Wildlife Removal Services in Austin, TX

If certain animals are proving to be nuisance pests to you, don’t make your property overly attractive to them. Here are guidelines for dealing with specific critters so you can avoid wildlife removal.

• Tight-fitting lids on trash cans: Skunks, raccoons, possums, foxes and coyotes
• Put away pet foods: Skunks, raccoons, possums, crows, foxes and coyotes
• Remove sources of water: Skunks, raccoons, possums, crows, bats, foxes and coyotes
• Mow and eliminate underbrush: Skunks, raccoons, possums, armadillos, deer, rabbits, foxes, coyotes, and snakes
• Remove piles of construction materials: Skunks, raccoons, possums, armadillos, rabbits, foxes, coyotes, and snakes
• Fencing around yard or vegetable garden: Deer, rabbits, foxes and coyotes
• Remove fruit or nut bearing trees: Skunks, raccoons, possums, armadillos, rabbits, squirrels, bats, crows, foxes and coyotes
• Keeps pets indoors at night: Coyotes
• Don’t install pet doors: Skunks, possums and bats
• Secure structures so critters can’t get in: Skunks, raccoons, possums, bats and squirrels

Yes, there are a number of creative and effective alternatives to wildlife removal and critter relocation. For example:

• Exclusion of the animal:
  This means closing up access points, repairing damaged siding or roofing, and covering vents with screens.
• Changing cultural practices:
  Not leaving pet food or trash outdoors at night, and picking up fallen fruit.
• Habitat modifications:
  Removing junk piles or other places that could become inviting shelter spots for wildlife.
• Repellants:
  Odors, lights, sounds, and motion-activated water jets can be employed to dissuade wildlife from your property.

Critters and insects are driven by weather changes to seek shelter from the heat and cold. Our living spaces become very attractive destinations that offer an ideal mid-range temperature and shelter from the rain.

In addition, our ever-increasing urban sprawl continues to take over land from animals used to living in a natural setting. Rather than moving away from humans, these animals, which include raccoons, possums, armadillo, squirrels, and skunk, adapt to this new environment.

Urban wildlife that makes its way onto your property causes many critter control problems. There is the ever-present danger that an animal could be rabid and transfer rabies to you, a family member, or pet through a bite.

We all know the problem a visiting skunk can cause! Some of these critters are also diggers. Your lawn offers a tempting place to forage for bugs. Other scavengers happily root through your trash cans for food.

• Raccoons:
  Raccoons have two to five babies in a litter, and typically just one litter per year. They are born in early spring between March and April. When they are around 2 months old, the young follow the mother to a new den. They are weaned at about 3 months, and go off on their own in the fall or early winter.
• Possums:
  The average litter contains six to nine babies, born as early as February and can sometimes continue through October, although most babies are born in the spring. A possum will be weaned at 3 months and leave its mother at 4 1/2 to 5 months. Generally when a young possum is 10” long, it’s considered able to fend for itself.
• Skunks:
  Four to six young are usually born in May or June, and remain in the nest for about two months before accompanying the mother to forage. Skunks typically have a single litter each year.

A common concern of homeowners is that wildlife removal is temporary as the relocated animal will return. That’s why we relocate to a distance of at least 10 miles.

• Raccoons:
  Generally, raccoons do not travel far outside of their territory but can travel up to 10 miles in search of food or a mate.
• Possums:
  Possums can travel up to 2 miles in search of food.
• Skunks:
  Skunks can travel up to a mile in a night but generally will not to more than four miles away from their den.

Surviving in nature has its challenges, and when we uproot an animal and place it in a new environment, these challenges are immediately increased.

The relocated animal does not know the good food and watering spots or where to shelter. Often it’s being moved into a territory that is already occupied by animals that will see it as competition for resources and may attack it or try to chase it out.