How to Trap an Animal Living Under Your Porch

Most of us like to think we’re great at protecting our homes from rodents and other intruders. But have you ever considered animals invading underneath your home? Just because your doors and entry ways are sealed doesn’t mean a raccoon or a squirrel can’t take up residence under your porch and cause you problems. These three steps could help you remove any pesky porch guests and keep your home pest-free.

Step 1: Identify the Animal Under Your Porch

Porches make perfect homes for animals like mice, rats, chipmunks, raccoons, and skunks, to name a few. Short of seeing the animal with your own eyes, you can estimate what is under your porch by the size of the hole it dug. If the hole is less than one inch in diameter, that could indicate a smaller rodent like a rat or mouse. A three inch diameter hole or larger could indicate a raccoon, skunk, or even fox.

Step 2: Set Traps Around Entry Ways

The animal’s size will then determine the trap you need. A traditional snap trap will be successful with smaller critters like mice and rats. Larger critters, like raccoons and skunks, will need a steel cage trap. Set your trap near the exit or entry point of your porch and use the appropriate bait. To reference, here’s a list of critters and their favorite treats:

• Mice or Rats = meat or fruit
• Skunks = oily meats like fish or chicken
• Raccoons = marshmallows
• Opossum = fish, canned cat or dog food
• Woodchucks or Groundhogs = vegetables like lettuce/corn or fruit like cantaloupe/strawberries

Even if you don’t have access to the proper bait, that’s not a problem. Accurate trap placement is much more important. Most critters that stake out under your home are nocturnal. So, it’s best to be alert for animal movement around dusk. If the critter isn’t setting foot near your trap, try setting only bait at the exit and entry points for a few nights. Once the animal has returned to the area a few times, then set the bait within your cage so the critter returns to the trap. This is much harder said than done, so calling a professional animal control expert is the best course of action.

Step 3: Protect Your Home from Future Invasions

Take precautions to prevent animals feeling welcome underneath your home. Seal your deck or porch with a galvanized fencing or quarter-inch mesh at least six inches below the ground. Also spread granular repellents around your deck for the next few months. This is to ensure that any troublesome critter won’t return again. Though you might increase the security of your home with these measures, an experienced animal control company will be able to maximize your home’s defenses.

Let the Professionals Keep Your Porch Clear and Safe

Wild animals belong in the wild, not under your porch. If you have any critters causing problems underneath your home, call Critter Control® of Orlando. Our Certified Wildlife Management Technicians will locate, remove, and ban future “residents” living under your porch. To schedule a Free Animal Entry Home Inspection, call us today at 407-295-7194.