No one wants an intruder in their backyard, especially if this intruder is an animal that destroys your landscape, eats plants, damages foundations, and gets in your swimming pool. Which intruders tend to be the ones South Florida home owners need to look out for? Iguanas, raccoons, and birds are some of the animals that can cause severe harm to your local property if not removed immediately. If you do see these animals in your backyard, there are a few things you can do to remedy the invasion before calling on licensed professionals.
Iguanas: If you see an iguana in your backyard, remove it as soon as possible. Iguanas will usually visit your backyard to feast on your plants or to lay eggs. These animals will destroy your landscape and can lay about 70 eggs at once. They carry an infinite number of bacteria that can be harmful to your health. Tricks that you can use to prevent iguanas from going to your backyard can include:
- Keep a lid on garbage cans: Because these animals are searching for food, you must keep your garbage as protected as possible.
- Protect trees to prevent climbing: Sheet metal guards placed 18 to 36 inches from the base of a tree will stop iguanas from climbing up.
- Store pet food inside the house: As mentioned previously, iguanas seek food and will want to eat anything they find available in your yard.
Raccoons: Raccoons are probably one of the most clever and tenacious suburban pests. Since they are nocturnal, it might be more difficult to catch them in action. They are omnivores, so they will eat pretty much anything they find along the way. If you think raccoons are visiting your yard, you can try the following tricks to scare them away:
- Protect the trash: Since raccoons cannot resist trash, you will need to try a couple of different strategies to make sure they will not go into your garbage. Using trash bags with odors can reduce the smell of food. Also, locking the garbage can with bungee cords is always a good idea.
- Clean up the yard: Raccoons love a messy yard where they can hide. You should always keep the grass mowed and prune overgrown shrubs. If you see any holes in the ground, cover them to prevent raccoons from hiding there.
- Scare them: Schedule the sprinklers to work at nighttime. This way, they will create noise and scare the raccoons away.
Birds: For the most part, birds are harmless creatures. The danger begins when their droppings harbor bacteria and corrode your roof. Also, bird nests can block air vents and present fire hazards. Certain types of birds can even damage wooden shingles. It is best to call a team of experts when it comes to removing birds from your home.
Regardless of the type of animal that is invading your backyard, the best solution is to call Manning Pest Control to safely remove it from your property. We will make sure they are removed properly to prevent any undue stress and injury to the animal.
