Wildlife and nature are beautiful; most people love animals and enjoy seeing them. Bird watching and hiking are popular hobbies for those who admire nature. One place where you don’t always want to see them is your neighborhood, though. As our towns and cities continue to grow, sometimes, wildlife is pushed out of their natural habitats. This leads to more human contact with wildlife. Disruptions happen in the animal kingdom as well, and that sometimes leads to an uptick in animals around your neighborhood. Most homeowners don’t know how to react when they encounter wild animals out and about to keep both parties safe; we wrote this blog to explain some of the animals you may encounter in your neighborhood.

Rascally Raccoons

Sometimes raccoons can be considered cute critters, but they’re also notorious for causing massive amounts of damage around homes and making a mess of garbage cans. Typically, you only see at night as they are nocturnal, but they are active during the afternoon as well. They will eat pretty much anything that they can get their little hands on. You can help counter them with locking trash cans, making sure that no food is left out and hiring a wildlife removal professional if your raccoon issue persists. Never feed raccoons; they are mostly harmless but are still wild animals that can act unpredictably and carry disease. If you’re having issues with these critters around your home, it’s best to call a pro. 

Stinky Skunks

No one ever wants to run into a skunk; these small mammals are known for their putrid spray that is difficult to get off. The second that most people see skunks, they run the other way, but if you have pets, they can be more curious. They can commonly build dens under a deck or porch and are mostly seen during the springtime when they are having babies. If you encounter a skunk, it’s best to stay calm and avoid agitating it, moving slowly and quietly will lessen your chances of being sprayed. They eat just about anything, so can be on any part of your property, stay vigilant during the spring. 

Bumbling Birds

Birds are able to fly, so they aren’t typically an issue for most homeowners. They have lots of options for nests with so many trees around. Sometimes, though, they choose to nest in your gutters or in your roof vents. Birds carry sticks and other debris to build their nests and can cause damage to the exterior of your home. You may not think that a bird can cause much damage, but damage to your gutters can spread quickly throughout your whole home if birds are allowed to nest.

Contact our team at Baystate Wildlife today if you’re in need of wildlife removal services. We humanly relocate animals and prevent them from being able to return.