Humane, Ethical and Safe Ways to Manage Wildlife in Your Backyard

Whether you live in a suburban, urban or rural area, we all share our yards with the plants and animals that come to live there or inhabited it before we even arrived. As people and housing increasingly encroaches into natural wildlife habitats, wildlife has adapted and learned to live in our neighborhoods and backyards. We can choose to live in harmony with nature and get along with our natural inhabitants by causing them no harm, choosing to live alongside them in peace. These living beings depend on your yard for food and water, space to grow, places to hide, sleep, and build nests for their young. That’s why it’s very important not to disturb their homes, but to respect all life in the garden.

If you are seeking ways to deter, mitigate and prevent damage caused by wild animals in your backyard without harming or killing them, here are some simple and effective practices to humanely and compassionately deter them from taking up long-term residence.

General

Keep garbage cans locked in tightly covered containers.
Clean up fallen fruit from fruit trees.
Don’t leave pet food out in the area surrounding your home or on a patio.
Close pet doors at night to keep wild animals outside.
Maintain bird feeders by bringing feeders inside at night and collecting fallen seed from the ground, or by buying seed that has already been hulled.
Keep cats indoors and inside to protect them from disease, predators and accidents, as well as to conserve wildlife like lizards, snakes, salamanders, native birds and other small animals. Free roaming cats have a destructive and devastating effect on native animals.
Keep the spaces of your home sealed tight – all vents, crawl spaces, attics, sheds, areas under decks, etc., so that animals cannot use them to sleep or breed.
Plant plants that specific types of animals dislike or are resistant to – talk to your local nursery about what plants to choose to deter certain animals.
Don’t feed wildlife—instead let them stay wild. By feeding them, it disrupts their natural behaviors and ability to survive. It can also shorten their lives and reduce their long-term survival rate.
Never use toxic substances in your yard, garden or lawn – pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers all can be highly toxic to all animals and humans. Use only natural organic methods or just let the weeds go. You can use nematodes for grub control for lawns, or dog or cat repellant to deter raccoons and skunks.
Never, ever use poisons, rodenticides, toxic chemicals, sticky glue traps or herbicides – as these will all cause the greatest harm, suffering, pain, torture, and a slow death to not only your target animal but to many non-target animals including pets, small and large wildlife, the birds, and your surrounding environment. It will cause the most damage and bring harm to all wildlife and the environment that inhabits the spaces where you live.

Here are some species-specific humane and safe deterrents for wildlife in your backyard.

RACOONS

Raccoons are highly dexterous and are active mainly at night. They can dig up lawns in search of food, especially grub infestations. Here are some tips to protect lawns, gardens and trees:

Prevent raccoons from climbing trees to reach fruit by wrapping metal guards and fencing, up to 18” or wider, around the tree trunk. Fencing should be 5-6’ above the ground in order to keep them from climbing trees. Trim tree branches back from the roofline.
Protect fish in ponds with placing wire meshing all the way around the edge, you can leave the center open. Animals will not walk on the wire because they could drown. You can add terra cotta pipes for the fish to protect themselves.

SKUNKS

Skunks travel at night also and eat a variety of foods. Skunks rarely spray or use their odor unless provoked or in danger. Skunks also are known to dig in lawns for grub (see Raccoon tips).

Keep garbage cans sealed tightly in containers and don’t feed pets outside or leave pet food out at night.
Screen all vents and crawls spaces to prevent skunks from entering warm, dry spaces.
If sprayed, use a mixture in an open container (only) of: 1 QT 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, ¼ C baking soda, and 1 TSP Dawn dish detergent. Mix together and apply immediately, avoiding eyes, nose, ears and mouth, and any open spaces. Leave on for several minutes, then rinse completely with warm water. This amount is enough for a cat or small dog. Double the ingredients for a medium dog or triple the ingredients for a large dog.

OPOSSUMS

In addition to racoons and skunks, opossums also travel at night and can “play dead” when confronted. They are the only marsupial native to North America and are very beneficial to humans by eating many vector insects including fleas, mosquitos, toxic spiders, etc. They are non-aggressive and are helpful to our environment.

Keep garbage cans well sealed and avoid leaving pet food outside.
See skunks and raccoon tips.

SQUIRRELS

Squirrels love to forage in grass, lawns and garden pots, and in the fall move nuts and seeds to bury them for the winter. If you don’t want them burrowing in your yard:

Encourage hawks and owls to come and take up residence by setting up a raptor perching box or pole. These are available or can be easily constructed by following the correct height and measurements that entice them to stay. They prey on squirrels.
Remove food sources like dead fruit and veggies, keep your garden clean of debris.
If using bird feeders, buy squirrel-proof feeders, and don’t leave your feeders out at night. You many even set up a separate feeder with peanuts for the squirrels.
Place a hardware cloth mesh (1/4 inch or ½ inch mesh) around small garden plots or around individual plants and trees, that goes down a depth of 18-20 inches and rises the same, to protect plants.
Spray peppermint (water mixed with essential oil in spray bottle) around flowers, fruit trees or vegetables to discourage squirrels from eating.
Wrap tree and shrub trunks with commercial tree wrap.
NEVER EVER use toxins, poisons, anti-coagulants that kill very slowly and painfully for days and weeks on end, and also kill non-target animals including pets and birds.
Squirrel burrows are used by a wide variety of species, so never harm them.
Read the Guide to Humane Squirrel Removal if they are a problem inside your home.

GOPHERS

Usually these are very independent animals, so they will likely be solitary in your yard. They are considered an important food source for other wild animals like owls, foxes, coyotes, hawks, weasels and snakes. Here’s how to keep them from eating roots, foliage and other garden plants in your yard:

Plant daffodils, oleaner, gopher or mole plant (Euphorbia Lathyris) or other plants that gophers dislike. Visit your local nursery for suggestions.
Place hardware cloth mesh (1/4 inch or ½ inch mesh) 18-20 inches deep around the perimeter of your garden to deter gophers.
Protect plant roots using root protectors with ¾ inch hexagonal wire netting or purchase them ready-made.
Using castor oil is said to be effective in deterring gophers. Scatter it around your yard, particularly near gopher holes. The castor oil will not kill the gopher but will encourage them to build or find a new home somewhere else.

SNAKES

Most snakes are highly beneficial to our environment because they eat mice, rats, and ground squirrels. They should not be killed but can be deterred or removed professionally. To make your yard less attractive to them, you can:

Discourage them by clearing dense brush and weeds from around your home to reduce the rodent population. Refer to our article on humane ways of deterring rats and mice, to reduce these pests in your yard.
Install fencing using small-mesh wire fencing that runs 18” into the ground and 3 feet above the ground. Avoid plastic mesh because snakes and other small animals can get caught and stuck in it. Fencing like this can keep out most snakes.

DEER

Deer are attracted to perennials, bushes, and trees. Use your local nursery to choose plants, flowers and herbs that deer dislike or will not graze on. By planting chives, onions, garlics, marigolds, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender around your flower bed and vegetable gardens, you can help repel species like deer, rabbits, mice and squirrels, while attracting a wider variety of beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.

In addition, you can:

Install 8-10’ high fencing to prevent deer from eating your garden, vegetables or shrubs. You can also erect other barriers or screens around individual plants to protect them.
Add floating row covers above gardens as a repellent. The screening will allow water and sunlight to penetrate the plants below but help to keep animals and insects out.
Deer repellents are available at local nurseries and home improvement stores, but be careful to follow instructions carefully, as they may impact other animals as well. Look for repellents that use garlic, cayenne, blood meal, and you can also use soap flakes and motion detectors.
Motion activated sprinklers can also work to scare or deter deer from your backyard.

If the problem is larger with numbers of deer, you can use of contraception through medicated darts or vaccines to reduce and control suburban deer, bear, coyotes/wildlife populations, and ear-tagging them, this is proven to be highly effective, practical, and inexpensive. You will need to hire an expert.
The use of contraception through the single-shot vaccine for deer that stops reproduction for years; or trapping bucks to sterilize them through chemical injections is possible with larger deer problems. Again, you will need to hire an expert.

COYOTES

Coyotes can come into urban or suburban areas and are usually harmless to humans but can injure and kill domestic animals if left outside. To reduce your risk of encountering them, here are some tips:

Avoid feeding pets outside or leaving food out for them. Store all food and kibble in sealed containers and keep inside only.
Keep trash can lids sealed tight. Use lids that prevent spilling if the containers are tipped over.
Don’t let your cat outside or leave them outside overnight. Protect your cats and pets by keeping them inside and indoors only. Coyotes can seek cats and small dogs in residential neighborhoods. Cats and dogs should NEVER be allowed to wander outside in territories where coyotes live.

BATS

Many bat species are protected and cannot be harmed. They are considered highly beneficial to the environment because they eat a large variety of harmful insects. They roost in trees, buildings, eaves of porches and come out at night. Never attempt to handle a bat. Here’s how to deter them:

Close all openings where bats can enter a building or your home. If they enter, allow it to fly out by leaving the opening – open to them.
Cover area where they roost with smooth, tight fitting plastic such as Plexiglas or other hard plastic.
Suspending or hanging moth balls located inside of netting or socks can sometimes deter them.
Avoid sealing a roosting area from May to August in case there is a nursing colony of bats that cannot escape.
For more information, read this article about Humane Bat Removal Methods.

SONGBIRDS

Our population of songbirds has become decimated in recent decades due to climate change, wildfires, pollutions, chemicals, agricultural farming techniques, destruction of natural waterways, and suburban development. There have been massive die-offs in recent years. You can help our songbird populations by keeping them healthy and safe. Here are some tips:

If using a bird feeder or a birdbath – keep it very clean. Once a week, wash your feeder with soapy water and rinse well. You can soak in a well-diluted solution of 1 part bleach to 32 parts water, if needed.
If using a bird feeder, always use fresh, high quality sterile seed. If the seed gets wet from rain, remove and replace it with dry seed immediately before mold develops.
Use a cover over your bird feeder to keep birds and seed as dry as possible. They are available at bird and nature stores, or find them online.
Importantly, to protect all bird species along with other wildlife, keep your cat inside only. Construct a catio or kennel connected to your house, if you want your cat to have a place outside to enjoy, and keep them contained. Non-profit bird and animal groups all urge cat owners to keep cats indoors only.
If you find a hurt or injured bird that cannot or does not fly off in a short period of time, place them in a small container, like a paper-lined box and take them immediately to a nearby wildlife rehabilitation center. You can contact them in advance for care instructions.

RATS & MICE

For rats and mice, please see our article Humane Alternatives to Control Rats and Mice.

Remember, never, ever use poisons, toxins, toxic chemicals, rodenticides or sticky-glue traps to kill mice and rats. These poisons end up killing and causing horrific suffering to not only rats and mice, but to non-target unintended animals as well, like birds, birds of prey, skunks, possums, cougars and mountain lions, deer, cats and dogs, and all other wildlife. It is completely unnecessary, causes the most harm to all of life, and there are far more effective methods to use than poison, and kinder than glue traps. If people could see how damaging these poisons are to our wildlife and ecosystems, we would not be discussing their potential environmental and wildlife impact — they would have been banned years ago, just like DDT.