brownish fur.
- Moles — These critters are between 6 and 8 inches long, have velvety brown and dark grey fur, and large clawed paws.
Can wildlife be dangerous?
Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered and potentially spread rabies. While squirrels can attack if threatened, they rarely do. However, squirrels can cause a lot of damage to your home, both cosmetic and structural. Squirrels can squeeze through gaps along your roofline and get inside where they can chew wires, pipes, and other materials. Raccoons and squirrels can also cause contamination with their waste.
On the other hand, Moles don’t attack people or spread diseases, but they can damage your yard. This damage can weaken areas of the ground and cause tripping hazards.
Overall, it is best to avoid these pests and never try to get rid of them on your own.
Why do I have a problem with wildlife?
Wildlife pests are used to living close to people and rely on us for easy access to food and other resources. Having damaged fencing or no barriers will make it easier for wildlife to get into your yard in the Gaithersburg area, where they can pick and choose from the many food sources available to them.
Typical food sources for these pests are:
- Bird feeders
- Gardens and fruit trees
- Accessible garbage and compost
A healthy lawn can attract moles because it has soft soil that they can tunnel through and is home to many insects they eat.
Where will I find wildlife?
The wildlife pests listed above live in different places on your property. These places include:
- Raccoons — in burrows left by other animals, hollow logs, under decks and sheds, and crawl spaces
- Squirrels — in trees but can get inside homes through the roofline and create a nest in the attic
- Moles — tunnel underground and create burrows
While it may not seem that bad to have these animals outside on your property, as you read above, they can cause problems, including damage and contamination of surfaces.
How do I get rid of wildlife?
If you are dealing with wildlife on your property, you shouldn’t handle them yourself. Most of these common Gaithersburg pests try to avoid people and can become scared if approached, which may cause them to become aggressive.
Instead of putting yourself and others in danger, contact us at Absolute Home and Pest Solutions. Our service professionals have the training to handle these types of pests. Not only will we help remove active wildlife, but we will also help keep them from coming back again.
Get started with wildlife control for your business today!
How can I prevent wildlife in the future?
Along with professional wildlife control, you should work on making your property less attractive to these pests by using these prevention tips:
- Use outdoor lights at night to keep away nocturnal animals.
- Repair any damaged fencing.
- Replace your garbage cans with ones that have tight-fitting lids.
- Identify any potential entry points into your home and repair them.
- Keep your yard maintained.
- Remove any food sources.
If you need more advice about how to protect your home from wildlife pests, call us at Absolute Home and Pest Solutions!
Chris was very professional and knowledgeable. He listened to my concerns and understood my apprehension due to negative experiences with a well known home improvement company. He assured me that my experience would be a positive one. He didn’t lie! Chris and his team exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this company.
