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FEBRUARY 01 2022 /

DIY Home Wildlife Removal: Dead or Alive

How To Safely Remove Wildlife From Your Home

Dead or alive, removing any wildlife from your home is dangerous. If it’s alive, you want to be sure it can be safely removed without attacking you or scurrying farther into your home to hide. Plus, you need to be sure there are no babies or other animals present—that could mean big trouble! On the other hand, even a dead animal can pose threats to you and your home. Aside from their many odors, deceased wildlife can attract other pests, giving them an invitation to invade your home. When it comes to removing wildlife from your home, the best solution is to contact a wildlife removal specialist. However, if the situation is dire, we want you to know how to remove these animals from your home in the safest way possible. Follow along with us below to learn the best techniques for home wildlife removal—dead or alive!

Check This List Before Removing A Living Animal From Your Home

Here are six important steps to follow when attempting to remove wildlife from your home:

1. Regularly check for any signs of wildlife

If there is an animal stuck in your attic, crawl space or basement, chances are you’ll be able to hear it scurrying around. More often than not, animals stuck in these places are nocturnal, so you stand a better chance of hearing them at night. You may hear squeaks, fluttering or scratching. Normally these noises are one of the first signs of wildlife in your home. Once you have determined where the animal is in your home, you can begin to plan for safe removal.

2. Determine if the animal is alone

Once you have located the animal, do your best to figure out if it’s alone. Wildlife removal can get dicey if there is more than one animal present, or if babies are involved. In this situation, it is in your best interest to contact a wildlife removal specialist. However, if the animal is in fact alone, then you should be able to proceed with removal. Usually these animals are just stuck and are trying to find a way out. The purpose of removal is not to harm these animals, rather you want to make it as easy for them to leave as possible.

3. Attempt to let the animal leave on its own

To be safe, try letting the animal leave on it’s own. Turn on a light and open windows or doors to give the animal an easy exit. Make sure children or pets do not have access to the animal either. Again, you want to make it as easy as possible for the animal to leave without threatening you or your home. With any luck, the animal will find the exit and peacefully leave your home. However, it’s not always that easy!

4. When necessary, set a trap

Sometimes, setting a trap is the only way to remove an animal from your home. While some may think setting lethal traps are the best way to remove the animal, we strongly disagree. There are plenty of humane options that won’t threaten the life of the animal, and are all around safer options. When choosing a trap, base the size of the trap off of the size of the animal. For example, you’ll need a smaller trap for mice and squirrels than you would for a skunk or raccoon. Once you have your trap, place it outside of the part of your home where the animal is stuck. Choose a trap with a trick door that will activate when the animal steps inside. After the trap is set, simply wait to see when and if the animal goes inside. If days go by and there’s still no wildlife in the trap, call an expert.

5. Release the animal

If the animal goes in the trap, great! The next step is to properly release the animal. You may assume that the best option here is to take the animal as far away from your home is possible. However, that is one of the worst things you can do for the animal! When you relocate wildlife, chances are that animal will die. This new, unfamiliar territory will be difficult for the animal to adapt to, so it may become prey to other animals or have trouble finding a food source. In some cases, it may even have babies that it needs to feed, and unfortunately those will die as well. So, in order to protect the wildlife, release it somewhere close by your property. Like we talked about earlier, the animal probably didn’t mean to get stuck in your home. So once you release it and seal off entries, you shouldn’t have any more problems.

6. Seal off re-entry points

Finally, seal off any easy points of access around your home. Make sure any needed repairs are made quickly to prevent future wildlife invasions. Stay alert of areas around your home that may be easily accessible by wildlife. By frequently checking your home, you should be able to prevent future animal break-ins.

Guide To Removing A Deceased Animal

Removing a living animal is one thing, but removing a deceased one is something else entirely. If you find a dead animal in your home, here are six steps to safely remove it:

1. Put on safety gear

Safety first! Be sure to put on gloves, a mask and as much protective gear as possible. If you’re going to be crawling around in your crawl space, you want to be sure your body is protected. Plus, any germs or bacteria present could threaten your health, so your safety gear will help protect you when coming in contact with a dead animal.

2. Make sure there is no other wildlife present

Before the removal, look and listen to make sure no other animals are present. You don’t want to be stuck in a crawl space with a live animal, or have one swoop into your home while in the attic. Once you have confirmed that no other animals are present, gear up! It’s time to locate the animal.

3. Inspect the area to locate the animal

Chances are you’ve smelled the animal before actually seeing it. After determining what part of the home the animal is located in, you need to find where it died. Sometimes, animals crawl into insulation before getting stuck and dying. If this is the case, look for areas in your insulation that may be bulging or torn down. Other times, they may have crawled behind something before passing. Try your best to follow the smell to locate the exact position of the animal. Flies may have found it before you did, so listen for buzzing noises to indicate the animal’s location.

4. Carefully remove the carcass

Have a heavy-duty trash bag ready to put the animal in. If it did crawl inside of your insulation, do your best to remove it without causing too much damage. After placing the animal in the trash bag, carefully remove it from the area and call a local wildlife specialist. They will be able to come to your home and dispose of the animal properly. After all, you aren’t going to want to toss it in the trash!

5. Clean, clean, clean

Once the carcass has been disposed of, get to disinfecting and repairing. There is going to be lots of bacteria present, so do your best to clean the area completely with disinfectant sprays or bleach. If you did have to pull down some insulation, or there are other damages present, repair them immediately. Or better yet, hire an expert to take care of it for you!

6. Block points of access

Finally, figure out how the animal got inside in the first place. Determine the access points and seal them off appropriately and quickly. Make sure to do a frequent sweep of your property to avoid future wildlife issues, too.

When In Doubt, Call The Experts

Wildlife removal is no joke! With all of the precautions and safety threats, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and hire an expert. At Killingsworth, wildlife removal is one of our many specialties. We can remove any wildlife—dead or alive—safely, and with little to no impact on your life or the life of the animal. Plus, it’s not always one animal! Wildlife like squirrels or bats can get in and create their own colony, which is a much larger issue than one rogue animal. In these situations, we know just what to do. We will inspect, control, remove and return wildlife to where they belong. So, if wildlife removal sounds like a little more than you can handle on your own, give us a call. Let the Killingsworth team inspect your home to determine the best course of action for wildlife removal. Schedule an inspection with us today. 

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