Scrap the Trap When Evicting Raccoons, Skunks, Other Wildlife

Woodchucks may nest under a porch or shed © iStock.com

by Margaret Baird

A raccoon in the chimney, a woodchuck under the shed, a skunk under the front porch.

When confronted with wildlife living up-close in their own homes or backyards, well-meaning but harried homeowners often resort to what they see as the most humane solution: live-trapping the animal and then setting her free in a lush, leafy park or other far-away natural area.

The sad truth is that live-trapping and relocation rarely ends well for wildlife, nor is it a permanent solution.  

Maternal Instinct

Between March and August, the main reason raccoons, skunks, woodchucks and other animals choose shelter in, around, and under a home is because they need a safe place to give birth to and rear their young. Well-adapted to urban life, they will opt to nest in safe, quiet and dark spaces—such as an uncapped chimney, or easy access under the back porch steps—if given the opportunity. You may only see one animal, but during this time, assume that any wild animal denning or nesting around a home is a mother with dependent babies. 

A result is that live-trapping wildlife during the spring and summer often has tragic consequences. Wild animal babies are unintentionally orphaned and too often die of starvation, because the animal who is trapped and removed is almost certainly their mother.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Although homeowners mean well trapping and relocating wildlife, wild animals do not “settle in” quickly to new surroundings, no matter how inviting that habitat may seem to humans. In fact, the odds are heavily stacked against any animal who is dumped in a strange park, woodland or other natural area. 

A study showed relocated squirrels either died or disappeared. iStock.com

A 2004 study of grey squirrels who were live-trapped and relocated from suburban areas to a large forest showed that a staggering 97 percent of the squirrels either soon died or disappeared from their release area.

Take it from the animal’s point of view: suddenly in an unfamiliar place, she is disoriented and doesn’t know where to find shelter, food or water. She’s in another animal’s territory, and she may be chased out or injured. She doesn't know where to go to escape from predators.

In the meantime, her helpless young are slowly dying in the den from which she was removed. Even if the orphaned young are discovered, rescued, and taken to a wildlife rehabilitator to be reared, it remains a situation that could have been easily prevented.

Patience, Humane Eviction to Resolve Wildlife Conflicts

If you discover a wildlife family nesting in or around your home, the ideal response is patience.

If the animals are not causing damage or harm, you can be assured that once the young are big enough to be out and about, the birth den will have served its purpose. The denning/nesting season is short; by being tolerant and waiting a few weeks until the family has vacated the premises, you’ll prevent orphaning of the young altogether.

Then, you can make repairs to prevent animals from moving in again.

If you can’t wait for the animals to leave on their own, the next best strategy is humane eviction—gently harassing the animals so they’ll move to a more hospitable location.

Try using a combination of unpleasant smells and sounds. The size of the denning space and the amount of ventilation will largely influence if such repellents will work. We recommend using ammonia-soaked rags, lights and a blaring radio during nighttime hours to convert an attractive space (quiet, dark and protected) into one that is inhospitable. 

No Vacancy

Repellents provide a temporary solution at best. To permanently prevent animals form using those same spots in the future, you’ll need to seal off any denning areas. Make sure all animals are out before sealing off any space. Remember, during the spring and summer months, it is extremely likely that the animal denning under your steps or elsewhere around your home is a female with dependent young. Make sure that mother and young are able to remain together, to prevent any of them from dying cruel deaths. 

If you can find the entry/exit holes, an easy way to determine if the den has been vacated is to loosely cover or fill it with a light material, such as newspaper or insulation. This way the occupant will have to push the obstruction aside to get out or come back in. If the block hasn’t moved for three to four days (and it's not the dead of winter), the den has been vacated and it’s safe to make repairs.

These, suggestions, though are general guidelines only. Recommended methods for resolving conflicts with wildlife may depend on the situation and the species (bats in particular). Visit our Solving Problems with Wildlife pages for more information.  

Updated July 2009