How To Remove Wildlife Yourself

Step-by-step instructions to solve a critter problem - humanely!

If you have a problem with nuisance wildlife, there are two primary things you need to know. First: In many cases, you absolutely can resolve the problem yourself, with a little work, for free. In most such cases, your work will be superior to that of a professional critter trapper company - safer, more humane for the animals, and even more effective. Second: In certain wildlife cases, I absolutely do not recommend do-it-yourself attempts. You could stand a good chance of making the situation worse, hurting animals, or breaking the law. Education is Key: This website will help you tell the difference - I explain what to do, step-by-step, in each type of wildlife conflict case, for each type of common animal species. Just pick your animal below. A little learning goes a long way - helping you solve the problem, save money, AND save local wildlife! PICK YOUR CONFLICT WILDLIFE SPECIES BELOW.

DON'T KNOW WHICH ANIMAL IS CAUSING YOU A PROBLEM? If you merely hear noises in the walls or ceiling, and aren't sure of which animal you are dealing with, click on the wildlife in attic page to determine which species you are dealing with, and learn how to get rid of wildlife in a house or attic. Lights scampering in the walls during the day is likely squirrel. At night, it's most likely rats or mice. If there's light scratching in the attic at night, it's probably rats, mice, or flying squirrels. Daytime noises in the attic are likely gray squirrels. If you hear heavier noises in the attic at night, it's probably raccoons or maybe opossums. Bats and birds can also get into houses, in which case outside observation of them flying in and out will tell you. Of course, if you're experienced, you can look for sign, such as tracks, droppings, scents, and other clues to tell you what critter you are dealing with. Once you know what the animal is, you will have a better chance of getting rid of wildlife in your house.

If you see digging in your yard, you can click on the wildlife digging holes page to figure it out, but in short, there are a few likely culprits. A large burrow, or hole, leading down into the ground is likely the work of a groundhog in the northern states or an armadillo in the southern states. In the midwest or west, prairie dogs, gophers, or marmots can dig smaller-sized tunnels. If you see lots of little pits dug in your lawn, there's a good chance that it's a skunk up north or a dillo down south. Raccoons can dig a bit, but not as much as the other animals. Raised humps of dirt or long winding ridges through the lawn is the work of moles. And field mice, or voles, can leave lots of little trails though a yard. If you see little tunnels, it could be chipmunks, or even Norway Rats or moles that have broken surface.