Whether you live in a big city like London or a small town in the middle of nowhere, there is one thing that all of these inhabitants have in common: dealing with wildlife. Whether it’s bugs, pigeons, rats, or anything beyond that, it’s just all a hassle. Not only are these animals filled with unpleasant diseases that could harm you and your family you also need to keep in mind they can destroy your house too (detrimental if it’s an old house).
In general, it’s all far from ideal and even nightmare-inducing. Fortunately, you don’t always have to deal with the hefty prices of exterminators, as here are a few ways you can count on keeping wildlife out of your yard and house!
Go with All Natural Boundaries
If you want something humane, then why not look into creating natural boundaries? This can potentially be an effective way to keep wildlife out of your yard without causing any harm. You can expect various boundaries, from bird proofing to avoiding any and all rodents. These boundaries can be in the form of hedges, fencing, or planting certain types of vegetation that animals are less attracted to. For example, thorny plants and perennials such as lavender and basil help deter rodents like mice and moles from entering your premises. These don’t always work, but this can be a nice start!
Try Out Repellants
Sometimes, the first approach doesn’t work. But you can still prevent wildlife in the most humane way possible. Have you ever tried mosquito repellant? As you most likely know, this doesn’t hurt mosquitos; rather, it just prevents them from biting you or going near you. It’s a similar concept when it comes to repellents for your yard and house. So what exactly are repellents?
Repellents are substances that animals find unpleasant or noxious, causing them to steer clear of the treated area. As mentioned above, plants like mint and lavender are considered natural barriers and natural repellents. You can even find sprays that do this too! Just keep in mind that they may only sometimes work, or they could be temporary.
What About Deterrents?
Deterrents work differently than repellents; instead of making an area unappealing for animals to approach, deterrents aim to scare them away through sight or sound stimuli. A great example would be sprinklers. Something like a motion-activated sprinkler can easily be programmed to spray water when they sense a movement in the designated zone.
Similarly, there are other items, such as electronic devices, that can emit high-frequency sounds. Why this? Well, these are meant to be uncomfortable for some animals but imperceptible for humans. Visual deterrents include decoys like fake owls or snakes intended to trick other animals into thinking predators have taken up residence in the yard. This is also considered to be very humane as no wildlife will be harmed.
Humane Traps
Do humane traps even exist? Absolutely, they do exist, which can also be very effective. Safe traps have come a long way in recent years, with many models being specifically crafted to target particular types of animals. Why should homeowners set humane traps? Well, these wild animals are only doing what’s a part of their instincts and their intentions aren’t to hurt you or destroy your house. Trapping and releasing these animals in the wild is going to be the best course of action.