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Foxes can catch rabies. However, it is rare, and even rarer for them to pass this disease on to humans. If you do see a fox in your vicinity acting strangely, disorientated, having seizures, or randomly trying to bite, contact your local animal control, police, or Department of Environmental Control. And if you are scratched or bitten by an animal you suspect has rabies, seek medical treatment immediately.

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.

Although raccoons aren’t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:

• Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting. 

• Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close. 

• Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon’s den to keep them from nesting.

• Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.

• Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.

It’s possible that skunks will leave on their own. Skunks may appear briefly on your property and move on if they cannot find food. However, waiting them out is not a foolproof solution. If the skunk finds a food source on or near your property and builds a nest, the animal will almost certainly not choose to move. If you can eliminate food sources, you’ll have a better chance of seeing the skunk leave on its own.