Question 1

How do you get rid of raccoons fast?

Accepted Answer

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You can get rid of raccoons quickly by making your home an undesirable place to live. Here are the best ways to get rid of raccoons fast:

Repair broken vents and screens leading to your home.
Seal open access points into your home. Many raccoons sneak in through the attic, roof, or chimney.
Trim trees and branches so raccoons don’t have easy access to your roof and chimney.
Thoroughly clean out garbage cans, remove all trash, and secure the bins.
Don’t keep food or water outside.
Add raccoon guards to outdoor bird feeders.
Clean up brush around your home—raccoons like to gather loose yard materials for bedding.

Question 2

Are snake repellents safe to use?

Accepted Answer

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Some snake repellents are risky to use around people and pets because they use the active ingredient in mothballs, naphthalene. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified naphthalene as a carcinogen that can cause damage to the liver, neurological issues, and cataracts.

The Colorado State University Extension suggests there’s not enough conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of snake repellents to recommend their use.

Question 3

Should I report a stray or feral cat?

Accepted Answer

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If the cat is stray (you noticed a collar or other signs of domestication), the kind thing to do is to try and find the owner. Call around to other neighbors to see if they can lead you in the right direction. If you can get close enough to snap a picture, try posting an image of the cat to local community groups and pages on social media.

If the cat is feral, you can try to humanely trap them and participate in a local shelter’s TNR program. Before attempting capture, call around to local rescues and shelters to make sure one near you does participate in a TNR program. They may even be able to catch the cat for you.

Question 4

What smell keeps armadillos away?

Accepted Answer

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Armadillos have very strong smelling capabilities to track down insects efficiently. But this superpower is actually a double-edged sword because their extreme sense of smell also causes them to be more sensitive and deterred by strong odors. To keep them at bay, you can place small amounts of substances like vinegar, ammonia, and mothballs around your property and near armadillo hotspots.

Although you can technically flood an armadillo out of its hole, it’s important to remember that this can be potentially fatal to the animal. Armadillos sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day, and if you perform this technique while they’re deep in sleep, they may not awake soon enough to save themselves.

Question 5

Do groundhogs exhibit aggressive behavior?

Accepted Answer

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Groundhogs usually keep their cool despite being easily spooked. However, there are exceptions—they might get defensive or territorial if they feel threatened or overly concerned. If they sense a threat to their babies, they could get feisty, too. These wild animals are not meant to be kept as pets. If you find babies or an injured groundhog, contact your local animal rescue or wildlife service for guidance.