Animals are cute. It is hard to resist the temptation to feed your backyard squirrels, birds, chipmunks, and more, especially in the wintertime when their food supplies are drastically diminished. But, beware; there is a downside to feeding local wildlife on your property, and it can really cost you.
Continue reading to learn why it’s a bad idea to feed the local wildlife around your property in the winter, plus who to call if it’s a little too late, and you already have a nuisance critter problem on your hands!
Why You Should Avoid Backyard Feedings
The animals are you feeding in your backyard are the same animals that become costly and invasive nuisances for other property owners dealing with wildlife tampering and intrusions. They start off cute and entertaining, but in large numbers, they can be massively destructive, plus pose certain health and safety threats to both people and pets. When you feed animals on your property, you are giving them an open invitation. Do not think that these squirrels and rabbits are clueless; they know exactly what they are doing and where opportunity lies. Years of living in urban environments have taught them these skills.
An open invitation to local wildlife says, “come to my property and do what you like.” This will teach local wildlife like squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, rabbits, birds that your house is a guaranteed spot for food. Eventually, they will want to live closer to their prime food source and begin looking for shelter in and around your property. Attic infestations are common, especially with raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, and birds, all of which are excellent climbers.
Nuisance Critters Can Cause a Lot of Destruction
Wildlife can find shelter outside of your home or inside, depending on the available access. Raccoons are blessed with human-like paws that allow them to grasp, grip, rip, and pull, giving them easier access through doors and windows. They will also peel through old roof shingles and access attics spaces.
Squirrels, chipmunks, and birds often access interior areas of homes and buildings through the chimney. They can also enter through roof and attic vents, torn screens, and vulnerable areas in the roof and siding. Aside from attics, wall voids and crawl spaces are common nesting spots for squirrels and chipmunks.
Once animals have access, they can generate a lot of waste and even more structural damage. These damages can be unhygienic and hazardous, plus they can be very costly and invasive to repair. Fortunately, there should be professional animal damage cleanup and repair services available in your community.
Health Hazards and More
Structural damages are one thing, but nuisance wildlife can also pose several other threats, like disease, pest outbreaks, and more. Animals like raccoons, birds, and squirrels are known carriers of several infectious diseases that can affect people and pets, like Rabies, Distemper, roundworm, and more. Additionally, they can spread third-party pests, like mites, fleas, ticks, lice, and other parasites.
✨🌰 There are safe ways to feed wildlife at home, which we will discuss in more detail in our upcoming blog! Stay tuned!
Are you concerned that nuisance animals are getting too close after feeding them for too long? Contact Modern Wildlife Control at 317-847-6409 for professional and humane animal trapping and removal services at the most competitive prices in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients, and a wide range of local wildlife.
Related Posts:
How to Tell if You Have Nuisance Animal Problems
How to Protect Bird Feeders From Hungry Squirrels
How to Safely Get Rid of a Dead Animal on Your Property
