When searching for advice on dealing with unwanted visitors such as pests in our homes or workplaces, the answers we get usually revolve around that creature’s death. However, this doesn’t really solve the real problem. Sure, you may choose to abruptly end the life of a certain creature, but it doesn’t resolve the issue of pests or animals entering a space in the future.
By exterminating pests or animals, you apply a band-aid without digging deeper to determine the root cause.
If you can figure out how the pest and animals are getting into your property and what their main attraction is, then you can most certainly find ways to prevent them from becoming repeat offenders by trespassing on your property again. Moreover, you will also be able to avoid the need to harm or kill these creatures. By doing so, you won’t only be saving lives, but you will also be able to avoid the expense of hiring a pest controller or purchasing lots of traps.
Here are a few ways to deal with animals and pests without harming them.
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Block Their Entry
The first and most obvious preventative measure you need to take to prevent pests from entering your property is to block their entry. However, this step is very commonly overlooked by people. Slugs can enter through space under doorframes, cockroaches can crawl up the drain, insects can creep through the walls, and mice can enter through the tiniest of openings. Bigger animals like foxes often show up late at night, leaving behind a mess for you to clean up the next morning.
You can block these animals and pests’ entry by highlighting all the weak spots in your home. Look for any cracks, holes, unsealed vents, cracks around door frames and windows, torn spaces, open dampers, places behind sinks, and around pipes to find any spaces from which these creatures can enter your property.
Start by sealing all unnecessary cracks larger than one-fourth inch (to keep mice out) using mortar, hardware cloth, or metal sheets. You can also use high-quality silicone or silicone caulk to seal any holes or entry spaces. Always trim back your tree branch so that they stay a minimum of 6 feet away from your roof. You must also use insect mesh to cover any soffits and air bricks and bury fences to keep foxes and other digging pest animals away.
Get Rid of All Sources of Food and Water
If they don’t find anything to eat or drink, animals and pests won’t stick around for long. You should start by ensuring the basic cleanliness of your things. For instance, always wipe away any spills or crumbs as soon as you spot them, store your food in air-tight containers, and ensure that there are no pipe or tap leaks in your kitchen or bathroom.
Certain insects aren’t able to survive without moisture. Therefore, keeping your property dry and clean to deter insects such as centipedes, cockroaches, and silverfish. You must also remember to drain your basin at night as roaches often congregate in flooded sinks overnight. Lastly, make sure not to leave pet food out overnight, and dispose of all your trash in properly sealed bins.
Remove Their Makeshift Nests and Shelters
Another way to encourage an animal to leave is by getting rid of any hiding spaces and shelters. This is especially effective if an animal is nocturnal. Avoid storing any foliage or wood in the house, and avoid piling up logs and other debris against the walls. Trimming down any plants can also prove helpful as they often provide handy walkways to creatures wanting to enter your home.
Carrier bags, newspapers, and clothing piles can also become a super-cozy place for insects and rodents. So, you must always make sure to fold your laundry away, tidy up your home, and reduce clutter to a minimum.
Conduct Property Repairs
A majority of insects are attracted to rotting wood. Therefore, it is best to do any building repairs as soon as you notice them. Any leaks in pipes and faucets may attract certain animals and insects – either as a drinking source or due to its higher humidity.
Standing water also serves as a breeding ground for many pests. So, letting a dripping pipe go unnoticed can lead to a huge infestation of mosquitos quite quickly, especially in the warmer months. Also, decaying material often leads to more cracks, holes, and gaps, which form even more entrances for tiny creatures wanting to invade your home.
Use Humane Alternatives
There are a variety of humane alternatives in the market that can help with pest and animal control. You can buy a crate to capture a sneaky raccoon, or you can use essential oils to shoo away spiders. You can solve animal and insect infestations without resorting to killing or poisoning by opting for humane alternatives.
Call an Animal-Friendly Pest Controller
Not all exterminators and pest controllers kill animals or insects on sight. Many of them now opt for preventative measures by teaching people how to prevent invasions by dealing humanely with the situation rather than hurting animals or pests. They typically give suggestions regarding visual, audible, or olfactory solutions that can deter pests from returning and recommend any hygiene and property repairs to keep these creatures at bay.
The Bottom Line
There may be instances when you don’t have an option except resorting to fumigation or a similar method. For example, there may be a huge insect infestation problem in your home that harms children or immunocompromised people. However, even under such extreme circumstances, it’s always best to find the cause’s root and start working on it rather than resorting to killing. Hopefully, the aforementioned ways to deal with animals and pests will help you on your conquest to rid your home or space from these creatures without harming or killing them!
