We are all keen to support and embrace wildlife today. And many of us remain ignorant of the difference between supporting wildlife in the wild, and welcoming them into our homes. It is important to remember that they are wild, and need to live in their own environment. They are not our pets. We are not their pet owners.  Excluding wildlife from the home has many many advantages. Read on to learn the main benefits for you and your home.

What are the benefits of  excluding wildlife from the home

Over the past few decades, human-wildlife conflicts have steadily been on the rise. Wild critters like raccoons, opossums, and rodents among many others have learned to depend on humans for food and shelter. However, these wild animals are known to wreak immense damage to properties and pose several health risks.

Wildlife exclusion is one effective way of dealing with infestation problems. It provides a means for homeowners to secure their homes from wild animals in the long run.

In this post, we briefly touch on the exclusion process and explain some of the benefits of exclusion to your home.

The exclusion process

Wildlife exclusion is carried out in four important steps. They are:

• Inspection

This involves identifying all potential entry holes into your attic, chimney, basement, or any other part of your house.

• Exclusion

This involves installing an exclusion device in all these holes except one. The last hole is left open to allow animals that have been trapped in the house to exit. As a result, they are unable to get back in, and the final hole can then be sealed.

• Cleanup

This involves the removal of animal waste that might have contaminated your home. This step is very important because it helps eliminate bacteria and viruses that can cause several diseases.

• Repairs

Wild animals are notorious for the damage they cause. Raccoons and rodents chew on wood, wires, and pipes. All damages caused by the wildlife are fixed in this stage.

The benefits of wildlife exclusion

From the exclusion process, some of the benefits of wildlife exclusion immediately stand out. Like how it helps prevent the spread of diseases. But in this section, we delve deeper into the real and actual benefits of excluding wildlife from the home.

• Prevents structural damages.

Wild animals are notorious for property damage. Rodents like squirrels chew on wood, thereby compromising the structural integrity of buildings. That’s why it’s important to keep squirrels away. And the same applies to other wild animals. Wildlife exclusion helps to keep these nasty critters away.

• Protects your garden

There’s nothing worse than having rodents (or any other critter for that matter) attach your home grown produce. As a result of letting them in they eat fruits and vegetables from your garden before you can! That’s why many homeowners set traps for these nasty animals.

To learn how to effectively trap wild animals, visit mousetrapping.org.  Or better still, having a wildlife professional implement wildlife exclusion can help keep wildlife out of your garden for good.

• Reduces the risk of diseases

Wild animals are known to carry several zoonotic diseases that can affect both humans and pets. Examples of such diseases include Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and brucellosis, among many others.

Since exclusion helps to keep wild animals at bay, it invariably limits your interaction with them. This in turn helps keep you and your family safe.

• Improves your house’s energy efficiency

In attics, wild critters tear the insulation thereby reducing the energy efficiency of your home. This in turn adds up to your energy bill. Wildlife exclusion helps to keep these insulation-tearing critters away.

Exclusion involves sealing up potential entry holes and cracks that serve as potential entry holes to animals. What you might not realize is that these holes also allow heat to escape the building. By sealing them off, your overall energy efficiency improves.

• Cost-effectiveness

By not forcibly excluding wildlife from the home, wild animals will find their way into your house. And because that happens, these nasty critters will cause severe damage. Whether they chew on wood in your home to polluting the entire area with their droppings. Carrying out the necessary repairs and clean-up may cost several thousands of dollars.

Even with that, the problem will reoccur if proper wildlife exclusion isn’t carried out. And as a result, carrying out wildlife exclusion now will save you from unnecessary costs in the long run.

A final word on excluding wildlife from the home

Wildlife exclusion requires an adept understanding of animal behavior as it helps to determine the best approach. That’s why getting professional help is recommended. You can learn more about professional wildlife control at First Choice Wildlife Services.

FURTHER READING ON PETS AND PET SITTING

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Does having pets at home attract pests?

Prepare your home for the petsitters

What to look for in an ideal petsitter

Shedding pets – Top tips for cleaning up at home