Wildlife Identification

In California, there are many different types of wild animals that will find their way onto our properties, usually by the lure of food and shelter. Wild animals are those animals that people haven't domesticated, and they don't rely on people as their sole means of survival. Some of our properties most common visitors include:

• Bats
• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Opossums
• Raccoons
• Snakes & other reptiles
• Skunks
• Squirrels

Though their intent isn't to cause us harm or destroy our properties, they do. Keeping wildlife off our properties is key to guarding ourselves, homes, lawns, and gardens, against them.

Claws, sharp teeth, and venom cause many different species of wildlife to be considered dangerous because of the physical harm they can cause. When wild animals feel threatened or cornered, they will defend themselves through physical means, putting yourself, kids, and pets in danger.

Other reasons why you should be concerned with wild animal activity in your California yard or home are listed below.

• They spread bacteria and disease-causing pathogens.
• They carry parasites on their backs, like fleas and ticks, and introduce them onto our properties.
• Some snakes have venom that can create serious health problems in people if a bite were to occur.
• They take advantage of the fruits and vegetables you are growing in garden areas, destroying all your hard work.
• Burrowing wildlife cause damage to foundations, cables, and pipes.
• Inside homes, wild animals nesting in attics will leave behind unsanitary piles of excrement, damage structural elements, and tear through insulation.
• Wildlife can cause damage to roof shingles, chimneys, and roof eaves.
• The damage wild animals can cause to properties is costly to repair.

When wild animals live outside in their natural habitat away from people, they typically pose us no problems; however, those who have moved into our cities or suburban neighborhoods are problematic. Properties with an ample amount of food, water, and shelter are most attractive to wild animals. While wild animals typically nest outside in our yards, some will move into our homes, usually searching for a quiet, temperature-controlled place to nest.

Wild animals tend to live near water sources, whether it's a natural source of water or water they have discovered in our yards. Things like leaky pipes, low-lying areas that pool rainwater, pet water dishes, birdbaths, and clogged gutters all provide water for wild animals.

Wild animals also use our yards as a place to nest. Often our gardens, landscaping, woodpiles, and outbuildings provide the safe shelter these pests are looking for. Inside of our homes, wildlife activity often occurs in attics, basements, and behind wall voids; those areas providing a safe, quiet place for wild animals to live out of reach and raise their young.

Getting rid of wild animals is a tough task. Once they discover food or shelter, they will keep returning, and you can't easily deter them. At HomeShield Pest Control, the safety of our customers and their families is our top priority. We will remove wild animals from your property through our wildlife control services and provide the ongoing protection needed to prevent their return.

Whether you are dealing with slithering snakes, acrobatic squirrels, or smelly skunks, we will provide the wildlife trapping and removal services required to take your yard back from wildlife. If you live in the Sacramento Valley or Southern California area and would like to learn more about our wildlife control services, reach out to us today!

Some of our most helpful wildlife exclusion tips to protect your California yard and house from the many wild animals that call our region home include:

• Screen all vents and chimneys that lead into your home.
• Repair roof damage.
• Place fencing around the foundation of sheds.
• Keep wild animals out of the trash, placing all trash bags in containers with tight locking lids on them.
• Regularly harvest fruits and vegetables from garden areas.
• Inspect your home's exterior and repair siding, damaged roof shingles, and loose window or door screens.
• Keep your lawn mowed short, and don't let shrubs and bushes overgrow.
• Never allow grass or weeds to grow up along your foundation.