Some homeowners like to think of their backyard as a private vacation spot, while others see it as a place to share with friends and family. Homeowners in Central Florida, however, often find their yard to be the main target for wildlife infestations. Take a look at some of the things that might be attracting wild animals to your yard and some proven tips to help keep them away.
3 Things That Attract Wild Animals to Your Yard
If wild animals manage to make their way through your barriers, onto your property, or into your home, the most effective way to handle them is with professional removal services. However, the first step in removing and preventing the return of wild animals is understanding why they chose your home in the first place. 
Here are three things that might be attracting animals to your yard:
1. Garbage cans
You use garbage cans to, obviously, protect your garbage. A durable, tightly sealed trash can will get the job done by disguising odors through thick plastic or metal. However, an old trashcan with dents, holes, and cracks is going to leak and allow wildlife to easily access your trash.
2. Growing trees
Take a look in any Central Florida yard and you’re likely to see trees, shrubs, and lots of plants. However, when you let your tree branches get too long, you start to send the wrong signals to nearby pests. Tree branches that extend over your roof, for example, provide quick access to animals like squirrels, raccoons, and rats.
3. Garden produce
Wild animals take an interest in your garden for some of the same reasons that you do. Fruits, vegetables, and other tasty treats growing right from your backyard aren’t always easy to come by in the nearby wild, which is why local critters rarely hesitate to take advantage of them.
5 Ways to Keep Wild Animals Away From Your Yard
To keep their space safe, some property owners invest in a top-of-the-line alarm system, a gated entrance, and a series of security cameras. While these precautions are sure to help prevent entry from burglars, they still leave buildings unprotected from smaller intruders — like wild animals. If critters are causing trouble around your property, here are some tips to help you turn it into an off-limits area.
1. Protect your trash
Even some of the smallest changes, like cleaning up brush, trimming overgrown branches, and collecting fallen birdseed, can make a huge difference to the way pests approach your yard. You’ll see the biggest difference, however, when you change the way you handle your trash. Wild animals are the ultimate opportunists, which means you can’t afford to give them a chance at getting into your garbage. To keep your trash safe from foraging wildlife, invest in cans with secure lids that latch shut. And, when you bring them out for the weekly pickup, store them as far from your building as possible.
2. Install motion lights
A spotlight is sure to throw off any intruder sneaking their way through the night — especially the nocturnal ones, like raccoons and opossums. Because some animals are more active when the sun goes down, you’ll need to keep your building protected 24 hours a day with motion-sensor lighting. Simply install the lights above garages, gardens, or any other place that pests might want to check out. Once an animal gets too close to your guarded area, the lights will automatically turn on and catch the critter by surprise. Oftentimes, the scare alone will be enough to send them looking for resources somewhere else.
3. Enclose the area
Whether it’s to keep livestock in or wildlife out, a fence can fit just about any specific need your property has. In fact, you can personally select details like the height, style, and material to fit the look of your property while providing round-the-clock protection. If deterring critters is the main goal for your fence, however, there are some additional ways to modify your enclosure. 
- Bury footers roughly 12 inches underground to prevent animals from burrowing below.
- Place a slick lining on the outer side of your fence to prevent animals from climbing up.
- Choose a fence with extra height to best prevent animals from jumping over.
If you have a specific area that needs extra protection, like a garden, consider securing it with a chicken-wire fence to safely block even the smallest wild animals.
4. Repair entry points
There are a lot of simple and effective strategies to deter wild animals from your property, but some critters have a harder time taking the hint. To protect your home from any animal that tries to chew, scratch, or squeeze its way inside, you’ll need to seal openings and repair weak points around the perimeter. As you check your building from top to bottom, look for openings around pipelines, window frames, and entryways. Once you find the spots that critters are sure to take advantage of, repair the gaps by using caulk, wire mesh, steel wool, and other industrial packing agents.
5. Call a wildlife expert
You trust your local plumbers, electricians, and handymen to handle issues quickly and carefully on your property, so why not trust your local wildlife company to take on your critter complaints? By having a team of licensed wildlife technicians in your contacts, you can count on expert animal services, including prevention, removal, and sanitation. And, you’ll have professional insight into all the tips and tricks that will keep wild animals away from your home.
3 Quick Animal Prevention Tips to Try First
If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to even get started with wild animal prevention, don’t be. Wildlife prevention is a constant process, but these property changes are sure to give you the best results for your time and money. Here’s a quick and condensed list to help you get started as soon as possible.
1. Remove sources of food
- Place pet food bowls and dishes inside your home.
- Store garbage cans indoors and tightly secure each lid.
- Either remove or hang bird feeders high enough so that they are difficult for wildlife to reach.
- Regularly pick up fallen or rotted fruit and vegetables from trees or gardens.
2. Eliminate areas for shelter
- Remove potential sources of cover such as piles of debris, leaves, or trash from your property.
- Trim back vegetation in your yard that may serve as shelter to wildlife.
3. Create barriers to entry
- Build a barrier of welded wire or mesh fencing around your porch to prevent entry.
- Create an exclusion barrier around your garden or shed.
- Enclose your yard with a smooth, tall fence that would be difficult for wildlife to scale or climb.
- Cut any tree limbs that could give wild animals access to your roof.
Protect Your Paradise With Expert Wildlife Removal from Critter Control® of Orlando
When you’re ready to take control of your yard, take the first step with Critter Control® of Orlando. Our team of licensed technicians will use eco-friendly, humane practices to secure your home and create a system that prevents wildlife from returning. And once they’ve removed unwanted wildlife from your property, our highly trained professionals will repair any damage caused to your home and sanitize contaminated areas.
